Large national pilgrimage in France to celebrate Notre-Dame’s reopening

From July 28 to September 14, 2024, a large number of French Catholic pilgrims are participating in a national pilgrimage with seven different routes all converging on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, to celebrate its reopening. All the pilgrims will meet in front of Notre-Dame on September 14.

The project was spearheaded by lay people, among whom is Béatrice, who explained the meaning of the pilgrimage: “The objective is to restore the sacred significance of this monument, to revive popular fervor and to pray to the saints for our country, since each route bears the name of a saint.”

For the past 7 weeks, pilgrims have been criss-crossing France, from Brive-la-Gaillarde to Boulogne-sur-Mer, via Domrémy and Mont-Saint-Michel, passing through hundreds of abbeys, churches and shrines.

Here are the names of the seven routes:

• Saint Joseph for the southeastern route, departing from Lyon.
• Saint James for the southwestern route, departing from Brive-la-Gaillarde.
• Saint Joan of Arc for the eastern route, departing from the Shrine of Mont Saint-Odile.
• Saint Martin, for the western route, departing from Saint-Martin-en-Ré.
• Saint Michael the Archangel, for the Normandy route, departing from Mont Saint-Michel.
• Saint Benedict Joseph Labre for the northern route, departing from Boulogne sur Mer.
• Saint Anne for the Brittany route, departing from Quimper.

A procession will be organized on September 14 to celebrate the arrival of the 7 routes at Notre-Dame.

www.rcf.fr