The Chartres Pilgrimage is a three-day walk from Notre-Dame de Paris to Notre-Dame de Chartres, approximately 60 miles. Pilgrims are organised into groups of
20-60 people, that are referred to as chapters. The walk is through the streets of Paris, and then
into the countryside. It can be muddy, rocky, and demanding, but the rewards of such a penitential exercise
are eternal. Good sturdy shoes are a must. Each chapter is accompanied by at least one chaplain, who hears
confession and gives spiritual direction to each pilgrim who avails himself of the priest’s presence. This
pilgrimage originated in the 12th century, with interruptions for the various wars our European brethren
seem to find themselves in from time to time.
Ever since the fire of Notre-Dame de Paris in 2019, the Pilgrimage has instead started from the nearby
church of Saint-Sulpice.
This
year, the Pilgrimage will also be starting from Saint-Sulpice, we shall gather there at 6 a.m. on the
23rd of May, 2026, and the journey of faith and foot will begin.
Dates: 23–25 May 2026
Distance: ~60 miles
Start: Saint-Sulpice (Paris), 6:00am
Finish: Chartres Cathedral
Why Chartres?
Chartres has been a place of pilgrimage even before the construction of its Gothic cathedral, and by the end
of the 12th century, it became one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in Europe. In 876 the cathedral
acquired the Sancta Camisa, believed to be the tunic worn by Mary at the time of Christ’s birth.
According to legend, the relic was given to the cathedral by Charlemagne who received it as a gift from
Emperor Constantine VI during a crusade to Jerusalem. Today, Our Lady’s Veil
is kept in a golden reliquary beside the high altar.
Chartres Cathedral in the distance, on the last day of the Pilgrimage
The Maltese Chapter
Our chapter is intended primarily to cater for Maltese people who are interested in attending the
Pilgrimage, but we are open to anyone who wishes
to join us. It has existed since 2020, its official name is: “St Paul, Apostle of the
Gentiles,” after the apostle Saint Paul who first evangelised the island in AD 60:
“Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us
unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a
pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his
hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be
a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But
Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up
or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they
changed their minds and said he was a god.”
Acts 28:1–6
Tradition, together with an unbroken succession of bishops since St Publius, ordained bishop by Paul
himself, tells us that Malta has been Catholic ever since St Paul’s shipwreck.
In recent times it is increasingly difficult to recognise truly devout Catholicism in Malta: as we walk
towards Chartres, we must pray for the reconversion of our countrymen back home, to the one true faith.
The Maltese Chapter in 2025
The WhatsApp Group
We communicate chiefly through a WhatsApp group chat, which you can join by clicking the button below on
your phone:
