PHOTOS: Jesus passes through St. Louis on National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

Hundreds of people joined as the Eucharist left the Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, headed for St. Peter Parish, in St. Charles, Missouri. / Credit: Jonah McKeown/CNA

St. Louis, Mo., Jul 8, 2024 / 15:50 pm (CNA).

Thousands of people joined over the weekend for Eucharistic processions and other events put on as part of the National Eucharistic Revival in St. Louis, a city known as the “Rome of the West” for its many beautiful churches and historically vibrant Catholic presence.

The St. Junípero Serra Route, the longest of the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes, began in San Francisco in May and arrived in the St. Louis area July 5 to enthusiastic crowds. The pilgrimage has now proceeded on through Illinois and will culminate, along with the other three routes, with an arrival in Indianapolis on July 16 in time for the National Eucharistic Congress. 

Here’s a look at Jesus’ progress through the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Friday

Events in the St. Louis area began on Friday in St. Charles, a small Missouri River town that was once the capital of the state. It also was the home of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, a saint who founded a convent and school there in the early 19th century.

After a rosary at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, the procession stopped at St. Rose’s shrine less than a mile away and then proceeded to St. Peter Parish. The procession was unaffected by moderate flooding taking place nearby at the Missouri River, which had forced the cancellation of a major Independence Day celebration that was also scheduled to take place July 5. 

Saturday

On Saturday, the Perpetual Pilgrims — young people committed to walking the entire route with Jesus — visited the Missionaries of Charity at their St. Louis home, which is close to St. Josephine Bakhita, a historically Black parish.

The pilgrims were welcomed by the people of St. Josephine’s for lunch, and then Auxiliary Bishop Mark Rivituso blessed a large number of “Blessing Boxes” containing donations, collected by the archdiocese, for refugee families in St. Louis. The pilgrims then joined the Missionaries of Charity for adoration before the Eucharist was processed to St. Josephine’s for continued adoration. 

The pilgrims then proceeded to an apartment complex where a large number of Latin American and African refugees live. The pilgrims helped the families carry their donated boxes to their apartments.

Sunday

Sunday’s festivities began at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, with Sunday Mass celebrated by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski. Following the Mass, hundreds of people gathered to accompany the Eucharistic procession on a roughly five-mile trek to St. Stephen Protomartyr Church. 

The route took the pilgrims through numerous historic neighborhoods in St. Louis as well as past the Missouri Botanical Garden and through Tower Grove Park. Despite temperatures approaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit, numerous families with small children made the journey. A large cadre of police facilitated the procession’s progress the entire way. 

The participants took part in Eucharistic adoration upon arrival at St. Stephen.