Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
As he began to process on a warm and breezy morning along the boardwalk, Chris Cikanovich, a parishioner of St. Luke Parish and a Knight of Columbus for 51 years said, “I wanted to be a part of this and show what the Eucharist means to us.”
Cikanovich rose early on a Friday morning to join dozens of others from the Diocese who took part in the 6 a.m. Eucharistic Procession led by Bishop Koenig from First St. to 17th Street in Ocean City, Maryland.
“I love my church,” said Kathleen Higgins. “To walk with Jesus on the boardwalk is amazing. I never thought it would happen,” said Higgins, a 30-year member of St. Mary Star of the Sea/Holy Saviour Parish.
Processors with guitars led hymns, while others sang and prayed quietly along the way as the sun rose beyond the sand and ocean beside them.
Chris Cikanovich, a parishioner of St. Luke Parish and a Knight of Columbus (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
“I love the Eucharistic procession because we see our belief in the True Presence and we hope that by others seeing it, they will be drawn to it,” said Permanent Deacon Rich Juliano of St. Ann Parish in Bethany Beach. Juliano walked beside his wife, Helen, who said, “It’s a profession of my faith, to be a witness and witness our Witness.”
After walking the 17-blocks and praying in a closing Adoration service at Holy Saviour Parish, 16-year old Banessa and older sister, Lily from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Georgetown, affirmatively declared, “We feel peace. Just peace. It feels like being in a great state of grace.”
Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
Pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
Bishop Koenig leads pilgrims in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
The crowd of pilgrims follows the Eucharist in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
The crowd of pilgrims follow the Eucharist in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
The crowd of pilgrims follow the Eucharist in an early morning procession on the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, June 12, 2026. (Dialog photo/Cathy Rossi)
