A boat departing from the Archdiocese of Baltimore crossed the waters of Chesapeake Bay in temperatures around 90 under bright sunshine, landing at the Bay Bridge Marina on Kent Island in the Diocese of Wilmington.
Bishop William Koenig met the boat dockside and accepted the Holy Eucharist in the monstrance that began its Diocese of Wilmington leg of the journey along the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Dozens of parishioners, seminarians, priests and onlookers observed the transfer as the group began its local journey on the way to Mass at St. Christoper Church in nearby Chester.
A full church of worshipers awaited the 11:15 a.m. arrival at church. Bishop Koenig was primary celebrant and homilist at the votive Mass.
The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, with the theme “One Nation Under God,” is under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be made a saint. The pilgrimage is traversing the diocese Thursday and Friday, making seven stops along the way.
Christine Todd is a St. Christopher parishioner and lives in Chester. She was accompanied by two friends and was asked why she made the trip to stand along the dock in the heat.
“Coming to meet my king,” she said.
Todd says she has prayed for the pilgrimage, asking for health and good fortune for family.
The pilgrimage is the third in three years in the United States. This one will coincide with the country’s 250th birthday; the final leg of the route will end in Philadelphia on July 4-5.
“In 1635, Catholicism first came to what is now the Delmarva peninsula right in this area,” said Father Joseph W. McQuaide IV, diocese chancellor. “As the Blessed Sacrament is part of this pilgrimage, how fitting it is that it’s here and that we’re gathering on Kent Island. And we’ll make our way through the rest of the diocese as the Lord’s presence continues to be with us almost four centuries later.”
Kaya Manizade, a St. Francis de Sales parishioner in Salisbury, is a seminarian in the diocese. He said he and his fellow seminarians have spent time praying in advance of the pilgrimage.
“We prayed the rosary for our diocese and for the pilgrims and for the success of our diocese as well, that it might bring a lot of graces to our diocese,” he said.
After leaving St. Christopher parish, the pilgrimage heads south to Easton, Md., for a service event at SS. Peter and Paul Church from 2-4 p.m. Visitors are asked to bring a canned good or shelf-stable pantry item to benefit the diocesan food pantry sustainability project. There will be opportunities for adoration and to meet the perpetual pilgrims and staff from Catholic Charities.
At 5:30 p.m., the Eucharistic procession resumes in Georgetown, Del., on the block surrounding St. Michael the Archangel Church. A bilingual Mass follows at the church. After that, an evening of fellowship will take place at St. Michael the Archangel from 7:30-9:30, with an opportunity for adoration.
The pilgrimage spends the night at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Ocean City, processes on the boardwalk, arrives for benediction at Holy Savior Church and then heads to Wilmington for Mass at the cathedral Friday morning.
The Wilmington Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Wilmington YouTube channel.
