Dominican Friars Set September Date for National Rosary Pilgrimage
The Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph have announced that their annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage will take place on September 26 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The daylong gathering is expected to draw thousands of pilgrims from across the United States for prayer, sacramental celebration and communal devotion. The pilgrimage program traditionally includes Eucharistic adoration, opportunities for confession, the communal praying of the rosary and the celebration of Mass. Organizers describe the event as a national moment of prayer centered on Marian devotion and spiritual renewal, bringing together clergy, religious and lay faithful from diverse backgrounds. The announcement reflects the continued growth of the pilgrimage, which in recent years has become one of the most visible public expressions of rosary devotion in the United States, particularly in the lead up to the Church’s annual observance of the Month of the Holy Rosary in October.
In preparation for the 2026 pilgrimage, the Dominican friars have also announced a nine month novena that will begin on January 31. The novena will be prayed on the last Saturday of each month, continuing until the day of the pilgrimage. According to the friars, this extended period of prayer is intended to spiritually prepare participants well in advance of their journey. The novena invites the faithful to unite their personal intentions with those of the wider Church, emphasizing prayer as both preparation and accompaniment. Dominican leaders have indicated that the novena is meant to foster a sense of continuity between monthly prayer and the pilgrimage itself, reinforcing the idea that pilgrimage is not a single event but part of an ongoing spiritual path rooted in perseverance and communal intercession.
Dominican representatives have highlighted the central place of the rosary within the Order’s charism and history. For centuries, the preaching and promotion of the rosary have been closely associated with Dominican ministry, shaping both their pastoral work and devotional life. The annual pilgrimage is presented as an expression of that tradition, offering a public witness to Marian devotion within the heart of the Church in the United States. Organizers have noted that the timing of the pilgrimage serves as a spiritual threshold into October, inviting participants to renew their relationship with Christ through contemplation of the mysteries of the rosary. The event is also seen as an opportunity to deepen ecclesial unity through shared prayer, drawing together individuals and families in a visible act of faith within the Church’s national shrine.
Looking ahead to September, the friars have expressed hope that the pilgrimage will continue to grow in both participation and spiritual fruit. They have emphasized that the purpose of the pilgrimage is not limited to attendance or scale, but to foster deeper love for Christ and his mother through sustained prayer and sacramental life. By combining pilgrimage, novena and liturgical celebration, the Dominicans aim to offer the faithful a structured path of devotion that extends across much of the year. The annual gathering remains a focal point for Marian spirituality in the United States, reflecting the enduring place of the rosary in Catholic life and the Church’s call to prayer in the midst of contemporary challenges.
