A group of pilgrims gathers for the Saint John Paul II National Shrine’s annual walking pilgrimage on October 17, in honor of its patron’s upcoming feast day. Photo: Sam Levitan
Hundreds gather for celebrations, walking pilgrimage
in honor of feast of St. John Paul II
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hundreds of Catholics are gathering at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC for Feast Week, a week of celebrations in honor of St. John Paul II. The events are held in honor of the anniversary of his election to the papacy, which took place October 16, 1978, and his upcoming feast day on October 22. Celebrations kicked off on Friday with a votive Mass, a procession with a first-class relic, and a pizza party in „St. Peter’s Square”, followed by an annual walking pilgrimage on Saturday, which saw a turnout of approximately 75 people.
„St. John Paul II was a trailblazer in the Catholic Church,” said Stephen White, the executive director of the Shrine. „We hope to follow in his footsteps in some small way through the pilgrimage and the Feast Week events, that we may ultimately live out his example of faith and bring greater glory to God.”
The pilgrimage gathers about 150 participants each year. The route began at Christ the King Church in Silver Spring, MD, following a 7.5-mile route through Rock Creek Park, and ended at the Shrine in Washington, DC. Parishes, families, schools, and individuals joined from across the diocese and beyond to pray in English and Spanish, recite the Rosary, celebrate Mass, and learn from the example of St. John Paul II.
Participants in the annual walking pilgrimage gather in front of the Saint John Paul II National Shrine on October 17. Photo: Sam Levitan
On Sunday, the Shrine put on a movie screening for „Messenger of Truth”, a film on the life of Polish martyr Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, which garnered approximately 25 participants. The 2013 film narrated by Martin Sheen tells the story of Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, a young priest who was killed for his efforts to free the Polish people from Communism. The evening included veneration of a relic of Blessed Jerzy.
This year’s Feast Week culminates in a special day of events in honor of St. John Paul II’s feast day on Thursday, October 22. The Shrine will hold confessions at 11 a.m., prayer at the hour of mercy at 3 p.m., a Solemnity Mass at 5 p.m. followed by Polish desserts, and an Evening With the Merciful Jesus at 7 p.m., led by the Sisters of Mercy. The evening program includes a talk, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praise and worship music, confessions, refreshments, small group discussions, and fellowship.
The Shrine is also offering veneration of the relics of many saints during the month of October, including St. John Paul II, St. Faustine Kowalska, St. Carlo Acutis, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and more. The relics are available for veneration in the Luminous Mysteries Chapel through October 31. Please visit the Shrine’s website for hours and details.
For more information about the events or to learn more about the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, visit www.jp2shrine.org.
The sun shines behind a statue of St. John Paul at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC
on October 17, 2026. Photo: Sam Levitan
The full schedule of events for Feast Week at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.
Photo: Saint John Paul II National Shrine
About the Saint John Paul II National Shrine
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a pilgrimage destination and a place of worship, religious formation, and cultural renewal in Washington, D.C. Through liturgy and prayer, art, cultural events, and religious celebrations, pilgrims can enter into St. John Paul II’s deep love for God and man. The Shrine has a major permanent exhibit highlighting significant events in the saint’s life and his momentous influence as Pope, as well as a first-class relic of his blood available for veneration. From its conception, the Shrine was a response to St. John Paul II’s call for a “new evangelization”. It is a place of genuine encounter with God who heals and renews every dimension of human life.
