While tens of thousands of faithful Catholics will join the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, only a few young adults will make the full journey from St. Augustine to Philadelphia. We call them Perpetual Pilgrims.
This small, dedicated group travel with the Blessed Sacrament full-time for the whole pilgrimage route. You can learn more about each pilgrim by clicking their photo below.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is the patron saint of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. As the first American citizen to be canonized a saint, Mother Cabrini was a woman of great prayer and devotion to the Eucharist who answered God’s call to serve the abandoned and poor in our country. She initially wanted to serve as a missionary in China, but the Holy Father asked her to go to New York instead. Despite many obstacles and limited resources, she tirelessly worked to ensure that Italian immigrants and orphans in New York City received shelter, food, education, Catechism classes, and medical care. Her determination and faith in God’s providence led her to found multiple institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals.
Her inspiring legacy continues through the work of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an order she founded, which continues to care for the poor and marginalized in many countries worldwide. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and hospital administrators.
