The Pilgrimage of Hope is a national walking pilgrimage with four main Ways converging at the Cathedral of St Barnabas, Nottingham, on Saturday 13 September 2025, for shared prayer and celebration.
The Pilgrimage will culminate with Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at 11:15 am on Sunday, 14 September 2025 at St Barnabas’ Cathedral. The Pilgrimage will embody the values of the Sisters of the Holy Cross of compassion, faith, prayer and community.
The four main Ways start at the Catholic cathedrals in Cardiff, Leeds, Norwich and London, and will bless our nations with a Sign of the Cross and with the Gospels.
The Hearts in Search of God project lead, Phil McCarthy said:
“We live in times when despair would be easy. The Pilgrimage of Hope will be a way for Catholics and other Christians to witness to their faith and hope in the crucified and risen Christ across England and Wales. It will be an opportunity to experience walking a sustainable pilgrimage on foot as pilgrims of hope.”
The main ways are named after the Evangelists, Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
St Mark’s Way (North)
The northern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from Leeds Cathedral to St Barnabas’ Cathedral in Nottingham via St Marie’s Cathedral in Sheffield and the Chapel of the Padley Martyrs. Maps and further technical details on the northern route – St Mark’s Way – can be found on the Pilgrim Ways website.
St Luke’s Way (East)
The eastern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist in Norwich to the Cathedral Church of St Barnabas in Nottingham via the National Shrine of Our Lady at Houghton St Giles and the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham at King’s Lynn. More on the eastern route – St Luke’s Way.
St John’s Way (South)
The southern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from Southwark and Westminster Cathedrals in London to St Barnabas’ Cathedral in Nottingham via the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate and St Thomas of Canterbury in Northampton. More on the southern route – St John’s Way.
St Matthew’s Way (West)
The western ‘Pilgrimage of Hope’ Way from St David’s Cathedral in Cardiff to St Barnabas’ Cathedral in Nottingham via St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham and the Shrine of St Chad in Lichfield. More on the western route – St Matthew’s Way.
The routes use established hiking routes and are off road as much as possible. A small group of ‘perpetual pilgrims’ will walk the full distance of each Way, and day pilgrims will be able to register to join for stages.
Stretches which are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies will be identified. There will be opportunities for non-walkers to provide enroute support, hospitality and prayer.
The organisers point out that to take part, pilgrims will need to make their own way to the start and finish of the pilgrimage stage. If a pilgrim wants to walk more than one day in succession and not return home each evening they will need to arrange accommodation. Numbers for each day section will be limited for safety reasons. Pilgrim Ways also makes clear that pilgrims walk at their own risk.
There are also possible feeder routes to the four main Ways from all the other Catholic cathedrals of England and Wales for keen long-distance walkers, so people from every diocese can participate. Information and routes can be found by visiting the Pilgrim Ways website (look for the section ‘Feeder Routes’ below the map on the page). It must be noted, however, that the ‘Hearts in Search of God’ project, that manages the Pilgrim Ways site, will not be organising pilgrimages along these feeder routes. Individuals or groups are welcome to use them independently and to adapt them as they feel best.
In the Catholic Church, Jubilees or Holy Years are special years of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. The first was declared by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300. The 2025 Jubilee marks the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It has especial significance in England and Wales as it also commemorates 175 years since the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy after the penal centuries that followed the English Reformation.
The Jubilee has the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and the logo shows people coming from the four corners of the earth in solidarity. The late Pope Francis wrote:
“Pilgrimage is of course a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life. In the coming year, pilgrims of hope will surely travel the ancient and more modern routes in order to experience the Jubilee to the full.”
Spes Non Confundit, Bull of Indiction of the 2025 Jubilee, p5.
The Pilgrimage of Hope promises to be a wonderful way of experiencing the Jubilee to the full. You can visit the official Pilgrim Ways website to find out more about the four main Ways, how you can register to join for stages, and much more.
