Covington Lenten Pilgrimage will offer pilgrims an opportunity to receive sacraments

Laura Keener

Editor

With only days until the third annual Lenten Pilgrimage to five historic churches in Covington, details have been completed so that pilgrims will have a truly spiritual experience as the Church enters into Holy Week and in preparation for the Easter season.

The self-guided pilgrimage will be held Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m.– 2 p.m. and includes stops at five Covington churches — Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, St. Augustine Church, St. Benedict Church, St. John Church and Mother of God Church. A pilgrim walking the entire route would clock 9,000 to 10,000 steps (or about 4.5 miles). Pilgrims may also choose to drive from church to church. There is not one specific route, pilgrims decide at which church to begin and end.

To add to the spiritual nature of the pilgrimage, each church will offer pilgrims the opportunity to obtain sacramental graces. During the entire time of the pilgrimage, at the Cathedral and St. Augustine Church, Exposition and Adoration will be available; at St. Benedict Church and St. John Church, priests will be in the confessionals to offer the sacrament of reconciliation; and at Mother of God Church, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be celebrated at 12:05 p.m. Additionally, confessions will be available at St. Augustine Church from 9:30–11 a.m.

A common question posed to the Lenten Pilgrimage is, “Where do I start? And how do I get back to my car?” Pilgrims can choose to start at any church on the route. Each church has a parking lot, with ample parking available in the lot and on surrounding streets. Pilgrims can also park at the Curia lot, across the street from the Cathedral. The entire route is a loop, with the entire loop — from your parked car back to your parked car — being just under 4.5 miles. Pilgrims will be given a map of the route.

A scalloped shell is an ancient Christian symbol for pilgrimage. The early Church, and in some churches today, a scalloped shell is used to pour water over someone during the sacrament of Baptism. Baptism marks the start of a Christian’s pilgrimage to heaven. During the Lenten pilgrimage, signs bearing the symbol of a scalloped shell will mark the pilgrimage path.

In a recent video about the pilgrimage, Bishop John Iffert said that what he “loves most about this annual pilgrimage is that it was the idea of the people in the pews … from that spark of inspiration we are now in the third year of this annual pilgrimage and every year it has grown. It’s been very important for people as they bring to a close their Lenten practice and move into Holy Week and Easter.” To view the video visit https://www.covdio.org/jubilee.

Also available on the diocese’s Jubilee website is a digital booklet “A Lenten Pilgrimage: Diocese of Covington.” Printed booklets will be distributed at each of the churches. In addition to information about the route, the booklet includes a historical snippet of each church along with prayers and reflections on the Psalms, information about pilgrimages and how to obtain the Jubilee 2025 indulgence.

“I invite you to consider being part of the annual Lenten Pilgrimage in downtown Covington,” Bishop Iffert said.