Approximately 1000 Catholic young people will join Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, and Auxiliary Bishops W. Francis Malooly, Mitchell T. Rozanski, and Denis J. Madden, in an annual pilgrimage through Baltimore on Saturday, March 15th, to mark the start of Holy Week.
The journey will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a rally at O’Donnell Street Park, next to St. Casimir Church in Canton. Following an opening rally at 12:15 at O’Donnell St. Park, the procession will depart at 1:30 p.m. with the pilgrims carrying a 10-foot wooden cross along a 2.8 mile route concluding at the Baltimore Basilica.
The idea for a youth pilgrimage originated from World Youth Day in Denver in 1993, which also featured a pilgrimage with youths carrying a large cross.
The full schedule for the day:
11:30 – Registration opens (St. Casimir Church)
12:15 – Opening Rally, O’Donnell St. Park
12:45 – Pilgrims enter St. Casimir
1: 30 – Walk to Holy Rosary Church
2:10 – Holy Rosary Church program and concert
4:50 – Walk to War Memorial Plaza
5:35 – Pilgrims arrive War Memorial Plaza
6:30 – Resume Walk to Baltimore Basilica
7:10 – Basilica steps – Blessing of the Palms
7:20 – Pilgrims enter the Basilica
8:45 – Liturgy ends/departure