Ignatian Pilgrimage
Trace Ignatius' footsteps in this transformative experience.
The College's annual summer pilgrimage connects Holy Cross faculty and staff, along with colleagues from other institutions, to the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Connecting to the Jesuit Mission
Since 2003, the College has organized an annual summer pilgrimage, the first of its kind, for faculty and staff of Holy Cross and other Jesuit institutions to visit sites important in the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. The pilgrimage is an opportunity for colleagues from various religious backgrounds to share a lived experience of early Jesuit history and Ignatian thought, enhancing their capacity to articulate the College's Jesuit mission.
About the Pilgrimage
Through Northern Spain, the pilgrims trace Ignatius' footsteps, from Loyola Castle, the site of his birth and conversion, to the cave at Manresa where he dwelled for nearly a year, praying and practicing what would become his Spiritual Exercises. They visit the monastery at Montserrat, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier and the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Then, they fly to Rome and visit the apartments of St. Ignatius, the Gesù church and the church of St. Ignatius, and the sites of other early Jesuit ministries.
Holy Cross invites groups from other Jesuit colleges and universities to join us on pilgrimage. More than 100 faculty and key administrators have done so already, particularly from Xavier University, St. Louis University, Loyola University Maryland, and Loyola University Chicago.
No matter their religious affiliation or scholarly background, the faculty and staff who have made the pilgrimage consistently report back that the pilgrimage was somehow personally transformative and provided new understanding of what Jesuit mission in higher education means today.
2026 Pilgrimage Itinerary
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Depart U.S. for Bilbao.
Monday, May 25, 2026
Arrive Bilbao. Walking tour near the Guggenheim, visit the Casco Viejo, transfer to Arantzazu. Lunch, dinner and overnight in Arantzazu.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Breakfast, travel to Loyola, visit Loyola Castle and celebrate Mass at the Conversion Chapel. Lunch at a restaurant in Azpeitia near the castle, continue with a visit to the parish Church of St. Sebastian and the hospital where Ignatius lived. Dinner/overnight in Arantzazu.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Breakfast, travel to Xavier to visit Xavier Castle. Lunch on our own in Sangüesa, dinner/overnight in Sos del Rey Catholico.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Breakfast, travel to Montserrat. En route, visit the Cave of St. Ignatius at Manresa for Mass. Dinner/overnight at Montserrat.
Friday, May 29, 2026
Breakfast, full day at Montserrat (lunch on our own). Dinner/overnight at Montserrat.
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Breakfast, travel to Barcelona, visit the Gothic Quarter, including Santa Maria del Mar and places where Ignatius lived. Lunch on our own, later-day visit to Sagrada Familia. Dinner/overnight in Barcelona.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Breakfast, transfer to Barcelona airport for the flight to Rome. On arrival, visit St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls and walk along the Via Appia Antica. Lunch at Cecilia Metella restaurant, continue to the city to check into the hotel. Free time this afternoon and evening. Mass at Gesù church.
Monday, June 1, 2026
Breakfast, morning visit to Ignatian sites, including the Gesù, San Ignazio and Santa Maria Maggiore; afternoon and evening free.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Breakfast, morning visit to Jesuit Refugee Service at the Jesuit Curia. Lunch and early afternoon on your own; closing Mass at the rooms of St. Ignatius and closing dinner. Overnight in Rome.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Breakfast, transfer to Fiumicino Airport for return to the U.S.
Join the Next Pilgrimage
A call for faculty applications is issued each fall. Interested staff should contact the Office of Mission. Other Jesuit institutions should contact Thomas Landy.