Western Saints Pilgrimage 2026

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Created on Sunday, 11 October 2026 20:19

Rediscovering the Saints of the West

What happens when Orthodox Christians journey to the ancient holy places of Western Europe, venerate the relics of the saints, and discover the spiritual lives of those who came before them?

Join Metropolitan Demetrius of America as he journeys through Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Germany, sharing the extraordinary lives of saints whose holiness, ascetic struggles, miracles, and devotion to Christ have left an enduring spiritual legacy.

Walking in the Footsteps of the Orthodox Saints of Western Europe

Among the holy places and saints featured are:
St. Cuthbert and St. Aidan — Their lives reveal the importance of asceticism, prayer, and quiet time with God.
St. Bede — The pilgrims visit his tomb and learn about his account of St. Cuthbert's life.
St. Marcouf and St. Samson of Dol — Saints whose holy places preserve the memory of their lives and spiritual struggles.
St. Martin of Tours — The pilgrims venerate the resting place of the saint who gave half his cloak to a beggar and later experienced a vision of Christ.
St. Genevieve, St. Clair, and St. Julian — Encounters with ancient churches, tombs, and places associated with the saints.
The Mother of God — A moving visit to venerate her veil, and another encounter with a miraculous icon.

Drawing Closer to Christ Through His Saints

The pilgrimage concludes with a reflection on the purpose of venerating the saints:

“That really is the reason we venerate the saints, because they guide us and direct us and help us to draw closer to Christ.”

Experience the sacred places, the history, the personal encounters, and the spiritual blessings of this Orthodox Christian pilgrimage through Western Europe.

Orthodox Awareness

Hero-Worshipping: the Sickness of our Holy Struggle

“Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
(Psalm 145:3)

We mustn’t have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation, no matter what dignity they have. Human beings are changeable. Today they are saints, tomorrow—deniers. Today—sinners, tomorrow—righteous. We must have absolute trust in God, and in Him we must base our hopes of salvation. “Blessed is he of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 145:5). Read more...

Missions

Saint John of Kronstadt - Bunnell, Florida

St. John of Kronstadt Orthodox Church began as a mission parish in the year 2000, in a home chapel in Palm Coast, FL – a small town on Florida’s northeast coast located between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. After two years, it became necessary to have services in area community centers, rented for Sundays and other Holy Days. Read more...

Youth

2026 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2026 youth conference in Upper Marlboro, MD! To learn more, visit the this page.

Ask A Priest

Morning and Evening Prayers

Q. Are the prayers in the blue prayer book [A Prayerbook for Orthodox Christians by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery —ed.] compulsory for everyone? I mean their morning prayers and the service of Small Compline. My confessor gave me a special rule but wasn’t clear about whether this replaced the book prayers or was in addition to them. Read more...