Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Name: Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Start: 2025-09-13T06:00:00-04:00
Location: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Schedule

Sat, 13 Sep, 2025 at 06:00 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception | Washington, DC

Visit this beautiful shrine during the Jubilee Year of Hope on a pilgrimage with Bishop Emeritus David Zubik.

Cost is $100 per person and includes a boxed dinner for the ride home. Register by visiting https://diopitt.org/national-shrine-pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage Schedule:
* During the morning half of the day, our pilgrimage will take place alongside the Diocese of Greensburg Slavic community's pilgrimage. Our groups will split after lunch.
6:00 AM - Approximate time of departure for buses leaving Pittsburgh
11:00 AM - Arrive to Basilica
11:30 AM - Welcome by Monsignor Vito Buonanno, Director of Pilgrimages of the National Shrine, and Bishop Emeritus David Zubik, Chairman of the Pilgrimage Committee for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
11:45 AM - Tour of the Basilica
- There is an elevator in the Narthex of the cathedral to get between floors. There are also ramps throughout the shrine and the exterior property.
12:00 PM - Lunch; cafeteria will be open for pilgrims to purchase simple meals like soup, sandwiches, fruit, muffins, coffee etc.
- Non-clergy pilgrims are welcome to pack their own lunch, so long as it is easily transportable on a bus. No large coolers will be permitted.
1:00 PM - Holy Hour; bishop and any attending Pittsburgh priests will hear confessions
2:00 PM - Diocesan Choir performance OR self-guided exploration opportunity
- There will be no shuttles provided for anyone visiting the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. Pilgrims must either walk or hail their own transportation service.
- There is a bookstore and a gift shop on-site; any pilgrims interested in these shopping opportunities should remember their wallet/preferred method of payment.
3:00 PM - Mass at the Basilica
5:00 PM - Approximate time of departure for buses returning to Pittsburgh
10:00 PM - Approximate time of return to Pittsburgh
Buses to & from the shrine will be available at four (4) different locations to select from:
- Saint Alphonsus Church, Saint Aidan Parish (221 Church Road, Wexford, PA 15090)
- Saint Angela Merici Church, Mary, Mother of God Parish (2701 Kelly Street, White Oak, PA 15131)
- Holy Trinity Church (Archangel Gabriel School), Archangel Gabriel Parish (5720 Steubenville Pike, McKees Rocks, PA 15136)
- Diocesan Pastoral Center (2900 Noblestown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205)
Spots are limited. Buses will leave at 6 a.m. and return at approximately 10 p.m.