North American Martyrs
Pilgrimage Experience
May 24 - 27, 2025 | New York
About This Trip
Walk in the footsteps of North America's patron saints, The North American Martyrs. St. Isaac Jogues, St. Rene Goupil, St. John LaLande, and companions were influential to the evangelization of North America. Learn about their story while walking to the place of their martyrdom. The shrine Our Lady of the Martyrs Shrine marks both the place of their death and the birth of St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
Creatio’s experienced guides will lead you on this pilgrimage both in nature and in spirit.
Registration Deadline: 4/27/2025
Location: New York
Date: May 24 - 27th, 2025
Type: Pilgrimage
Price: $400 - Pay to @Saints-AJ Venmo
This pilgrimage is physically demanding. The terrain is rugged, weather conditions can vary wildly, and if you are not physically active you should start putting some miles underfoot now to prepare.
Includes:
- All lodging
- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner every day
- Time for formation, reflection and silence
- Creatio Guides
- Group Gear
Excludes:
- Personal Gear
- Transportation - need volunteers to drive
Includes:
- All lodging
- Transportation to/from New Mexico (from Denver only)
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- Spiritual talks, reflection and silence
- Creatio guides
Excludes:
- Personal Gear
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Philadelphia for Albany, NY in the morning. Arrive to Albany Cathedral and walk 8.5 miles to Latham.
Day 2: Walk from Latham to Scotia. Approximately 18 miles.*
Day 3: Walk from Scotia to Amsterdam. Approximately 17 miles.*
Day 4: Walk from Amsterdam to Auriesville. Approximately 9 miles.* Visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs. Time for Mass and prayer at the place of the martyrs and birthplace of St. Kateri. Drive back to Philadelphia.
*Distances are approximate and subject to revision
This itinerary is subject to change.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
During a walking pilgrimage, each step makes us conscious of the direction of our lives, of where we are going. As we walk we see how our lives are like a voyage filled with joy, effort, beauty, suffering, surprises, goals, adventure, love and expectation. But our life is not only “like” a pilgrimage, it is in fact a pilgrimage from birth to death; in this world we are only “strangers and sojourners” (1 Pe. 2:11). “For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.” (1 Tim 6:7) We are all pilgrims, and this life, this passage, is the time we are given to reach the eternal goal.
Pilgrimages have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, perhaps as a counterbalance to modern-day culture. They offer a mindful escape from the frenetic pace of modern life and promise a space for silence and reflection that a standard “vacation” does not typically have. One of these pilgrimages is the “camino” to El Santuario de Chimayó.
One of the best parts of pilgrimage is living a simple life for a week. That being said, you will stay with some of the most hospitable people in all of New Mexico! Our hosts show us how good it is to be received as a pilgrim.
Because this is a pilgrimage, conditions may not exactly be 5 star, but there will always be a safe shelter to rest your head for the night. Typically, we stay on church floors and big parish halls so make sure to bring your own sleeping pad and bag!
We highly advise training as much as you can before this pilgrimage! Also advised is training in the same shoes you will wear while walking to Chimayo, this allows your feet to become accustomed to your shoes and not get blisters.
All Creatio Guides are trained Wilderness First Responders.
In general, we do not have an official age limit on our Creatio trips, rather an ability limit, especially depending on the trip.We have an expectation that all participants are able to maintain a walking pace that will allow them to finish the 15+ mile day trek in a timely manner.
We're walking anywhere from 7-10 hours a day and if someone falls too far behind, it can be a safety problem. We've had many people over the age of 50 join our trips and are very successful, but ability is up to the individual's discernment.
packing list
- Sleeping Bag and Sleeping Pad
- Good Hiking Shoes
- Appropriate Hiking Clothing
- Water Bladder or Bottles
- Rest Shoes For Not Walking (Sandals)
- Toiletries
- Backpacking Pack (see Handbook)
- Sunglasses and Sun Hat
- Sunscreen
- Toilet Paper (Small Quantity)
- Prayer Materials
*A full list will be included in your Handbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."
Eight men are known as the North American Martyrs. Six of them are Jesuit priests, St. John de Brebeuf, St. Antony Daniel, St. Charles Garnier, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Gabriel Lalemant, St. Noël Chabanel. Two were lay Jesuit oblates St. René Goupil and St. John de Lalande. These men courageously gave their lives in the 17th century while preaching to the Mohawks and Iroquois in the area. Auriesville is the site of the capture and martydom of St. Isaac Jogues, St. René Groupil and St. John, LaLande.
During a walking pilgrimage, each step makes us conscious of the direction of our lives, of where we are going. As we walk we see how our lives are like a voyage filled with joy, effort, beauty, suffering, surprises, goals, adventure, love and expectation. But our life is not only “like” a pilgrimage, it is in fact a pilgrimage from birth to death; in this world we are only “strangers and sojourners” (1 Pe. 2:11). “For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.” (1 Tim 6:7) We are all pilgrims, and this life, this passage, is the time we are given to reach the eternal goal.
Pilgrimages have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, perhaps as a counterbalance to modern-day culture. They offer a mindful escape from the frenetic pace of modern life and promise a space for silence and reflection that a standard “vacation” does not typically have. One of these pilgrimages is the pilgrimage through the Lady of the North American Martyrs to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs.
One of the best parts of pilgrimage is living a simple life for a week. That being said, you will stay with some of the most hospitable people in all of New York! Our hosts show us how good it is to be received as a pilgrim.
Because this is a pilgrimage, conditions may not exactly be 5 star, but there will always be a safe shelter to rest your head for the night. Typically, we stay on church floors and big parish halls so make sure to bring your own sleeping pad and bag!
Every day after our walk we will drive to our hosts. In the morning we will drive back to where we ended the previous day.
We highly advise training as much as you can before this pilgrimage! Also advised is training in the same shoes you will wear while walking through New York, this allows your feet to become accustomed to your shoes and not get blisters.
All Creatio Guides are trained Wilderness First Responders.
itinerary
Day 1: Depart Denver for Taos, NM in the evening
Day 2: Walk from Taos to Peñasco, through the Carson National Forest. Approximately 18 miles.*
Day 3: Walk from Peñasco through the sleepy New Mexican village of Las Trampas and arrive in Truchas for the night. Approximately 17 miles.*
Day 4: Depart Truchas for Chimayó, walking with breathtaking desert views as we approach the ancient village of Chimayó! Approximately 9 miles. Sunday Mass will be offered at Chimayó. Return to Denver.
*Distances are approximate and subject to revision
This itinerary is subject to change.