The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios has been recognized by the Catholic Shrines of the United States as one of eight shrines and pilgrimage sites in the United States to visit during the Franciscan Jubilee Year.
The Franciscan Jubilee Year (Jan. 10, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027) was established to mark a series of 800th anniversaries commemorating key moments in the life and witness of St. Francis of Assisi. These milestones highlight a Franciscan charism rooted in humility, missionary outreach and faithful witness to the Gospel—values that shaped the early Church in this land and continue to guide it today.
Mission Nombre de Dios holds a central place in that history. From St. Augustine, Franciscan missionaries helped build and sustain the earliest Catholic mission system in what is now the United States, extending the faith north into present-day Georgia and west across northern Florida. Centuries before Catholicism spread elsewhere in the country, the Church was already taking root here through preaching, sacramental life and daily witness.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, located within Mission Nombre de Dios, stands as a living reminder of those beginnings. As the nation’s oldest Marian shrine, it connects Catholics today with the Church’s earliest missionary presence in North America.
This recognition invites Catholics across the diocese and beyond to take pride in the deep roots of the faith in St. Augustine and to reflect on the Church’s enduring mission to proclaim the Gospel across generations.
Read the full article on the Catholic Shrines of the United States website:
https://www.catholicshrines.org/post/8-shrines-and-pilgrimage-sites-in-the-usa-to-visit-during-the-franciscan-jubilee-year
To learn more about making a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios, or to plan a visit with your parish, group or family, contact the Shrine’s pilgrimage coordinator at (904) 439-7253 or email askaggs@missionandshrine.org.
