By Peter Willott
Beneath the blazing sun and centuries of Catholic tradition, hundreds of pilgrims gathered Friday, July 25, to celebrate the feast of St. James with prayer, pilgrimage and Mass in the heart of the nation’s oldest city.
Hosted by the Diocese of St. Augustine and the Cathedral Basilica, the event began at the historic National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios. There, pilgrims venerated a statue of St. James, which contained relics gifted from Spain, before processing behind the statue along Water Street to the Castillo de San Marcos and then continuing to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine for Mass.
The day’s activities were part of a growing local expression of the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain.
“We’re celebrating the feast of St. James with a fair on the National Shrine property,” said Katy Lockard, director of Archives and Records Management for the diocese. “This is part of a bigger celebration of the Camino of the Americas, which was established here. St. James is a powerful symbol for pilgrims; he was the first apostle martyred for the faith.”
Lockard said this year’s procession expanded in response to requests from pilgrims seeking a longer route.
“We usually just walk from the Castillo to the cathedral,” she said. “But this year, we added the walk from the shrine. We’re thankful to the reenactors who take care of the statue and help carry it reverently.”
Among the participants was Deacon Mike Elison, who recently walked more than 1,000 miles on the Camino.
“This tradition goes back centuries,” Deacon Elison said. “The Camino is more than a hike, it’s a pilgrimage. It’s a reminder that even in our weakness, we’re called to carry the treasure of our faith.”
That message echoed in Bishop Erik Pohlmeier’s homily at the evening Mass at the Cathedral Basilica. Drawing on Scripture and the life of St. James, he reminded worshippers that “we are earthen vessels—fragile, imperfect—but entrusted with the treasure of the Gospel.”
“We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained,” Bishop Pohlmeier said. “The treasure we hold is the power of God working through us, not because of our strength, but despite our weakness.”
The celebration included a “mini-Camino” experience from 3 to 5 p.m. on the Mission Nombre de Dios grounds, where families and individuals walked to four interactive stations, each with reflections from Deacon Elison. Pilgrims received a commemorative booklet, collected stamps and earned a St. James medal and wristband upon completion.
Larry Slight, a local member of the Portuguese Order of St. Michael of the Wing and a participant in the reenactment, said the celebration carried personal and historical significance.
“St. James is deeply connected to Spanish and Portuguese heritage,” he said. “Here in St. Augustine, we’re not far from where the first Mass was celebrated in what’s now the United States. Having a relic of St. James so close is powerful.”
This year’s feast of St. James was held in conjunction with the global Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope, declared by Pope Francis as a time of spiritual renewal. Lockard noted that both the shrine and the cathedral are official pilgrimage sites where visitors can receive a jubilee indulgence.
“As just being in this world, we are all pilgrims,” Lockard said. “We are pilgrims of hope, anchored in Christ. And St. James, who traveled far, faced martyrdom and is now honored across the world, is a powerful guide on that journey.”
