The 50th anniversary of her canonization honors the first native-born American saint and invites pilgrims to follow her journey. Two walking pilgrimages will make their way across Maryland this June, converging on the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg to mark the 50th anniversary of her canonization. The milestone celebration honors the first native-born American saint and invites pilgrims to follow her journey of faith, service, and profound love for the Eucharist. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s life, rooted in devotion and service, continues to inspire believers today. Her shrine—the only place in the U.S. where visitors can tour the home of a canonized saint—is expecting hundreds of pilgrims this summer as it commemorates this historic Jubilee year. The first pilgrimage, the Footsteps of Mother Seton, organized by the Shrine, retraces her journey from Baltimore to Emmitsburg. The 61-mile walk begins June 19 with Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption and ends on June 22, the Feast of Corpus Christi—the same day in 1809 when Mother Seton arrived in Emmitsburg in a covered wagon to begin her ministry. Along the way, pilgrims will visit Jubilee sites, local parishes, and participate in two Eucharistic processions. “This pilgrimage is more than a walk—it’s an act of devotion,” said Rob Judge, Executive Director of the Shrine. “As the late Pope Francis said, ‘Making a pilgrimage to shrines is one of the most eloquent expressions of the faith of God’s people.’” Mother Seton’s own journey—from a wealthy New York Episcopalian to a Catholic convert, educator, and founder of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph—was itself a pilgrimage of hope. The 2025 Jubilee Year, declared by the Vatican, takes up that same theme: Pilgrims of Hope. Visitors to designated Jubilee sites along both pilgrim routes may receive a plenary indulgence. A second, longer pilgrimage, The Camino of Maryland, begins June 9 from Point Lookout, where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay. Spanning 218 miles over 14 days, it is modeled after the Camino de Santiago in Spain and will also end at Mother Seton’s tomb on June 22. Sponsored by the Avalon and Brookwood Schools and the Seton Shrine, the Camino visits seven Jubilee sites, offering an immersive spiritual and historical experience. “This isn’t just about commemorating a saint’s canonization,” said Judge. “It’s about encountering Christ in the way she did—through service, community, and the Eucharist.” Fr. Jack Lombardi of the Archdiocese of Baltimore will serve as chaplain for the Footsteps of Mother Seton pilgrimage, guiding participants in prayer and reflection along the way. The National Shrine itself offers visitors a glimpse into early American Catholic life. It was here that Mother Seton established the first free Catholic school for girls staffed by religious sisters, laying the groundwork for Catholic education in the U.S. Her legacy endures in the global ministries of the religious communities that followed her call.