Pilgrimage Dates for 2025:
- 25-31 July (by air)
- 24 July-1 August (by coach/Jumbulance)
Pilgrimage Costs for 2025:
- Assisted Pilgrims, Helpers, Clinicians & Chaplains: £860 (includes accommodation & travel)
- Redshirts & Purpleshirts: £760 (includes accommodation & travel)
- Accommodation only: independent adult pilgrims £660; children £450
In 2026, visitors to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes are invited into a three-year journey into the heart of the Virgin Mary’s story, guided through the Gospel of St Luke.
This year’s pilgrimage begins our journey, our hope, guided by the story of the Annunciation: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28).
This is the year of the welcome, of listening and of the “yes” that changed everything; we are at the beginning of our adventure.
Our purpose is to follow Mary over the threshold of her incredible adventure of faith, at the very beginning of her absolute trust in God’s will. Let us join her in the house of Nazareth. Let us open our hearts to the Word Made Flesh.
Like Mary, by joining the Pilgrimage, we are stepping over the threshold of our “yes”. Our pilgrimage echoes this moment of Mary’s own “Yes”. We arrive, often without knowing what awaits us: carrying our questions, our hopes, our sorrows. It is right there, in that place where the Heavens reach down towards the Earth, that an inner dawn can happen:
• The silent beginning of a conversion.
• The first step towards an unexpected healing.
• The awakening of a dormant faith.
• The sense of a call, whispered in our hearts.
A priority for our pilgrimage is that we support the sick and vulnerable to travel and experience Lourdes alongside us; for this purpose we need others to volunteer their time and skills every day in Lourdes and some overnight! Because of this, the allocation of transport and accommodation puts the assisted pilgrims and their supporters as a priority.
Travel is inevitably a challenge when planning a pilgrimage, as Pope Francis reminded us: we “do not set out as mere tourists, but as true pilgrims”. This year we have secured flights from Gatwick and Heathrow, in addition to a chartered flight from Stansted; these will be allocated based on needs of Assisted Pilgrims and those supporting them. We provide a coach to and from Stansted for those who need it but ask those travelling via Gatwick or Heathrow to make their own way to and from the airport.
We are also introducing an option for a group of unassisted pilgrims to travel by day train from London St Pancras to Lourdes, via Paris. We will not be able to provide wheelchair or luggage assistance on this train journey this year: passengers who chose this option must make their own way to St Pancras and manage their own luggage on and off the train. More detail is in the application form.
Our first Mass, with the opening ceremony, will be on Saturday 25 July and Bishop Richard will be giving a Going Forth Blessing on Wednesday 29 July, before people begin travelling home on the Thursday. We look forward to welcoming you,
The Lourdes Pilgrimage Office Team
Please read the following guidance notes before completing an application for each individual applicant.
Click here for more information about each kind of pilgrim, to help you decide which role might be right for you.
Saturday 25 April & Saturday 6 June (11am-4pm): Redshirts
(Parents and carers are asked to attend the start of the day).
Click for details: Day 1 – 25 April, and Day 2 – 06 June.
Sunday 14 June (11am-4pm) - New Pilgrims’ Day - for Pilgrims and Assisted Pilgrims
Click here for details.
Sunday 14 June (10am-4pm): Mandatory New Helpers’ Day
An important day for all first time Helpers, Clinicians, Assistant Chaplains and Purpleshirts. Click here for details.
Sunday 19 July (9.30am-5pm): Mandatory Briefing Day - for Helpers, Purpleshirts, Nurses, Doctors and Assistant Chaplains
Click here for details.
Online Training - Mandatory for all Helpers, Purpleshirts, Clinicians, and Assistant Chaplains
Details on how to access this training from the British Lourdes Medical Association and Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency will be sent by email after you apply.
Our Helpers, Redshirts and Purpleshirts wear a uniform in Lourdes:
All pilgrims are asked to dress and behave respectfully within the Sanctuary at all times. Please make sure that shoulders and midriffs are covered, and that shorts and skirts are at least knee-length.
Thanks to donations from many of our supporters the pilgrimage can offer some subsidised rates for those on low or restricted incomes. We encourage you to speak with your parish priest to explore other funding options, such as arranging local fundraising events, the Knights of St Columba and St Vincent de Paul Society and, for Catholics aged 16-25, the National Catenian Lourdes Award.
If, having explored the options above, you still need financial help to make your pilgrimage please contact the Pilgrimage Office. We have a small fund that may be able to assist young people, helpers, clinicians, chaplains and Assisted Pilgrims and families with young children. Applications are reviewed by a panel in confidence.
A deposit of £100 (non-refundable once accepted on to the pilgrimage) is due within 1 week of submitting your application. The final balance of your invoice must be paid by 31 May 2026 - please contact us if you wish to discuss a monthly instalment plan.
Our ability to maintain reduced and subsidised prices comes from the kind donations of others, and donations are always needed. We do ask you to consider making a donation at the end of the application, if you are able to do so.
Please make sure you have a valid travel document (a passport or similar) to enter France. Pilgrims will be denied entry to France if they do not have a valid travel document - or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Please visit the Government travel advice page for France to check whether you need to renew your passport before travelling to the EU. If you are not sure, click here to visit a useful passport validity checker website.
To check if you need a visa please check via the French government visas website.
People of some nationalities require a visa to travel to France. To check if you need a visa, click here to visit the French Government visas website.
British passport holders/non-EU passport holders are now required to use the new digital border system introduced by the EU called the Entry/Exit System (EES).
Non-EU citizens will have a digital record formed where they will have to register their biometric details including fingerprints and photos when they enter the Schengen area. This is expected to only take a few minutes for each person to do and biometric details will be taken on the passengers first visit to the EU.
You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border for EES, and there is no cost for EES registration.
For the most up-to-date information on the new EES, please follow the link below to the UK Government website and the European Union website.
Travel insurance is essential to cover the cost of unforeseen illness or injury.
All UK-resident pilgrims are automatically included in group travel insurance up to the age of 95 and is provided to you as part of your pilgrimage booking on a non-advised basis.
It is your responsibility to review the insurance documentation and determine whether the cover is suitable to your needs. If it is not suitable, you must obtain your own personal travel insurance. Click to view the Pilgrimage Insurance Product Information Document and the Policy Schedule. The insured persons’ schedule and evidence of cover will be sent to all pilgrims on receipt of their deposit.
If you receive medication for or are diagnosed with any physical or mental health diagnosis, please note Endorsement 4 with regards to this.
Please also check the value limits of personal items and equipment (i.e. wheelchairs, laptops, musical instruments) against the policy as you may need to take out additional insurance for higher value personal items.
All pilgrims must have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which allows individuals to access the reciprocal health agreement between the United Kingdom and France.
A GHIC must be obtained to validate your travel insurance.
A GHIC can be obtained free of charge, click here to apply via the NHS website.
Click the button below to apply to join the 2026 Diocese of Arundel & Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage:
