Seven Church Walk

Following the Mass, the pilgrims gather in the front of the basilica to begin the annual walk, which is basically a walk around the perimeter of ancient Rome, stopping at the major churches for prayer and veneration of the saints and relics there. It took us all day (minus a really long lunch...), and I guess it is approximately 18 miles all told, from St. Mary Major to St. Peter's. There was a great crowd of people, with priests and seminarians from the NAC, various religious, and lay people from all over the world, I would guess about 60-75 people total.

Here is the description of what we did from the NAC's station church guidebook:

Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595) used to lead excursions to the four Major and three Minor basilicas of Rome, often with music and a picnic along the way as a cheerful means of instructing his penitents. In 1559, his famous "Pilgrimage to the Seven Churches" brought censure from Pope Paul IV (1555-1559) and a temporary suspension of all St. Philip�s works. In the same year, however, Pope Pius IV (1559-1565) restored him to favor. Today, friends of San Felipo gather to make the Seven-Church Walk in honor of the "Apostle of Rome" (customarily on Wednesday of Holy Week, "Spy Wednesday".)