Christus Rex Pilgrimage, Australia

The Christus Rex Pilgrimage is an annual pilgrimage where pilgrims walk between two provincial shrines in Victoria, Australia, through the countryside. Celebrating it’s 22nd year, it is in honour of the solemn feast of Christ the King starting from St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat on Friday, 26th October, and ending after three days of walking at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo on the Sunday feast, on the 28th of October 2012.

Inspired by the Paris to Chatres Pilgrimage, it draws together over 300 pilgrims from all around Australia and even overseas, to walk, pray, and sing hymns to give glory to Christ the King.

The traditional Mass is celebrated daily at local churches, except for Saturday, where an outdoor Mass is held. This year saw the commission of the new Eucharistic Tent designed by architect, Sidney Rofe, for the Archdiocese of Sydney. This tent was custom made for the archdiocesian Corpus Christi procession and was kindly loaned by Bishop Julian Porteous, auxillary bishop of Sydney.

Testimony to it’s enrichment to the lives of Catholics around Australia, 12 priests devoted their weekend for the spiritual benefit of the pilgrims, through the wet, cold and then sweltering heat of Victoria. Pilgrims were also met at the Cathedral by Bishop Les Tomlinson, the bishop of Sandhurst, who also sat in choir during the Solemn Mass.