Seven Churches Visitation on Holy Thursday
A few years ago I came across this tradition that I had never heard of before and found it rather fascinating. Visiting 7 churches on Holy Thursday. It is called the Seven Churches Visitation. This tradition has its beginning from the 1500s with St. Philip Neri. He would lead groups of pilgrims to visit the seven basilicas of Rome. From this original devotion developed the Lenten practice today. While many of us may not be familiar with this tradition, it is quite commonly practiced in Italian, Polish, Filipino, and Latin American communities.
Why 7 Churches? This tradition is a pilgrimage to various altars of repose in different churches that correspond to each of the seven “stations,” that were made by Jesus between the Last Supper to His crucifixion on the cross. Upon entering each church, pilgrims visit the altar of repose, kneel, make the sign of the cross, read the appropriate scripture for each station and engage in private prayer and adoration.
I was reminded of this tradition when I read this article The Seven Churches Tour: pilgrimage itineraries for the Jubilee. With 2025 being a Jubilee year now is a good time to plan a local pilgrimage for your Holy Thursday. What a great way to experience a prayerful Lent and prepare ourselves for Good Friday.
Read these articles for more background on this tradition:
Holy Thursday Meaning and Seven Churches Tradition from His Girl Sunday, Steffani.
Visiting Churches on Holy Thursday by Joe Paprocki
How to do the Seven Churches Visitation by Theresa Civantos Barber of Aleteia published 4.13.2022.
I have noticed there are many dioceses across America that are setting up these Seven Churches Visitation opportunities for people to attend. In Washington DC, St. Anthony of Pauda Parish is the first stop of the Little Rome pilgrimage for 2025. It begins with 7pm at St. Anthony of Pauda Parish and will proceed to the listed churches. The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has 7 Churches Pilgrimage page that offers 7 options to visit depending on the zone you visit. This is a self-guided pilgrimage and they provide refections to help guide you through the pilgrimage. You can find prayer guides for Adult, Teen, and children. These are also available in Spanish.
Not able to go on a local visit? How about make your own virtual visit to Rome?
The Vatican News has a virtual visit of these 7 churches. It is a 7 part series about each basilica in Rome: The Way of The Seven Churches A Classic Roman Pilgrimage. The link begins with Station 1 the Basilica of St Peter in the Vatican and offers a brief written introduction and overview of the churches included in the Pilgrimage.
To continue your virtual pilgrimage please take the link for each church on the tour. These videos, each about 5 minutes in length, will not necessarily move on to the next church in a series for easy viewing which is why I have linked to each church below:
Station 2: Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls
Station 3: Basilica of St Sebastian Outside the Walls
Station 4: Basilica of St. John Lateran
Station 5: Basilica of Holy Cross in Jerusalem
Station 6: Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls
Station 7: Basilica of Saint Mary Major
How to be a pilgrims going on the Classic Roman Pilgrimage at home:
For this seven-church journey to meditate on the passion of Christ you can set up a tour at your own home. We suggesting printing off a picture of each of the 7 churches featured in the Classic Roman Pilgrimage. Place each picture in a different spot around your home or even around your yard. If you desire to experience this as more of a walking journey arrange your pictures along a path at a local park. Begin by leading your group to each of the 7 churches that correspond to the Scripture. Announce the name of the church “Station 1 we are here at the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican…” Then announce and read the corresponding excerpts from Scripture, see list below. Pause for a few minutes then proceed to the next station on your church pilgrimage. This booklet: Holy Thursday: Pilgrimage to Seven Churches has all of the scripture as well as prayers to say at each station. The booklet also includes the Rosary at the end.
Here are the Scripture excerpts to reflect on at each church when doing a Seven Churches Visitation:
1) Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-46)
2) Jesus before Annas (Jn 18:19-22)
3) Jesus before Caiaphas (Mt 26:63-65)
4) Jesus before Pilate (Jn 18:35-37)
5) Jesus before Herod (Lk 23:8-9; 11)
6) Jesus before Pilate again (Mt 27:22-26)
7) Jesus’s crucifixion and death (Mt 27:27-31)
The Seven Churches Visitation is a profound way to spend time in adoration meditating on Christ’s sacrifice of love for the salvation of souls in preparation for the joy of Easter. Perhaps this can become a part of your own Lenten tradition.
*Families with very small children: Instead of visiting 7 churches in one day how about 7 different churches during Lent? You can find a list in your diocese by doing a quick web search. Pick one of the churches listed and attend Sunday Mass there. If your diocese is not organizing a 7 Churches pilgrimage and you cannot find a list to use try a virtual option. Look for some churches with a shrine that you can make a pilgrimage to with your family. (See our post on the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton.) At the very least try to attend Mass on Holy Thursday at a different parish. Participation in a way that works for your family in this moment in time is a great way to take part in this beautiful Lenten tradition.
The Small Pencil Catechist 