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Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

A National Pilgrimage Devoted to Christ and Our Lady

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A Heartfelt Thank You from Fr. Joseph-Anthony, Promoter of the Rosary

Thank you for being part of the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P., Promoter of the Rosary, wants to personally express his gratitude to everyone who joined us, whether in person or online. Your participation helped make this pilgrimage a day of profound prayer, community, and devotion.

In his message, Fr. Joseph-Anthony recalls the blessings of the day: over 4,000 pilgrims gathering to pray the Rosary, more than 800 confessions heard, and the inspiring music from the Hillbilly Thomists concert. He also gives thanks to the 26,000 pilgrims who joined via livestream, extending the spirit of the pilgrimage far beyond Washington, D.C.

Watch his personal message below to share in his gratitude and reflections. As we look ahead to next year’s pilgrimage on September 26, 2026, may the joy and prayer of this day continue to inspire your devotion to Our Lady, Queen of the Rosary.

Watch the First Conference of the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

We’re excited to share the first conference of the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage with Fr. Austin Litke, O.P. In “Be Transformed by the Renewal of Your Minds: The Rosary and the Virtue of Faith,” Fr. Austin guides us in discovering how the Rosary shapes our minds, hearts, and daily lives.

Through Mary’s example in the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity, we see how the Rosary leads us to a deeper act of faith and invites us to enter the mysteries of salvation with clarity and devotion. Whether you attended the Pilgrimage or are joining us from home, this talk offers a rich reflection on the transformative power of prayer and the daily practice of the Rosary.

Watch the full conference below and let the Rosary renew your mind and heart.

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary | Reflection by Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P.

On this Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P., reflects on the origins of the feast—once known as Our Lady of Victory—and its meaning for us today. From the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 to the spiritual battles we face daily, the Rosary has always been a source of strength, protection, and hope. Watch this video to learn how perseverance in prayer, even when it feels dry or distracted, brings real grace and victory through Our Lady’s intercession.

The Hillbilly Thomists Return to the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

Music has always had a place in the life of the Church. It lifts hearts to God, binds communities together, and expresses joy in the Gospel. At this year’s Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, we are blessed to welcome the Hillbilly Thomists, the Dominican friars’ bluegrass band, for a live concert immediately following the Pilgrimage on September 27, 2025.

The Hillbilly Thomists blend traditional bluegrass, folk, and Americana with lyrics inspired by Scripture and the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Their music has inspired listeners across the world and shows that joy in Christ can be expressed in every genre.

A Glimpse of What’s to Come

To give you a taste of what awaits in Washington this September, we’ve shared several full-song recordings from the 2024 Hillbilly Thomists concert at the Basilica.

Join Us in 2025

The concert will take place at Catholic University of America Mall next to the Basilica in Washington, D.C., directly after the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage concludes. We invite you to celebrate with us through music and prayer in this unique evening of joy and fellowship.

Mark your calendars now:

  • Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage: Saturday, September 27, 2025
  • Hillbilly Thomists Concert: Immediately following the Pilgrimage

Support the Pilgrimage

The Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage and the Hillbilly Thomists concert are made possible by the generosity of benefactors who support our mission of preaching through word, music, and devotion to Our Lady. Learn more about how you can support the pilgrimage here.

Enroll in the Rosary Confraternity: A Grace for Every Pilgrim

On September 27, 2025, the faithful will gather at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. It will be a day filled with prayer, preaching, and devotion to Our Lady. One of the spiritual highlights of the day will be the chance to enroll in the Rosary Confraternity, a centuries-old association entrusted to the care of the Dominican friars.

Enrollment, however, is not limited to those who can be present in Washington. Anyone, anywhere, can enter into this spiritual family. Members of the Confraternity promise to pray fifteen decades of the Rosary each week, with meditation on the mysteries of Christ. This obligation is not a heavy burden, but a steady rhythm of prayer that keeps one close to Our Lady and united to countless others around the world.

Belonging to the Confraternity brings with it real spiritual benefits. Members share in the prayers and good works of the Dominican Order, and in the intercession of fellow members spread throughout the world. The Church has also granted indulgences to members of the Confraternity, including a plenary indulgence on the day of enrollment and on certain feast days, provided the usual conditions are met. Most importantly, Our Lady herself looks upon Confraternity members with special care and protection.

The Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage is one day in the year when thousands come together to witness the power of the Rosary. The Confraternity is a way of carrying that same spirit into every week of the year. Wherever you are, your prayers become part of a living Pilgrimage that never ceases, uniting you with friars, nuns, sisters, and lay faithful who keep watch with Mary and contemplate the mysteries of Christ.

Whether you are planning to be at the Pilgrimage this fall or are unable to make the journey, you are invited to take this step. Enrollment is a simple act, but one that draws you into the heart of a great communion of prayer.

Obligations of Membership

The only obligation is to pray 15 decades of the Rosary each week, which can be spread out across the week. Members are asked to include the intentions of fellow Confraternity members in their prayers.

Spiritual Benefits

  • A share in the prayers and the good works of countless thousands of Rosary Confraternity members throughout the world and in heaven.
  • A share in the good works and prayers of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Order).
  • Various plenary and partial indulgences
    • For members of the Confraternity, a plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions on the day of enrollment (the day indicated on the register/certificate) as well as the feast days of Christmas, Easter, the Annunciation, the Assumption of Our Lady, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Immaculate Conception, and Our Lord’s Presentation in the Temple.
    • A plenary indulgence is also granted, under the usual conditions, to all who pray the rosary in a Church or oratory, in a family (family rosary), religious community, or in a pious association of the faithful. Otherwise, the indulgence is partial.
  • And most importantly, the intercession and special protection of Our Lady, the Mother of God.

How to Enroll

Joining is simple and open to all. To become a member and unite your prayers with thousands of others around the world, click here to enroll.