Pope Leo XIV on July 5 praised Eucharistic pilgrims in the U.S. for walking thousands of miles with Christ as part of a “great legacy of faith” amid the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. 

The pilgrimage, which carried the theme “One Nation, Under God,” began in St. Augustine, Florida, in May and went as far north as Portland, Maine, before turning south and finishing in Philadelphia.

In a video message played at the concluding Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Leo XIV —  the first pope in Catholic Church history from the United States — said the pilgrimage, which traced a route through the original 13 colonies that rebelled against England in 1776, was “particularly appropriate” to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of its founding.

The U.S., the Pope said, “has been imbued with a sense of faith that recognizes God’s sovereignty even before its formal establishment.” The Holy Father cited a Mass of Thanksgiving held in 1583 in St. Augustine, Florida, by Spanish explorers. 

“This historical event, accompanied by many others, attests to the strong, though largely unknown, Eucharistic heritage of the United States of America,” the Pope said. “This heritage, far from being forgotten, must continue to serve as a source of both renewal and unity.”

That history, the Pope told the pilgrims, “has continued to bear fruit by leading new generations of American Catholics to Jesus Christ.” He also cited the examples of U.S. martyrs and U.S.-born saints, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and St. Katharine Drexel.

“The intense apostolic activity of these holy men and women, and others like them, would not have been possible without the strength they drew daily from moments of silent prayer before the tabernacle,” he said. 

The Pope said the Eucharistic pilgrimage helps “carry on this great legacy of faith.” The Eucharist is “an invaluable gift,” he said, one that the Church in the U.S. will use to “find strength to carry on her charitable service to the wider society.” 

Leo urged the pilgrims to “place your lives under God’s loving providence as you return to your homes.” He also urged them to “cultivate a strong Eucharistic life among your families, friends, and communities.”

After the U.S. pilgrimage began on Pentecost in St. Augustine — the site of the 1583 Thanksgiving Mass referenced by Pope Leo XIV — it worked its way up the Eastern Seaboard, stopping at multiple U.S. dioceses and holy sites.

The route drew thousands of pilgrims in locations including Williamsburg, Virginia, Baltimore, and Boston. On June 6 the pilgrimage passed through the streets of Washington, D.C.

Along the way the pilgrimage gave recognition to uniquely American aspects of Catholicism, such as the Georgia Martyrs, who are scheduled for beatification on Oct. 31.