Upon arriving in Rome, we were drawn immediately to the heart of the Church, gathering at St Peter’s Square on 19 October for the canonisation ceremony. To stand among the faithful—having only just arrived in the Eternal City—was a profoundly moving experience. During the solemn rite, the Holy Father proclaimed seven new saints: Saint Bartolo Longo, Saint Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, Saint Peter To Rot, Saint José Gregorio Hernández, Saint María del Monte Carmelo (Carmen) Rendiles Martínez, Saint Maria Troncatti, and Saint Vincenza Maria Poloni.

For us as members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, the canonisation of Saint Bartolo Longo, himself a knight of the Order, held particular significance. When his name was announced, it was met with joyful applause from knights and dames gathered from across the world, marking a moment of deep gratitude and blessing in welcoming a saint so closely linked to our Order’s spiritual heritage.

The formal Jubilee Pilgrimage of the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre began on 21 October, with our gathering at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. As members of the Magistral Delegation of New Zealand, we joined thousands of knights and dames assembled in white and black regalia adorned with the scarlet Cross of Jerusalem—a powerful sign of unity and shared vocation. Processing through the Holy Door during the Jubilee Year, we participated in Holy Mass, entrusting our pilgrimage and our mission to God.

Later that same day, we continued to the Basilica of St John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome and mother church of Christendom. Once again, we passed through the Holy Door and participated in the celebration of Holy Mass, reaffirming our communion with the universal Church and its apostolic foundation. The day concluded at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where we entered into a quieter moment of prayer and reflection before the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the relics of the Holy Crib, and the tomb of Pope Francis. Although no Mass was celebrated at Santa Maria Maggiore, the visit provided a deeply contemplative close to a full and grace-filled day.

A highlight of our pilgrimage followed with a gathering at the Paul VI Audience Hall, where we were received and addressed by His Holiness Pope Leo XVI, Sovereign of the Order. In his address, the Holy Father reaffirmed the foundational mission entrusted to us: to protect the Holy Sepulchre, to care for pilgrims, and to support the Church and faithful of Jerusalem. His words encouraged us to persevere in hope and to renew our dedication to lives of service, particularly in challenging times.

Our pilgrimage reached its spiritual culmination with the final pilgrimage Mass at the Basilica of St Peter, celebrated above the tomb of the Apostle Peter. There, surrounded by the beauty of the basilica and the enduring witness of the early Church, we offered prayers of thanksgiving for the graces received and the unity experienced throughout the pilgrimage.

We returned home with hearts renewed and spirits strengthened, carrying with us the blessings of the Jubilee, a deeper sense of fraternity within the Order, and a renewed resolve to live out our vocation in faith, service, and hope, for the good of the Church and for peace in the Holy Land.