Wallfahrt Kevelaer

Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted

The pilgrimage to Kevelaer dates back to 1642: At that time, the merchant Hendrik Busman heard a voice urging him to build a chapel at this spot. It was dedicated to the image of Mary of Luxembourg, the "Comforter of the Afflicted." Since then, people from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and many other countries have made pilgrimages to this place. The pilgrimage town of Kevelaer is located in the district of Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, in the flat Lower Rhine region near the Dutch border.

A Season, Not a Single Festival

What distinguishes the Kevelaer pilgrimage from a classic festival: It is not a weekend event, but a continuous program over six months. From May 1st to November 30th, daily masses, confessions, and devotions take place, along with weekly themed pilgrimages for entire parish communities, dioceses, associations, and religious orders. Over a million pilgrims visit Kevelaer each season — making it the largest and most visited pilgrimage site in the German-speaking world.

Motto 2026: "Making Space"

Each pilgrimage season in Kevelaer has its own motto, issued by the pilgrimage director. For 2026, it is "Making Space" — a reference to the feeling of confinement that many people experience in times of financial, ecological, and political crises. The pilgrimage prayer, the Way of the Cross meditations, and the season's sermons will address this motto. The aim is to "create a space where hope, comfort, and courage can become possible again."

Lower Rhine Festival Culture

Unlike some Mediterranean pilgrimage sites, Kevelaer is unusually quiet, almost bourgeois. The pilgrim shops around the chapel square sell devotional items, Lower Rhine specialties, and books. Cafés, hotels, and restaurants thrive on the season; the Marienbasilika, built in the late 19th century in Neo-Gothic style, dominates the cityscape. The pilgrimage shapes the entire year — and cultural offerings are associated with it: concerts, exhibitions, the traditional concert on the Seifert organ of the basilica, one of Europe's largest church organs.

Highlights 2026

The 2026 season will be opened on May 1st by Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz of Paderborn. Important dates include the diocesan pilgrimage of the Knights of Malta on June 13th, the pilgrimage of the Rees-Kevelaer region on August 29th–30th, and the pilgrimage procession of the Diocese of Mainz from November 23rd to 25th. In addition, there are numerous smaller association and parish pilgrimages, which are listed in the season calendar at wallfahrt-kevelaer.de.