Document preserved in the historical archives of the Chartres diocese.
« 1873 May National pilgrimage to N.D. de Chartres
This month saw a number of special pilgrimages from parishes and communities in the diocese.
On the 8th: the students of La Providence and the parish of Allaines.
11th: Epernon, Maintenon, Gas
12th: Mainvilliers
14th: (feast of St Fulbert) major seminary
16th: St Brice
18th morning: parishes in the canton of Auneau (1300 people) evening: parishes in the canton of Chartres-nord
20th: (feast of St Yves) St Sulpice de Paris, then the following parishes Illiers, Janville, Dammarie, Fontaine la guyon, St Aubin, Mittainvilliers, Bailleau l’évêque, Bailleau le Pin, Nogent sur Eure, Meslay le grenet, Ermenonville la grande, Luplanté, Sandarville, Lanneray
21st: Le Gault St Denis
22nd: N.D. de Chartres sisters, Hôtel Dieu sisters, Little Sisters of the Poor and their elderly, St Martin de Nigelles and St Lucien, Ecole normale de jeunes gens
23rd: St Paul (community and boarding school), sisters of Bon secours, Thivars, Ver and Morancez
24th: Vaugirard Jesuit College – 700 pilgrims
Sunday 25: Sunday morning: Petit Séminaire de St Chéron Parishes: St Pierre de Chartres, Amilly, Lucé, Gasville, Coltainville, Chartainvilliers Afternoon: St Pierre St Aignan and 13 parishes in the canton 5000 people, including a gas centenarian: Mme Billot, born February 11, 1773
26th: Versailles minor seminary
The 27th and 28th are the two great days of the National Pilgrimage: magnificent festivities in the cathedral, decorated with banners and escutcheons recalling the main events in the history of Notre-Dame.
On the 27th, pilgrims from Versailles, Orleans, Le Mans, Sées, Dreux, Cambrai, Lille, Arras, Paris, the East, the South, Blois and Tours arrive by train. The bishops’ procession departs from the bishop’s palace. The pontifical mass is celebrated by Mgr Forcade, bishop of Nevers. Before vespers, several bishops climb in pontifical vestments to the first gallery of the new bell tower. Together, in a loud voice, they give the crowd the blessing obtained from Pius IX. A moving spectacle.
After vespers, a sermon by Mgr de Marguerie, former bishop of Autun. Then the procession leaves the bishop’s palace, before the bishops seated in the northern portico: Mgr Ville, bishop of New Caledonia, Mgr Grolleau, bishop of Evreux, Mgr Bravard, bishop of Coutances, Mgr Paud, bishop of St Brieuc, Mgr Jeaniard, bishop of Cerame, Mgr Oullens, bishop of Canton (China), Mgr Forcade, bishop of Nevers, Mgr de Marguerie; Mgr Regnault, bishop of Chartres
Guibert, Archbishop of Paris.
The procession with its banners and ex voto, with four bands, with the venerated statue of Notre-Dame-du-Pillier, carried among the pontiffs, traverses the streets: cheval blanc, Ste Même, du cygne, place Marceau, rue de la pie, rue des changes, entering the church through the porte royale (while the end of the procession barely left through the other door). The procession descends into the crypt via the baptismal font chapel, then ascends via the crucifix chapel, before gathering with the bishops at N.D. du pilier, where the ceremony ends. In the evening, a magnificent salute to the month of Mary – and illumination of the cathedral, complete with Bengal lights. Many pilgrims spend the night in the church.
On May 28, one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty deputies, received at the station by the clergy, heard mass at 8am by Mgr de Chartres and a homily by Mgr Guibert. At 10am, fifty senior officers heard mass and an address by Mgr Dupanloup, and took communion from his hand. In the afternoon, the bishops give a papal blessing from the gallery of the new bell tower. Vespers sung by Mgr de la Tour d’Auvergne, archbishop of Bourges, and masterly speech by Mgr Pie.
Procession followed by officers (rue du cheval blanc, place châtelet, butte des charbonniers, rue muret). The Sainte Châsse is carried. In the evening, salute to the month of Mary and illumination of the cathedral, as on the 27th.
The number of pilgrims over the two days is estimated at fifty or sixty thousand. »
Pèlerinage de Chartres – June 7, 1873, in L’Illustration Journal Universel