New California pilgrimage route offers spiritual journey

The Camino de San Francisco, a new pilgrimage route honoring St. Francis of Assisi, stretches 24.56 miles from Mission San Rafael Arcángel to Mission Dolores in San Francisco. The route uses various streets, paths, and trails divided into four segments to allow travelers to plan their journeys.

Father Christopher Iwancio, a Capuchin Franciscan friar and executive director of Modern Catholic Pilgrim, conceived the route to coincide with the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. The path draws inspiration from historic California mission trails. Modern Catholic Pilgrim works to prepare pilgrims for travel to holy sites in the United States and maintains a hospitality network for those on journey.