A sailing pilgrimage around the UK which begins on Saturday 29th April will be visiting many holy sites and tracking ancient coastal pilgrimage routes along the way.
Russ Fairman, who is a passionate supporter of Catholic charity Stella Maris (formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea), will embark on the 70-day long sailing pilgrimage.
He will celebrate the charity’s 100 years of service to seafarers and fishers, and in the process raise awareness about the work of the charity, which exists to provide spiritual and practical support to seafarers, fishers and their families.
This 2,136 nautical miles journey will stop at 50 ports and holy sites along the way, including the Shrines of Our Lady of Walsingham and Our Lady of the Taper Cardigan, and the holy islands of Lindisfarne (with its historical connections to St Cuthbert and St Aidan).
Russ will end his voyage in Portsmouth on the same day as Sea Sunday, 9th July, finishing with a Mass at Portsmouth Cathedral.
Russ said: “Through this endeavour, we can hopefully raise further the profile of Stella Maris and the wonderful work it does in helping the People of the Sea.”
The pilgrimage was originally planned to take place in 2020 to mark the charity’s centenary, but had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
Stella Maris is an agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales and provides a range of services to seafarers and fishers, including welfare, practical, and emotional support, pastoral care and chaplaincy services.
It is the largest ship-visiting network in the world, carrying out 70,000 ship visits around the world each year. This sailing pilgrimage aims to raise awareness and funds to help continue this critical work.
People can get involved by attending one of the 19 area gatherings that will be held along the way. These gatherings will provide a platform for the public to learn more about the work of Stella Maris, meet the crew, and participate in community events.
For more information about the sailing pilgrimage, contact Russ at sailing.pilgrimages@gmail.com or through the website sailingpilgrimages.co.uk/stella-maris/
More information about the area gatherings and how to attend can be found at www.eventbrite.com/cc/celebration-of-seafarers-and-fishers-1992329 or contact info@stellamarismail.org
