The Priory of Holy Trinity of North Carolina provided support with the Carolina Camino following their inaugural pilgrimage this year.
The Carolina Camino was started by several Catholic laypeople from the Diocese of Charlotte who had performed the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain. The Spanish pilgrimage, which sees thousands of Christian pilgrims walking hundreds of kilometers through the countryside ending at the burial place of the Apostle St James the Greater in Santiago, Spain.
The reality is that such a pilgrimage is not easy to get to, which inspired Kelly Osborne, the group's founder, to organize something closer to home.
Thus the Carolina Camino was born. This pilgrimage would have pilgrims walking from the Basilica of St Lawrence in Asheville, NC to the Cathedral of St Patrick in Charlotte, a journey that would take 10 days and cover 120 miles.
When James Matthews, Seneschal of Priory of the Holy Trinity was made aware of this endeavor by pure chance, he felt it critical for the Templar to provide support. With the help of his wife, CAA Virginia McGill, they provided mapping, planning and overwatch of the pilgrims as they made their journey. Knight Commander Matthews was even able to walk with them for one day, traveling 12 miles with the pilgrims as they walked through the North Carolina landscape and along the roads.
Osborne and Matthews hope to partner further with other pilgrimages throughout North and South Carolina. The next is planned for the first half of 2026 through Pisgah National Forest.
For more information, contact James Matthews, KGOTJ at jamesmatthews@mac.com.
