Pilgrim Passport
A pilgrimage from Mission San Rafael Arcángel to Mission Dolores in San Francisco, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi and the historic mission trails of California.
A Record of Your Journey
The Pilgrim Passport (or credencial) is both a practical document and a cherished keepsake of your Camino de San Francisco. It identifies you as a pilgrim and provides a tangible record of your mental, physical, and spiritual journey from Mission San Rafael Arcángel to Mission Dolores.
Each sacred site along the camino invites you to slow down, open your heart, and discover God’s presence woven into the land.”
History and Tradition
The tradition of carrying a pilgrim passport dates back centuries to the great caminos of Spain, especially the Camino de Santiago, where travelers would receive official stamps (sellos) along their route. These stamps served as proof of their pilgrimage and as a personal memento of each sacred place visited. The same spirit continues today on the Camino de San Francisco, connecting today’s pilgrims to this long and holy tradition.
Collecting Stamps
Pilgrims are invited to collect stamps at each of the sacred sites along the route—missions, churches, and shrines that mark the journey’s path.
Just as on the Camino in Spain, it is recommended that pilgrims obtain at least two stamps per day—one in the morning and one later in the day—to verify their progress toward completion.
Stamps are available at each of the sacred sites along the way—Mission San Rafael Arcángel, St. Sebastian, St. Patrick, Saints Peter and Paul, the National Shrine of St. Francis, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, and Mission Dolores.
Each stamp is unique to its site, a small piece of sacred art representing the community you have encountered and the grace received along the road.
Certifying Your Journey
Upon completing the pilgrimage, your stamped passport serves as evidence of your journey and entitles you to request a Compostela, Certificate of Completion, or Certificate of Distance.
These certificates honor not only the miles walked but the intention, prayer, and transformation experienced along the Camino de San Francisco.
(Include Link to that page here)
How to Obtain a Pilgrim Passport
Pilgrim Passports are available for purchase at the gift shops of the participating Missions and at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco.
You may also inquire about obtaining one before your pilgrimage through the Camino de San Francisco organizing team.
The Route
Rooted in California’s mission history, this 24.5-mile route follows the path connecting Mission San Rafael Arcángel and Mission Dolores in San Francisco. As you walk, you enter a living tradition of pilgrimage—one where nature, history, and prayer come together to shape a meaningful encounter with God.
Section 1
Mission San Rafael to Manzanita (approx. 9.2 miles)
Section 2
St. Patrick Larkspur to Manzanita (approx. 7.6 miles)
Section 3
Manzanita to Golden Gate Bridge (approx. 6.0 miles)
Section 4
Golden Gate Bridge to Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) via National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi and The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (approx. 8.5 miles)
Spiritual Exercises for the Path
Pilgrimage is an invitation to encounter: with God, with others, and with creation. Every conversation, landscape, and moment of stillness can become a meeting place of grace. St. Francis himself discovered God’s presence in all things—in people, in the poor, and in the beauty of the natural world. Pilgrims are encouraged to take time to meet and converse with people along the way, taking time for silence by limiting use of technology along the way, and taking to the stop to reflect
Recommended Reading:
- The Road to Emmaus– Luke 24:13–35
- Faith is a Journey, Meditations for Pilgrims and Wayfarers – Pope Francis
- Pilgrimage: A Very Short Introduction – Ian Reader
- Pilgrimage: In Search of the Real California Missions – Christian Clifford
- Francis of Assisi: A New Biography – Augustine Thompson, O.P.
- The Mission Walker – Edie Littlefield Sundby
- California Mission Walk: The Hiker’s Guide to California’s 21 Spanish Missions Along El Camino Real – the California Mission Walkers