St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat

The Christus Rex Pilgrimage begins in the shadow of one of Australia’s most beautiful and historically significant churches—St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat. Designed by renowned Gothic Revival architect William Wardell, the Cathedral stands as a magnificent testament to the faith and craftsmanship of 19th-century Catholic settlers.

Consecrated in 1891 and built from locally quarried bluestone, St Patrick’s is distinguished by its soaring spire, pointed arches, intricate stonework, and tranquil stained glass. It is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Ballarat and remains a place of sacred continuity, where generations have come to pray, worship, and receive the sacraments.

Each year, pilgrims gather here in the early morning hours of Friday to begin their journey with Holy Mass offered in the traditional Latin rite. As the sun rises behind its spire and incense drifts upward into the vaulted ceiling, we are reminded that the Pilgrimage is not simply a walk—but a deeply sacred offering, united to the altar and to the Kingship of Christ.

To begin the Pilgrimage at St Patrick’s is to place the first step of the journey firmly in the hands of God—surrounded by beauty, tradition, and the enduring witness of the saints who have gone before us.