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Frequently Asked Questions
General Info
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The Fete-Dieu du Mississippi takes place over two days this year, August 14-15, 2024, and spans from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, with several places along the way to gather in prayer and adoration. It begins Aug. 14, 8:00 am, with an opening Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral and ends on Aug. 15 with a closing Mass of the Assumption at St. Louis Cathedral. See our participation page for the full schedule.
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Making a pilgrimage to participate in the Fete-Dieu du Mississippi is free, and no registration is required. However, if you choose to join in on the Natchez Holy Hour on Aug. 15, you must register for that portion to have a spot on the Natchez. You can register for that here.
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Please visit our event map and parking page for more information.
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Yes. The Fete occurs on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, which is a Holy Day of Obligation. The closing Mass of the Assumption at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans will fulfill your obligation.
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Confession will be available at all river rallies and in Convent until the rally at Audubon Fly is complete. Audubon Fly will be the last location for confession. Please see full schedule for times.
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River Rallies will occur at various locations along the Mississippi River where the faithful will gather ahead of the boat procession to listen to a short talk, pray together, and sing hymns as the Blessed Sacrament passes by and blesses everyone. These locations are Plaquemine, Donaldsonville, Reserve, Luling, and Audubon Fly. Convent is where the Blessed Sacrament will disembark for the night, and has a different format than the river rallies. Please see full schedule here.
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Unfortunately, due to the nature of the event and its movement, we are not providing shuttles. There are many ways to participate in various locations for those who can not make the longer foot processions, so we are encouraging the faithful to plan their pilgrimage with the activity in mind.
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On Wednesday, August 14, at St. Michael Church in Convent, La., the parishioners are providing dinner after Vespers in the church. While the dinner is free of charge, they will be accepting donations to help offset the costs of the meal.
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We encourage dressing in modest attire and avoiding shorts, tank tops, and muscle shirts, since we will be in the presence of the Lord.
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Yes. It will be live-streamed on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/share/yYMKQHbu63bhFcGg/
Natchez Holy Hour Cruise
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Registration for the Holy Hour on the Natchez Riverboat is required in advance of the event. We will accept registrations until we reach capacity. Your ticket will be mailed to you. Fill out and submit your registration form here.
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Yes. Everyone on the boat must be wearing their official 2024 Fete-Dieu du Mississippi t-shirt. This is one of the requirements that must be agreed to when you register. Thank you for understanding!
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No shorts. No short skirts. Wear your Fete t-shirt.
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All phones must be kept off or in airplane mode (preferably off while on the boat, as sometimes ring-throughs happen).
No texts or calls while on the boat. Turn off the phone and put away.
No picture-taking or videoing allowed. (photos and videos of the event will be made available to the public)
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No food or drinks are allowed onto the Natchez. We will have water for you on the boat.
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Yes. There will be bathrooms available on the Natchez.
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Yes. The main deck is wheelchair accessible. However, the top and bottom decks are only accessible by stairs.