Our stories are part of a large inheritance, leading to what comes next. Reflecting on history is a spiritual practice. It gives us a capacity to see more deeply into the reality of our lives and the world around us, to understand who we are and where we are going. Learning our history is not just analysis, but a call to live more intentionally, uncovering how we steward the flow of storylines that guide our future.
“It's healing to realize that our lives are just one thread in the grand mystery we are participating in.” – Lauren Artress
Our lives compose a legend much larger than ourselves. In retracing the footsteps of the past, we write stories that forge paths for those who follow. In life’s labyrinth, we meander the mysteries of time, encircling each other and co-creating a beauty of connectedness. How can we find ourselves in the stories of the past? What do we do with difficult histories that we would rather forget? Can we uncover the wisdom of lost folktales needed for today?
“Historians are like mystics. As we live our lives in conversation with the past, we write the histories that the people who come after us will build upon.” - Diana Butler Bass
Join Dr. Diana Butler Bass on a Veriditas Pilgrimage to Chartres Cathedral as explore the spiritual practice of an honest history. Coinciding with the jubilee celebration of 1,000 Years of Pilgrimage, immerse yourself in the Chartres Medieval Labyrinth with Lauren Artress as your guide. Follow in the footsteps of millions who have walked this sacred path in a timeless tradition of healing, renewal and transformation.
Come. Join us in an ancient place of refuge and renewal.
The Chartres Experience
From June 2-6, 2025, the Veriditas pilgrimage to Chartres, France, offers a blend of spiritual practice, historical exploration, and personal reflection. Program registration begins at the Hotelliere St. Yves in Chartres, France at 4:00 pm on Monday, followed by an orientation and opening reception. Each day begins with a seminar led by Dr. Diana Butler Bass, followed by a large group conversation with Diana and Lauren Artress, and leader led small group discussions. Participants will experience the sacred space of Chartres through a tour of the cathedral, as well as an unforgettable private candlelit labyrinth walk with medieval music. Participants will also have an opportunity to walk with the public, allowing time for reflection, connection, and community. The program concludes with a celebratory dinner on Friday evening that ends by 10 pm. You may want to plan to arrive a day prior to the start of the program to give yourself time to recover from jet lag, and we recommend planning to depart on the Saturday after the program concludes.
“Tradition is history remembered in ritual, ideas, architectures and creeds.” - Diana Butler Bass
Logistical Information
Travel to and from Chartres: We look forward to welcoming you in Chartres! Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Chartres. Most airline flights will arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France. You have a variety of options on getting to Chartres from CDG Airport.
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- Consider taking an UBER to Chartres. It has proven to be a convenient and cost effective option.
- The most economical way is to take a taxi to the Montparnasse Train Station and take a train to Chartres. Chartres is about an hour outside of Paris by train. For train information, please see the SNCF website.
- You can make a reservation online for a car or small van to meet you at the airport and drive you to Chartres.
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- You can also consider the option of taking a taxi all the way to Chartres, though the cost will be in the range of 150 – 200 Euro or more. If several participants arrive at the same time, sharing a taxi will bring the price down.
We will be creating an online Circle group for participants to be able to connect with each other prior to the start of the Pilgrimage in case you want to plan to share accommodations or transportation to Chartres. An invitation to join the group will be included in your confirmation email when you register.
Accommodation: Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Hotellerie St. Yves for each week that we will be in Chartres in 2025. You will receive a link to book your room after you register for a Pilgrimage. Most participants find the rooms comfortable and convenient. Each has a small bathroom with a shower. Bedding and towels are provided, but you will need to bring a hairdryer.
Meals: Chartres is a charming, medieval village with many options for eating out from casual fare such as omelettes and soup to fancier formal restaurants. There is also a grocery store in walking distance that sells sandwiches and snacks. Breakfast is included in the cost of your accommodation if you book through our block of rooms at the Hotellerie St. Yves. You are responsible for your own lunches and dinners throughout the week.
Spouse packages (partner/family/friends) are available if they want to come but not participate in the full program. Includes opening reception, closing dinner and cathedral tour. Simply select spouse package when you register.
For additional information on our Walking a Sacred Path Pilgrimages, please click here.
Diana Butler Bass
Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.
Diana’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world – a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently. She does this with
intelligence, joy, and a good dose of humor, leading well-known comedian John Fugelsang to dub her “iconic,” the late Marcus Borg to call her “spontaneous and always surprising,” and Glennon Doyle to praise her “razor-sharp mind” and “mystical heart.”
She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Spirituality and Health, Reader's Digest, Christian Century, and Sojourners. She has commented on religion, politics, and culture in the media widely including on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, CBC, FOX, Sirius XM, TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and in multiple global news outlets. In the 1990s, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the Santa Barbara News-Press, which was distributed nationally by the New York Times Syndicate.
Her work has received two Wilbur Awards for best nonfiction book of the year, awards from Religion News Association for individual commentary and for Book of the Year, Nautilus Awards Silver and Gold medals, the Illumination Book Award Silver medal, Books for a Better Life Award, Book of the Year of the Academy of Parish Clergy, the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for Church History, Substack Fellowship for Independent Writers, multiple nominations for the Library of Virginia Literary Awards, and Publishers Weekly’s Best Religion Book of the Year.
She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.
You can follow her online at www.dianabutlerbass.com, her public author page on Facebook, and Twitter @dianabutlerbass, or her newsletter, ”The Cottage” at
https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com/.
Cancellation Policy
We understand that life happens! When things don’t go as you planned, Veriditas has policies in place so that you always know what to expect should you have to cancel an event. Please read our updated cancellation policy here.
Travel Insurance:
Veriditas strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance to cover your expenses in the event of an unforeseen circumstance that may hinder your ability to attend the program. . Click here for a link to Travel Guard, specializing in insurance for our Chartres programs.
