JERUSALEM WAY – SUMMER 2026
PASSAU · LINZ · ARBING · SYRIA · TURKEY · APP LAUNCH
Dear peace pilgrims,
dear friends of the Jerusalem Way!
dear friends of the Jerusalem Way!
Summer 2026 brings many special steps for the Jerusalem Way:
people from several countries are coming together, borders are being crossed together,
new sections of the trail in our founding region are being made visible, and international
partnerships are being strengthened.
At the same time, the peace message of the Jerusalem Way reaches a new, moving dimension with Sabine's
extraordinary pilgrimage through Syria.
A new chapter is also beginning digitally: our new website is online and the
release of the JERUSALEM WAY App is imminent.
Upcoming Dates
- Monday, July 20, 2026: Cross-border Peace and Encounter Day in Passau
- Saturday, July 25, 2026: Welcoming the international PEACEWALK in Linz and Jerusalem Way Summer Festival in Arbing
- Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Ceremonial opening of the newly designed Jerusalem Way section in the founding region
- September 25 to October 9, 2026: Guided pilgrimage through Turkey – currently two spots still available
- Friday, December 11, 2026: Jerusalem Way film presentation in Hargelsberg
July 20: "Peace on the Way" in Passau
Under the title "Peace on the Way", the Jerusalem Way connects
Bavaria and Upper Austria. The public cross-border Peace and
Encounter Day is part of the Interreg project "Peace on the Way" and strengthens the
cooperation between partners from both countries.
The kick-off begins at 9:00 AM on the Cathedral Square in Passau.
Peace songs, welcomes, and short speeches are planned. The pilgrims of the international PEACEWALK will be officially received, and together we will cross the border into Austria.
At 10:30 AM, the approximately six-kilometer joint
pilgrimage starts through Passau's old town and to the Dreiflüsseeck, continuing through the Innstadt
and across the German-Austrian border to Freinberg. The conclusion is scheduled for around
1:00 PM at Gasthaus Weinbeißer.
Crossing the border together sets a visible sign:
borders should not divide, but become places of encounter.
July 25: Welcoming the PEACEWALK in Linz
A central highlight of this summer: On Saturday, July 25, 2026,
the international PEACEWALK reaches the peace city of Linz.
Around 2:00 PM, we welcome the pilgrims at the
New Town Hall and at the Jerusalem Way Peace Dove. Peace songs with
Miriam & Band, short speeches, and a joint celebration
set a visible sign for peace, encounter, and international connection.
Linz is a significant hub of the Jerusalem Way: here, the feeder routes coming from
Germany meet the main route, which leads from Finisterre and Santiago
via France, Switzerland, and Austria towards Jerusalem.
Afterwards: Jerusalem Way Summer Festival in Arbing
On the same evening, we celebrate our
Jerusalem Way Summer Festival in Arbing from about 5:00 PM – where the Jerusalem Way began in
2010.
Thanks to the support of Raiffeisenbank, we can invite all
club members to a traditional "Bauernjause" snack for free. Helping hands during preparation
and during the festival, as well as cakes and pastries, are very welcome.
July 29: Ceremonial Opening in the Founding Region
On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, we will ceremonially open
the Jerusalem Way section through its Upper Austrian founding region, which was newly designed as part of the LEADER project
.
The event also marks the ceremonial conclusion of the LEADER project:
“Professionalization of the Jerusalem Way in the Founding Region –
Local Roots, Global Peace Route”
With new signage, new pilgrim passes, and the updated Jerusalem Way map
featuring 20 countries for the first time, the international dimension of the trail is now even more visible in its
region of origin.
Start: 9:00 AM in Arbing
Distance: approx. 15 kilometers
Route: Arbing – Baumgartenberg – Clam Castle – Klam – Grein
Distance: approx. 15 kilometers
Route: Arbing – Baumgartenberg – Clam Castle – Klam – Grein
A special highlight is the lunch break at Clam Castle. Participants of the international PEACEWALK will also be
there.
Locally rooted in Upper Austria – internationally connected with Europe
and Jerusalem.
Historic Moment: Sabine Crosses Syria
In May 2026, the German pilgrim Sabine Struck was the first
pilgrim in 15 years to enter Syria again on the JERUSALEM WAY / AL-QUDS WAY
.
As a woman traveling alone, she crossed Syria on foot. Her path led
through Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Maaloula, and Damascus, among other places. In the meantime, she has also
crossed Jordan and reached the Holy Land. She is currently in
Jericho – just a few stages away from Jerusalem.
Sabine's personal reflection on Syria is particularly touching: she said she experienced the
country exclusively peacefully on her way and felt almost at
home there. This experience speaks of great hospitality, human
closeness, and trust.
However, this personal experience must not be understood as a general safety assessment
. Sabine's pilgrimage remains an extraordinary individual case and
expressly does not represent a general opening, no regular clearance, and
no recommendation to walk through Syria.
The symbolic power of this path is all the stronger: a woman goes as a pioneer
through a country scarred by war and builds small
bridges of trust through personal encounters.
Don't just walk for peace, but walk in peace.
Two spots still available: Pilgrimage through Turkey
From September 25 to October 9, 2026, our 15-day
pilgrimage on the Jerusalem Way leads right across Turkey.
From Istanbul and the Dardanelles, we travel via Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, and
Pamukkale further to Konya, through the Taurus Mountains and the Göksu Canyon to
Tarsus and Adana.
The journey combines hiking, culture, spirituality, and personal encounters.
Churches, mosques, ancient sites, and holy places of various traditions accompany
us on this extraordinary section. The daily hikes are usually
about 10 to 15 kilometers, maximum 20 kilometers.
Currently, two spots are still available.
The Jerusalem Way is becoming more digital
Our new website is online
Our website has been fundamentally renewed and now offers clearer
access to the international route, country information, events,
pilgrimages, current projects, and news from the worldwide network.
The JERUSALEM WAY App is about to launch
After intensive development work, the release of the new
JERUSALEM WAY App is imminent. In the future, it will be the official
digital companion for pilgrims.
Features planned include:
- Offline maps with the red route line marked
- Important waypoints and pilgrim information
- Accommodations, partners, and Houses of Hope
- Virtual pilgrim stamps along the route
- Personal pilgrim certificate with all collected stamps
- Networking opportunities for pilgrims
The exact launch and availability for the respective operating systems will be
announced on our website.
Brief Review
The PEACEWALK reaches Austria
On June 25, 2026, we welcomed the international PEACEWALK
on the Jerusalem Way at the border crossing from Switzerland to Austria – almost exactly 16 years
after the Jerusalem Way set off on June 24, 2010, in Arbing. Step by step, an international peace network emerged from a vision (2006).
The border crossing of the peacewalkers, including the ceremonial handover of peace symbols, was a touching moment for everyone present.
Esther from the USA reaches the founding region
The German-American artist Esther lives in the USA and came to Europe specifically to start her pilgrimage in Frankfurt. She is following the Jerusalem Way on foot towards Thessaloniki – on a personal journey of discovery into her family history, her European roots, and her childhood memories.
On July 17, she is expected in Arbing, the birthplace of the Jerusalem Way.
Esther's journey on Instagram: @estee212
Jerusalem Way at the World Peace Festival at Lake Attersee
At the World Peace Festival of the Human Family in Schörfling on Lake Attersee,
Johannes Aschauer was able to present the Jerusalem Way to several hundred people
. The festival was all about encounter, dialogue,
creativity, and lived peace.
➡️ World Peace Festival and Human Family:
Open website
Schlaining Peace Castle – important step in Burgenland
On July 11, 2026, a stage of the international PEACEWALK started in the
courtyard of Schlaining Peace Castle. Together with numerous pilgrims,
the path led via Bad Tatzmannsdorf further to Bernstein.
Johannes Aschauer personally accompanied the start.
The Peace Castle is of particular symbolic importance as an international site for peace research and
dialogue. The shared path was also
an important step for the future Jerusalem Way feeder route through
Burgenland – the Pannonian Peace Trail – which is eventually intended to merge into the
main Jerusalem Way route.
➡️ Press article and 69 pictures:
Open report
Save the date: Film presentation in Hargelsberg
On Friday, December 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM, a live-moderated Jerusalem Way film presentation with
Johannes Aschauer will take place in the
Hargelsberg parish hall.
Admission: voluntary donation
The Jerusalem Way consists of more than just kilometers, maps, and trail markers.
It lives through people who meet each other, overcome borders, and are ready to
become bridges of peace themselves.
Thanks to all members, communities, partners, hosts, pilgrims,
and to the many helping hands who support this path.
Go in peace – as a bridge between nations.
