Fonda, New York · National Shrine
National Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
The birthplace of the first Native American saint, set on the actual ground of the Mohawk village where she was born, baptized, and grew up.
On a quiet bank of the Mohawk River in upstate New York, where the water runs brown over limestone and the hills flatten into the wide valley the Mohawks called home for centuries, there is a small shrine that Catholics travel from across the continent to visit.
It has no soaring dome, no vast nave, no eighty chapels. What it has is the ground — the actual earth where Kateri Tekakwitha walked, where she learned to know God, and where, in 1676, she received the waters of baptism.
This is the birthplace and childhood home of the first Native American saint. One of the most quietly powerful pilgrimage sites in the United States.
Visitor Information
- Address
- 3 Hogansburg Road (off Route 5), Fonda, NY 12068
- Phone
- (518) 853-3646
- Website
- katerishrine.com
- Hours
- Grounds dawn to dusk; chapel hours vary seasonally
- Annual Pilgrimage
- July 14 — one of the largest Native Catholic gatherings in North America
- Admission
- Free (donations welcomed)
- Parking
- On-site; free
- Nearest city
- Amsterdam, NY (5 mi) · Albany, NY (45 mi)
- Nearest airport
- Albany International (ALB) — 45 minutes
History
The Mohawk village of Caughnawaga stood near present-day Fonda — the heart of Mohawk territory and the place where Kateri Tekakwitha was born around 1656. Her father was a Mohawk chief; her mother was an Algonquin Christian woman taken captive. A smallpox epidemic when Kateri was four left her an orphan, her face scarred, her sight damaged.
Decades later, after Jesuit missionaries returned to the region, Kateri sought out Father Jacques de Lamberville and asked for instruction in the faith. On Easter Sunday, April 18, 1676, she was baptized at Caughnawaga.
That moment happened here, on this ground, along this river.
Excavations in the early 20th century confirmed the site of the original village. The Conventual Franciscans established the shrine in 1884. After Pope John Paul II beatified Kateri in 1980, and particularly after Pope Benedict XVI canonized her in 2012, the July 14 feast day pilgrimage became one of the most significant events in Native American Catholic life.
What to See and Do
The Chapel of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
The chapel holds the atmosphere of more than a century of pilgrim prayer. An image of St. Kateri and relics are enshrined here. This is the primary site for pilgrimage prayer and, on feast days, Mass and Confession.
The Archaeological Site
The excavated remains of the Mohawk village of Caughnawaga are visible on the grounds, with stone markers identifying the locations of longhouses and the palisade. Standing here is the defining experience of this pilgrimage. The earth is the relic.
The Outdoor Way of the Cross
Winds through the wooded grounds. Walking it in silence is a meditative complement to chapel prayer.
The Mohawk River
The grounds extend to the river bank. Kateri grew up by this water. Sitting at the water's edge and praying is as natural here as kneeling in the chapel.
The July 14 Pilgrimage Gathering
The Kateri Tekakwitha Conference holds its annual gathering at Fonda each year near her feast day. Thousands of Native American Catholics from dozens of nations attend. Mass, traditional Native prayer forms, cultural expressions of faith. If you can time your visit to coincide, do so.
Getting There
From Albany, take I-90 West to Exit 28 (Fultonville/Fonda), then Route 5 west ~2 miles. Well-signed. From New York City: approximately 3 hours by car (I-87 North to I-90 West). Albany has Amtrak service from NYC.
Combine with: The Martyrs Shrine at Auriesville (~12 miles east) — where St. Isaac Jogues and companions were martyred. Many pilgrims visit both in one day. See the New York Catholic Heritage Trail →
Practical Tips
- Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall
- For the July 14 gathering: arrive early, bring water and sunscreen — much of the pilgrimage is outdoors
- Allow 1.5–2 hours for a personal pilgrimage; a full day for the feast day gathering
- Basic lodging in Amsterdam, NY (5 miles); more options in Albany (45 min)
Pilgrimage Prayer at the Shrine
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, I stand on the ground where you stood — where you were born, where you suffered, where you first heard the faith, and where you received the waters of baptism.
Pray for me and for all who come to this place seeking your intercession. Help us to love God as you loved him — simply, wholly, and without counting the cost.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meet the Saint
Read the full biography of St. Kateri Tekakwitha →- Feast Day
- July 14
- Patron of
- Native peoples of North America, ecology, orphans, people in exile, those ridiculed for their faith