Vendor Applications

Food and Merchandise Vendors Martyrs' Shrine hosts nearly 100 events annually that can attract upwards of 10,000 participants per day. Most of our events come in the form of pilgrimages, which are large gatherings of people who are celebrating, among other things, their unique ethnic and cultural background. The largest of these is our Tamil Pilgrimage which sees people from across the world convening at Martyrs' Shrine once a year, bringing with them their shared cultural experiences and forming that experience around spirituality, food and recreation. The purpose of allowing outside Vendors to participate in these events is to help shape and elevate that cultural experience both for the pilgrims as well as visitors we have on the property during that time. These events can be highly lucrative for vendors and at the same time can compliment products and services already provided by Martyrs' Shrine. Martyrs' Shrine holds our vendors to very high standards, both in terms of the safety of our guests but also knowing that vendors play a pivotal role in elevating the guest experience. Only Vendors who are deemed to be selling culturally-significant goods and services will be considered. If approved, Vendors will be awarded a Permit from Martyrs' Shrine and they will be required to have it displayed at their booth throughout their stay. Selling or distributing goods and services that do not have prior approval from Martyrs' Shrine are not permitted anywhere on the grounds. Application Form

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Shrine Message Archives

Below is a list of past issues of the bi-annual Shrine Message. The Shrine Message is published in February and September of each year and is mailed to all active members of the Martyrs' Shrine Association. 2022 Shrine Message - Fall 2022 Shrine Message - Spring 2022 2021 Shrine Message - Fall 2021 Shrine Message - Spring 2021 2020 Shrine Message - Fall 2020 Shrine Message - Spring 2020 2019 Shrine Message - Fall 2019 Shrine Message - Spring 2019

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The Pilgrim Route

Walking Route Through the collaborative efforts of the Martyrs’ Shrine, Georgian Bay Trails and Simcoe County Trails, a permanent Pilgrim Route has been established to the Martyrs’ Shrine. While the official signs marking the new Pilgrim Route continue to be developed, the map below can be of assistance in guiding your pilgrimage to the Shrine. The 89 km off-road Pilgrim Route utilizes many local trails, including the Georgian Bay Snowriders Trail and Tay Shore Trail and also extends to Barrie’s North Shore Trail, Oro Medonte Rail Trail, Orillia’s Millennium Trails and the Uhthoff Trail. This is just the first phase of forming a “Canadian Camino,” the full pilgrimage route from Toronto to the Martyrs’ Shrine. Further expansions are planned south to Tottenham and into neighbouring regions. While hundreds of pilgrims already take part in organized pilgrimage walks on specific days throughout the summer from Burlington, Guelph, Toronto, etc. to the Martyrs’ Shrine, they tend to use roads, some quite busy, to make the annual trek. Certainly, a pilgrimage along the trails network in Simcoe County is more suitable for quiet reflection, meditation, prayer and enjoyment of our beautiful countryside. Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the concerted efforts of the Martyrs’ Shrine, Georgian Bay Trails and Simcoe County Trails, the naming of a permanent Pilgrim Route to the Martyrs’ Shrine has been enthusiastically embraced by various municipalities in Simcoe County. The Pilgrim Route enables anyone to follow the route any day of the year, alone or with friends or family, as a parish, or as a tourist to explore this part of Canada, in an off-road setting. Some pilgrims may want to follow the Pilgrim Route for religious reasons, others may just want to set themselves a personal challenge, meet other people, or visit another region. See Mapbook Canoe Route The Wendat people were masters of a new technology - the birchbark canoe, which was optimized for navigating the Great Lakes and surrounding waterways. These canoes could hold upwards of 1000lbs worth of supplies and within 30 days could be access a 1000 mile radius, reaching as far west as Winnepeg, as far north as Hudson Bay, as far south as the Chesapeake and as far east as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This navigable region was a trade region, and allowed the Wendat to interface with various other indigenous nations and bands. The waterway that was used by the early missionaries and trailblazing explorers like Samuel de Champlain to travel from Huronia to Quebec, New France's economic hub, is described by this Canoe Route. The 800 mile trip takes 20-30 days by canoe through French, Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers to the St. Lawrence. Coming soon

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Shrine Bulletin Archives

Below is a list of past issues of the weekly Shrine Bulletin. The Shrine Bulletin is printed and posted in the Shrine Church and Visitor Centre each Sunday which includes an upcoming weekly reflection from one of our Jesuit Fathers as well as a list of Announced Masses scheduled for the week. 2022 October 2, 2022 September 25, 2022 September 18, 2022 September 11, 2022 September 4, 2022 August 28, 2022 August 21, 2022 August 14, 2022 August 7, 2022 July 31, 2022 July 24, 2022 July 17, 2022 July 10, 2022 July 3, 2022 June 25, 2022 June 19, 2022 June 12, 2022 June 5, 2022 2020 August 30, 2020 July 12, 2020 May 31, 2020 May 24, 2020 May 17, 2020 May 10, 2020 May 3, 2020 2019 October 12, 2019 October 5, 2019 September 28, 2019 September 21, 2019 September 14, 2019 September 7, 2019 August 31, 2019 August 24, 2019 August 17, 2019 August 10, 2019 August 3, 2019 July 27, 2019 July 20, 2019 July 13, 2019 July 6, 2019 June 29, 2019 June 22, 2019 June 15, 2019 June 8, 2019 June 1, 2019 May 25, 2019 May 18, 2019 May 11, 2019 May 4, 2019

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