Blessing the New School Year

An annual Blessing of the Backpacks and school year kickoff liturgy held at st-johns-portsmouth.

• Date & Time: August 23, 2026, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Location: 424 Washington Street, Portsmouth, VA
• Blessing of the Backpacks: Preschoolers, students, and educators/school employees are invited to bring backpacks, laptops, devices, agendas, or other "tools of their trade" for a blessing during worship.
• Outreach Project: Over the subsequent four weeks, the parish is collecting classroom supplies for teachers at Children’s Harbor Olde Towne (located across the parking lot). Detailed needs lists and color-coded cards are available in Chisholm Hall, and monetary donations are accepted.
• Supply Blessing: Father Derek will bless the collected supplies on Sunday, September 13, 2026, during both the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Eucharists.