Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey religious people take to a holy place or a place of religious significance. Pilgrimage can be a physical journey but it can also represent an individual’s journey of faith.
Significant Christian pilgrimage locations
- Iona is an island off the west coast of Scotland. It has been a centre of pilgrimage since Saint Columba arrived in AD563, bringing with him 13 followers and establishing a The building where monks live.. Today it is a place of spiritual learning, and many pilgrims travel to Iona to reflect on the nature of God with other Christians.
- Taizé is a Community of monks or nuns. in the south of France that promotes Christian unity. It is particularly significant as it was a place that helped to shelter Jews aiming to escape the Nazis during World War Two.
- Walsingham is a village in Norfolk that became a pilgrimage site in 1061 after Richeldis de Faverches had a vision of the house in Nazareth where Mary lived. A copy of the house was made, and thousands of people visit this site each year.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a particularly important pilgrimage location, as this is where the events of Jesus’ last days occurred. The Cenacle and the Via Dolorosa are particularly significant locations. The Cenacle is the room where the The meal that Jesus had with his disciples the night before he died where he gave them bread and wine to symbolise his body and blood. took place. The Via Dolorosa, also known as the ‘way of suffering’, is the route Jesus took as he carried his cross to the place where he was Roman method of execution by nailing someone to a cross, often until they die of asphyxiation; used on Jesus and many others..
The Gospel of Luke specifically mentions Jerusalem. It is mentioned as a place Jesus travelled to with his parents and also as a place where he chose to spend time alone:
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was 12 years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Different Christian views on pilgrimage
Historically, there has been great opposition to pilgrimage from the Christians who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. They believe in the teachings of the Bible but reject the authority of the Pope. Church. John Calvin, a famous Protestant To make changes to something or someone, for improvement., criticised the practices of celebrating An object or part of the body belonging an important religious person, which is kept after their death. and creating Tomb or monument to a saint or other holy person. at certain sites. He believed these were not true forms of worship and distracted from the purpose of worship. In particular, Protestants have often considered worship of figures such as the Virgin Mary a form of The worship of an idol, object or person instead of God., as it goes against the commandment that only God can be worshipped.
Today, many Protestants visit sites such as Jerusalem in order to feel connected to Jesus and reflect on their faith. However, these Protestants still would not worship saints or visit places such as Walsingham.
Pilgrimage plays an important role in the A group of Christians who accept the Pope in Rome as their leader. faith. Many Catholics make pilgrimages to sites that connect them to saints or sites in which the Virgin Mary has been sighted, such as Lourdes in France.
Why go on pilgrimage?
- Many Christians go on pilgrimage to meet other Christians with whom they can discuss their faith. In this way, they deepen their understanding of God.
- Many Christian pilgrimage sites are visited by people all over the world, which means that pilgrimage can be a good way of meeting a diverse range of people who share a similar faith.
- Pilgrimage gives Christians time away from their normal routine to connect with their religion.
