The Way of the Pilgrims
Hey! My name is Carlisle Auman and I’m here to shed light on how pilgrimage started in our world, the difference between pilgrimage and tourism, and Jerusalem, which is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites. Buckle up as we traverse the way of pilgrims.
What Is Pilgrimage?
It is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone's own beliefs.
Pilgrimages frequently involve a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. People will go on a journey as a way to spend time and focus on the appreciation of God.
A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
The Holy Land acts as a focal point for the pilgrimages of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These pilgrims travel to the Holy Land to touch and see physical manifestations of their faith, to confirm their beliefs in a holy setting, and to connect personally to the Holy Land.
Pilgrimage is not only a widespread and important practice in Christianity but also in other major religious traditions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.
If you’re wondering where is the Holy Land, it refers to the area of Israel and Palestine. It is considered holy by Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Baháis.
Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places: the place of birth or death of founders or saints, or to the place of their "calling" or spiritual awakening, or of their connection (visual or verbal) with the divine, to locations where miracles were performed or witnessed, or locations where a deity is said to live or be "housed", or any site that is seen to have special spiritual powers. Such sites may be commemorated with shrines or temples that devotees are encouraged to visit for their own spiritual benefit: to be healed or have questions answered or to achieve some other spiritual benefit.
Distinguishing pilgrimage from tourism, according to Frank Fahey:
According to a Christian priest named Frank Fahey, a pilgrim is "always in danger of becoming a tourist," and vice versa, because travel always disrupts the fixed order of life at home, and he identifies eight differences between the two.
Here’s a brief interpretation of the table above: The first element is faith. Faith expectancy is always present on pilgrimage, while in tourism, it is not required. There is penance in pilgrimage, which is an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin, and according to Fahey, they do it for a search for wholeness. Penance is not present in tourism. Third is community—pilgrimages are often done alone, but they should be open to all. Tourism is done with friends and family, or a chosen interest group. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place, while in tourism, sanctity is not required. The fifth element is ritual. Pilgrimages frequently involve ritual movements at the site itself, and on the other hand, there are no rituals in tourism. Votive offerings, the sixth element, in the form of models of body parts are known from sacred sites across the ancient world. Pilgrims do this to leave behind a part of oneself, let go, in search of a better life. In tourism, it is not present, because the travel is the good life. In pilgrimage, there is victory over self which means when people go on a spiritual journey, they do it to clear the mental fog, which often clouds clear judgment and assessment of one's own character and deeds. And then they celebrate to remember what God did and continues to do for them. In tourism, there is celebration through drinking alcohol to forget their problems, people, feelings, or whatever they want to forget. Lastly, we have perseverance. There is commitment in pilgrimage and it is never over. This is why pilgrimages can be expensive and time-consuming.
Let’s take Islam for example. Being one of the five mandatory pillars of Islam, the act of Hajj can be defined as the annual pilgrimage to the house of Allah SWT in Makkah, Saudia Arabia., Muslims are expected to perform it at least once in their life. Every year, around 2 million Muslims visit the Holy Kaaba to perform Hajj (Pilgrimage), a five-day event taking place in Dhul Hajj (the last Islamic month). For the muslims who live far away from Saudi Arabia, this could cause them financial problems. That’s why there is commitment in pilgrimage. While in tourism, holidays soon end. People cannot spend their entire lives as tourists. Their journey as a tourist will come to an end at some point.
So, what is Pilgrimage studies?
Let’s talk about the religious origin of pilgrimage studies.
To answer the question “What is considered a pilgrimage?” is no longer simple. Pilgrimage Studies have emerged in the past few years as a new field of inquiry arcing well beyond former definitions that boxed sacred travel into religious or historical paradigms. Basically, Pilgrimage Studies is a new field of study that extends far beyond previous definitions that limited sacred travel to religious or historical paradigms.
Even in their traditional home in medieval studies, Western pilgrimages have taken over as the locus of attention on the traveler of times past.
After decades in the spotlight as the prime example of encounters between rival cultures and faiths, the Crusades have apparently yielded to pilgrimage as the framing narrative for travel richly imagined. But before we talk more of them, let me give you a background on what they are and how they are linked to pilgrimage.
The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. In all, eight major Crusade expeditions—varying in size, strength and degree of success—occurred between 1096 and 1291. The costly, violent and often ruthless conflicts enhanced the status of European Christians, making them major players in the fight for land in the Middle East.
While the Crusades ultimately resulted in defeat for Europeans and a Muslim victory, many argue that they successfully extended the reach of Christianity and Western civilization. The Roman Catholic Church experienced an increase in wealth, and the power of the Pope was elevated during the Crusades.
Trade and transportation also improved throughout Europe as a result of the Crusades. The wars created a constant demand for supplies and transportation, which resulted in shipbuilding and the manufacturing of various supplies.
After the Crusades, there was a heightened interest in travel and learning throughout Europe, which some historians believe may have paved the way for the Renaissance. Among followers of Islam, however, the Crusaders were regarded as immoral, bloody and savage. The ruthless and widespread massacre of Muslims, Jews and other non-Christians resulted in bitter resentment that persisted for many years. Even today, some Muslims derisively refer to the West’s involvement in the Middle East as a “crusade.” There’s no question that the years of warfare and conflict brought by the Crusades had an impact on Middle East and Western European nations for many years, and they still influence political and cultural views held today.
(source: https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/crusades#effects-of-the-crusades)
Jerusalem
Now let’s talk about Jerusalem.
One of the most holy places in the world is without a doubt Jerusalem. This is holy because of Christian significance but also of the significance from other Abrahamic religions as well. This is where Jesus lived in the later part of his life, as well as where he died. As such, many Christians will go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, often doing so around the time of Easter as a way to personally replicate the journey Jesus had to go through during the crucifixion. This is why during Good Friday in Jerusalem, many Christians will take the walk along the “way of sorrows”, the route that historians and theologians believed was the route that Jesus took.
They will also visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre because this is the shrine that was built on the spot where it is believed Jesus’ tomb existed. Within the Church of Sepulchre is the Stone of Unction, the stone upon which Jesus’ body is believed to have been laid and washed after crucifixion.
Everyone's pilgrimage journey is unique. You'll remember the trip for the rest of your life, in big or small ways, despite the fact that it may sound like a grand catch-all. Some were unsure about going on a pilgrimage in the first place, and it opened their eyes to the benefits of doing so. It turned out that for others, the pilgrimage was the spark for their search for a more profound spiritual experience. You'll be different when you get off the plane or bus and return home, regardless of where you are on the spectrum.
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