The Concept of Pilgrimage

The Concept of Pilgrimage

The pilgrimage to St. James church in Santiago took travelers through 3 long months of walking in addition to visiting various churches along the way; many of which were also referred to as “the church of St. James.” One thing in particular that I noticed about the churches that were visiting was that most of them had small carved statues of people; these carving repeating for several lines, and all together formed an arc over the entrance of the church.

The pilgrimage to Santiago is one of the many pilgrimages people embark on for religious; or furthermore, moral significance. Within the Buddhist religion, Buddhist’s embark on pilgrimages to various cities; namely, Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kusinara; all of which have a certain level of significance within the context of the Buddhist religion. Within the realm of Christianity, Christians travel to various places that hold important religious significance; such as, the site of the crucifixion; which, according to The Bible is Golgotha in Jerusalem (John 19:17). Golgotha is also referred to as, “the place of the skulls,” the site of Jesus' birth; thus, Judea, and Rome; thus, the location of the Vatican; and other sites with noted significance to the various apostles and saints. Pilgrimages are not exclusive to one single religion; the concept of pilgrimage spans across all religions; thus, Islam, Hinduism and Judaism as well as smaller religious sects.

Before my experience attending the Papal Mass with Papa Francisco, I do not believe I could go on a pilgrimage myself; however, after I attended the papal mass, I might considering embarking on such a journey. Although, I do not feel as though I would be able handle the physical demands of such journey; however, I feel as though the spirituality component would override the physical component.