In many religious traditions there are rituals of pilgrimage in which people may travel to distant places to establish and reinforce ties to the sacred; to obtain physical, emotional, and spiritual healing; and to gain new spiritual knowledge. The religious pilgrimage involves two basic elements: (1) the journey, and (2) the sacred place which is the destination for the journey. Pilgrimages to sacred sites are sometimes held in conjunction with major ceremonies and at other times pilgrimages may be a solitary undertaking.
The pilgrimage can be a life-changing experience as well as a mystical experience. Philip Wilkinson, in his book Religions, writes:
“Making the pilgrimage in the right way stresses the holiness of the enterprise and makes clear how much the pilgrim has in common with the countless others who have gone before.”
There are many sacred sites which are the destinations for Christian pilgrims. In her chapter on Christianity in World Religions, Rosemary Drage Hale writes:
“Every year, thousands of Christian pilgrims visit places associated with the life of Christ, such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and sites in Galilee. There are many other Christian pilgrimage sites outside the Holy Land, most associated with the relics of saints, which are revered for the sacred power which they are believed to possess.”
Rosemary Drage Hale reports:
“The belief in the intercessory powers of saints was a cultural extension of Greco-Roman practices, in which those who had died heroic deaths were thought to exert supernatural power from their graves.”
Rosemary Drage Hale also writes:
“Healings, exorcisms, and a variety of miracles were associated with the reverence of saints’ remains, and as this practice grew, from the fourth century into the Middle Ages, so did the demand for holy relics: bones and other objects associated with the saint.”
Monasteries, churches, and cathedrals which contained saintly relics became the object of pilgrimages.
Some of the pilgrimage sites associated with Christianity include Canterbury Cathedral in England which contains the tomb of Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered in 1170; Santiago de Compostela in Spain which contains the supposed remains of St. James the Apostle; Lourdes in France where a young girl had visions of the Virgin Mary and which is reputed to be a place of miraculous healings.
In Christianity, one of the early examples of a pilgrimage occurred in 325 CE, when Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, made a journey to Palestine to visit the places venerated by Christians. She did not start the Christian pilgrimages to the sacred sites of the Levant, but she did make them more popular.
By the fourth century, pilgrimages to Jerusalem had become common. In his book The Handy Religion Answer Book, John Renard writes:
“Pilgrims talk of their burning desire to visit sites mentioned in the Old Testament as well as those associated with key events in the life of Christ.”
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages (or Medieval Period) is the period of European history from about 500 to 1500 CE. This is an era characterized by population decline, the collapse of centralized authority, and the rise of new kingdoms. During this time, Jerusalem as the destination for Christian pilgrimages began to be replaced with sacred sites associated with famous saints.
Christian Saints were men and women who held a privileged place with God after they died because they had led exemplary lives. In an article in The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, Professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, writes:
“Because of this, saints were considered to be spiritual guides and mentors, who would add their prayers in heaven to those offered by Christians still living in the material world. In this way, they would “intercede” with God on behalf of those who asked for their aid. Devout people would go to their tombs to receive God’s healing grace, and perhaps seek a miraculous cure for their suffering.”
With regard to Christian pilgrimages during the Middle Ages, Richard Winston, in his book Life in the Middle Ages, writes:
“The need to do penance, the veneration of the relics of saints, and the natural desire to see something of the world prompted men to go on pilgrimages.”
In his book In Gods We Trust, Scott Atran writes:
“In the Roman Catholic world, ever since the Middle Ages, pilgrimages have been proofs of penitence: the greater the pain and suffering, the greater the likelihood of forgiveness. In many of the world’s large and small religions, periodic pilgrimages and seasonal ceremonies routinely and profoundly rouse votaries to costly and intense commitments.”
The manufacture of pilgrim souvenirs in England began with the cult of Thomas Becket at Canterbury. In an article in Medieval Archaeology, William Anderson writes:
“Shortly after the archbishop’s murder in December 1170, monks recorded miracles involving his blood and its ability to heal all manner of ailments, and before long the cathedral was attracting devotees seeking to obtain the miraculous ‘water of St. Thomas’.”
One of the Christian pilgrimages in England involves the remains of Saint Cuthbert at Durham. Cuthbert had been the bishop of the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne. After he died in 687 CE, many miracles were attributed to prayers which had been carried out near his remains. In 793, however, the Vikings began raiding the monastery and over the next two centuries, Danish Vikings conquered much of Britain. In 875, the monks left Lindisfarne carrying Saint Cuthbert’s bones with them. A little more than a century later, in 995, the monks brought Saint Cuthbert’s bones to Durham, 15 miles inland. In an article in Archaeology, Kate Ravilious reports:
“Following signs they believed to be from the deceased saint, the monks erected a shrine to house Saint Cuthbert’s coffin on a high rock by the River Wear.”
Durham and the remains of Saint Cuthbert became a destination for Christian pilgrims, particularly those seeking healing. Kate Ravilious reports: “During his life the saint was known for his miraculous healing powers, and medieval pilgrims traveled from far and wide to Durham to pray for his help in curing all manner of diseases.” As with other English pilgrimage sites, the pilgrims were encouraged to purchase offerings. These offerings could be placed near the saint’s shrine, they could be worn as special amulets, or, in the case of Durham, they could be tossed into the river as an offering. Making religious offerings to rivers was an ancient, pre-Christian custom.
Modern Christian Pilgrimages
One example of a modern Christian pilgrimage can be seen on the Greek Island of Tinos in the Aegean Sea. The sacred site here is the Orthodox church of Our Lady of Tinos. Made entirely of white marble quarried from the nearby island of Delos, the church sits on the top of a hill. In his book Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living, Dimitris Xygalatas provides some background:
“In 1823, legend has it, an ancient icon was dug up after its location appeared to a local nun in a prophetic dream. The church that was built on the same spot to host it soon became a major pilgrimage destination. People flock to Timos every year from all corners of the world to visit this icon, which is said to work miracles.”
Regarding the icon, Dimitris Xygalatas writes:
“Carved in exquisite detail, it portrays the Annunciation. But the scene is barely visible, as the image is completely covered by jewels donated by visitors. Hundreds of silver votive offerings dangle from the ceiling above it, reminders of vows and miracles.”
The pilgrimage to Tinos involves a ferry ride to the island and then a procession up the hill to the church. Dimitris Xygalatas writes:
“Once they have assembled on the quayside, one after the other they get on their hands and knees and begin to crawl through the town’s main street. Some of them fall to their stomachs and use their elbows to pull themselves forward. Others lie down perpendicular to the street and roll up the steep hill in an almost Sisyphean way, twisting and turning their bodies and pushing against their elbows to drag themselves along.”
Another modern example of a Christian pilgrimage can be seen in Magdalena del Kino, Sonora, Mexico. Each year thousands of pilgrims walk to this small town from villages in Sonora and from the Mexico border to celebrate the traditional fiestas de San (Saint) Francisco Javier. Many pilgrims make the journey across the town’s plaza to the church on their knees. The pilgrims include indigenous people from Sonora, Mexican Americans from Arizona, as well as others. The pilgrimage is done to thank the saint for favors granted during the year. The centerpiece of the fiestas is the resting figure of San Francisco, and a long line of people wait to touch the statue. There is a belief that sinners and those who don’t have pure hearts cannot lift the saint, and so some of the pilgrims lift the image of San Francisco as they pass by.
In Peru, in Otuzco there is an image of Mary, La Virgen de la Puerta, which has attracted pilgrims for more than 300 years. In 1560 the Augustinians, a Catholic religious order with roots in the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo, settled in Oturzco. The Augustinians emphasize communal life, that is, living together in "one mind and one heart intent upon God".
In an article in The Conversation, Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch writes:
“As part of the founding of the town, the Augustinian Fathers placed the town under the protection of Mary, the mother of Jesus. They acquired a Spanish image, a statue of Mary made mostly of wood, and selected Dec. 15 to celebrate her locally.”
Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch writes:
“In modern times, the fiesta of La Virgen de la Puerta is lavishly celebrated in the town of Otuzco, where thousands of faithful descend upon the mountain community for the multiday fiesta patronal, a festive celebration that honors the patron saint to whom a site is dedicated or entrusted.”
Thousands of pilgrims walk 73 kilometers (a little over 45 miles) from Trujillo to Otuzco. The route takes them through the steep mountainous terrain to reach the highlands community. Each of the pilgrims has their own personal reasons for undertaking the pilgrimage. It is an act of personal devotion. Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch writes:
“Devotees bring their special petitions before La Virgen de la Puerta: They ask for her support in making decisions and for their everyday needs. Some even pray for miraculous healing.”
The festival itself lasts for three nights with fireworks, music, and dancing.
In Central America, one of the most important annual Catholic pilgrimages centers around the Black Christ in Esquipulas, Guatemala, which takes place on January 15th. The town was founded by the Spanish in the 1550s and originally named Yzquipulas from the Nahuatl Isquitzuchil meaning “place where flowers abound.” It was originally the home of the Ch’orti’ people, Mayans who probably migrated into the area from the Mayan city of Copán.
In 1594, the people of Esquipulas asked Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño to sculpt a crucified Christ with a dark complexion. In 1595, the Black Christ (it was carved from dark wood) was installed in a small shrine in a monastic hermitage. It soon drew the attention of the Catholic populations in the area. In 1682, the Black Christ was moved to the Santiago Church.
By 1740, the growing pilgrimage to Esquipulas captured the attention of the fray Pedro Pardo de Figueroa, the Bishop of Guatemala who commissioned the construction of a basilica for the Black Christ. The Black Christ was transferred to the new basilica in 1759.
British naval officer Lindesey Brine visited Esquipulas in the 1870s and estimated that an average of 80,000 Indians made the pilgrimage. In his 1884 book The Ancient Earthworks and Temples of the American Indians, he writes:
“Indians assembled there in great numbers from all parts of the country, and travelled great distances in order to be present at the festival, and to take part in the performance of the religious ceremonies.”
Lindesey Brine, in the ethnocentric style of the time, also writes:
“There is something in the devotional nature of these ignorant aboriginal people which escapes the comprehension of those who observe them.”
Today, the Black Christ of Esquipulas, now dressed in white satin and adorned with jewels, is visited by pilgrims from all over Central America, some travelling hundreds of miles. It is estimated that it is visited annually by four to five million Catholic pilgrims.
More from this series
Religion 102: Biblical Archaeology
Religion 101: Talking with dead people (Spiritualism)
Religion 101: The Great Awakenings
Religion 101: The Irish monastic tradition
Religion 101: The Science of Being
Religion 101: Reincarnation and Asian religions
Religion 101: Hindu pilgrimages
