Pilgrimage

{{religion}}
A '''pilgrimage''' is a journey undertaken for religious reasons, formerly long and arduous though increasingly involving air travel and luxury hotels. It is done with the hope of increasing one's chance of [[salvation]] or of winning a secular benefit such as a [[miracle|miraculous]] cure. Those performing a pilgrimage are known as '''pilgrims''', especially in [[Christian]] tradition.

The practice is common in several [[religion]]s, including the [[Abraham]]ic faiths and major [[Asia]]n traditions. Pilgrimage has frequently turned into a sizeable [[money]]-spinner both for the destination and for travel agents to get you there, whether in [[medieval]] [[Europe]] or modern-day [[Mecca]].

Many pilgrimage sites are in lands controlled by opposing religions: [[Christian]]s in the middle ages trying to get to [[Jerusalem]], [[Shi'a]] pilgrims killed by [[Sunni]]s in the [[Middle East]], or contemporary [[Bahá'í]] and [[Zoroastrian]]s facing hostility from [[fundamentalist]] [[Muslims]]. Major religious festivals with large numbers of pilgrims are also susceptible to deaths from crushes, transportation accidents, and [[terrorist]] attacks. This means pilgrims may end up with God rather sooner than they intended.

But anything that gets you out of the house can't be all bad.

==Christianity==
[[File:Lourdes boulevard de la grotte 9.jpg|thumb|right|[[Holy water]] containers on sale at a Lourdes shop]]
The practice is very old; Origen's trip to Jerusalem in the 3<sup>rd</sup> century CE is one of the first to be recorded, and the anonymous Bordeaux Itinerary recounts a journey from [[France]] to Jerusalem in the early 4<sup>th</sup> century CE.<ref name=wp/> Pilgrimage is particularly popular in [[Roman Catholicism]], whose believers may travel long distances to gawk at [[relic|bits of dead saints]].

Christian destinations include:
*[[Jerusalem]], the big one, a popular pilgrimage place when it wasn't occupied by Muslims, and when it was you had the [[Crusades]].
*[[Santiago de Compostela]], a site in Spain devoted to St James (Santiago in Spanish). 240,000 pilgrims per year buy painted scallop shells and Jesus keyrings; in some places gouging locals even charge for toilet paper.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/world/europe/lifting-the-soul-and-the-spanish-economy-too.html?_r=0 Lifting the Soul, and the Spanish Economy, Too], New York Times, 31 August 2014</ref>
*{{wpl|Lourdes}}, in southwestern [[France]], known for [[Faith healing|(not) healing the sick]]. Pilgrimage brings around EUR 270m income per year to Lourdes.<ref>[http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/pdf/case-studies/Vannesa_J_Panaligan_-_Pilgrims_Prayers_and_Profits_-_Assesing_the_Cultural_Significance_and_Economic_Value_of_Lourdes.pdf Pilgrims, Prayers, and Profits: Assessing the Cultural Significance and Economic Value of Lourdes], Vanessa J. Panaligan, CulturalDiplomacy.org</ref>
*[[Fátima]], Portugal, site of visions of the Virgin Mary
*[[Rome]], home of [[Pope]]s, popular in the Middle Ages for Roman Catholics, and still full of tourists. As a result of the large number of visitors, the [[Vatican City]] has the highest crime rate in the world (per head of population).<ref>[http://theweek.com/articles/466772/10-secrets-vatican-exposed Ten Secrets of the Vatican Exposed], The Week, 2013</ref>
*{{wpl|Chimayo, New Mexico|Chimayó}}, [[New Mexico]], USA, home of a Catholic church visited on Holy Week; its dirt will cure all ailments, whether eaten, rubbed all over your body, or simply displayed in a nice jar.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Santuario_de_Chimayo El Santuario de Chimayo], Wikipedia</ref>
*{{wpl|Canterbury}}, [[UK]], much-visited by English pilgrims in the Middle Ages, as it was significantly closer 
([[Sin#The_seven_deadly_sins|sloth]])
 to London than any of the above; see Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales''.<ref>[http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/pilgrimages/#page=2 Top Ten Historic Pilgrimages], National Geographic</ref>

==Mormons==
[[Mormon]]s visit sites associated with Christianity in general and Mormonism in particular, with Salt Lake City, [[Utah]] the most popular destination.<ref>Mormon pilgrimage and tourism, Lloyd E. Hudman, Annals of Tourism Research, Volume 19, Issue 1, 1992, Pages 107-121</ref>

==Islam==
[[File:Abraham is said to have thrown stones at the devil to cast him away. - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|right|"Stoning the [[Devil]]" at the Hajj]]
[[Hajj]], the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the Five Pillars of [[Islam]], which are the central articles of the faith, and every Muslim is expected to make the journey once in their lifetime if they can (exceptions for sick and [[poor]]).<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/fivepillars.shtml BBC Five Pillars of Islam]</ref> The ritual is held for 10 days every year, and is estimated to bring US$10bn to the [[Saudi]] economy, from the increasing number of luxury hotels to souvenirs like beads and prayer mats.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20067809 The economics of Hajj: Money and pilgrimage], BBC, 25 October 2012</ref> Despite the trappings of modern tourism, the Hajj is still rather dangerous, with crushes and stampedes causing thousands of deaths in recent years.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidents_during_the_Hajj Incidents during the Hajj], Wikipedia</ref>

There are numerous other Islamic holy sites, particularly for Shi'as (some Sunnis believe that pilgrimage to anywhere other than Mecca is blasphemous). There are many Shi'a pilgrimage sites in Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.<ref>[https://sacredsites.com/middle_east/iran/shia_islam.html Shia Islam], Sacred Sites</ref> [[Sufi]]s also go on pilgrimages such as to Sharif Dargah in Rajahstan, India.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304070304577393250576314874 A Sufi Pilgrimage], Wall Street Journal, 2012</ref>

==Judaism==
In the days when most [[Judaism|Jews]] lived in the vicinity of Judea and Samaria (from the time of [[Solomon]] to the Roman destruction of 70 CE), pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]] was expected three times a year. Pilgrims would assemble at Passover, Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), and Shavuot (Pentecost), filling Jerusalem and camping out on the Mount of Olives or in nearby villages.<ref>[http://www.seetheholyland.net/going-on-a-pilgrimage/ Going on a Pilgrimage], Seetheholyland.net</ref>

Today, many Jews from all over the world visit the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem and other holy places in Israel.

==Bahá'í==
Originally [[Bahá'í]] were expected to make pilgrimages to the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, Iraq, and the House of the Báb in Shiraz, Iran. However these are not easily accessible, so other places are visited instead, such as the Bahá'í World Centre near Haifa, Israel.<ref name=wp>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrimage Pilgrimage], Wikipedia</ref>

==Buddhism==
[[File:Maha Bodhi tree 2.jpg|thumb|right|''Maha Bodh'': a reasonable facsimile]]
[[Buddhist]]s commonly make pilgrimages to four sites associated with the [[Buddha]]:<ref name=wp/>
*Lumbini, now in [[Nepal]], Buddha's birthplace
*Bodh Gaya, in Bihar state, [[India]], where the Buddha obtained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. You can visit a tree, but not the same one.<ref>[http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/bodgaya.htm Bodh Gaya], Buddha Dharma Education Association</ref>
*Sarnath, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, where the Buddha first taught
*Kusinara, now Kusinagar in India, where he died

There are many other sites in different parts of Asia.

==Shinto==
The Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a Unesco World Heritage Site in [[Japan]] comprising Buddhist and [[Shinto]] shrines.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Sites_and_Pilgrimage_Routes_in_the_Kii_Mountain_Range Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range], Wikipedia</ref>

==Hinduism==
[[Hindu]]s visit lots of places in India, [[Mauritius]], [[Pakistan]], Nepal, [[Bangladesh]], [[China]], [[Indonesia]], [[Cambodia]], and [[Malaysia]].<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_pilgrimage_sites Hindu pilgrimage sites], Wikipedia</ref>

In 2002, a mob in Gujarat set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims, killing 59.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhra_train_burning Godhra train burning], Wikipedia</ref>

==Sikhism==
[[Sikhism]] was originally anti-pilgrimage. But Sikhs go to important sites such as the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

==Zoroastrianism==
There are various [[Zoroastrian]] sites in the Middle East and India. Religious wars and intolerance can make it difficult and dangerous though.

==Yazidi==
The Yazidi go to the tomb of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir in Lalis, near Mosul, [[Iraq]]. They are expected to make one pilgrimage in their lifetime; those living nearby go more frequently.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazidis#Pilgrimage Yazidis], Wikipedia</ref>

==Theology and symbolism==
Pilgrimage is commonly used as an allegory for the journey through life we must all take, and particularly for a spiritual journey or the development of faith, as in John Bunyan's ''Pilgrim's Progress''. As a [[Jungian]] archetype, it relates to ideas of heroic journey and [[salvation]] through struggle, such as in the [[myth]] of the hunt for the [[Holy Grail]]. Obviously this is less relevant when it is undertaken in the same manner as a package holiday to Disneyland.

==Other things==
*The Pilgrim Fathers, who were colonists, not pilgrims, traveled on the Mayflower and stole [[Massachusetts]]; yes it's a misnomer.
*Pilgrimage of Grace, a popular uprising against Henry VIII: much less peaceful than the name would imply.

==External links==
*{{wpa|Pilgrimage}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2|90%}}

[[Category:Religious terms]]

Categories: Religious terms