Pilgrimage
History of Pilgrimage
A journey in search of moral or spiritual significance
Modern Day Pilgrimage & Souvenirs
The popularity of modern pilgrimage has had enormous impacts on local and global economies. New businesses spring up near popular pilgrimage sites to accommodate the influx of visitors, and to provide pilgrims with mementoes of their transformational journeys. The sheer volume of visitors can also have significant consequences for the natural and built environments of pilgrimage sites.
Overview
It’s impossible to tell how long pilgrimage has been around. For centuries, pilgrimage has been valued by leaders and practitioners of all faiths, attracting travelers to sites around the world. Jerusalem has long been a pilgrimage site for both Christians and Jews, and visiting Mecca is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Throughout Europe, people would often make shorter trips to visit the shrine’s of saints or reported relics. The Canterbury Tales, written in the 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer, tells the story of one such group of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral
Secular & Religious
In the 21st century, pilgrimage is still widely practiced, although many now embark on such journeys for secular as well as religious reasons. Pilgrims may visit sites of extreme natural beauty or historic events, famous gravesites, or other places of intense personal significance. It is a search for moral and spiritual growth that separates such modern pilgrims from tourists.