Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. The holy places that

Christians choose to visit on pilgrimage can include; where a saint

lived, where a relic of a saint is kept, where a vision occurred or

where Jesus lived. To travel to holy places (such as Rome or Lourdes)

is in itself considered a part of the pilgrimage. Originally pilgrims

would have walked and maybe met with other groups on the way. Some

choose to make the journey alone or as a group, e.g. - the HCPT takes

sick children to Lourdes as part of the charity. In fact many of the

pilgrims who go to Lourdes are seriously ill or severely handicapped,

has become a place where in numerous cases the sick have been restored

to health. Between Easter and December each year two 'jumbulances'

travel from Britain to Lourdes weekly. These are large ambulances,

capable of carrying twenty-four passengers, including a doctor, three

or four nurses, a chaplain, other helpers and about a dozen sick

pilgrims. The ambulances pick up their sick passengers and then take

them to Lourdes. The help given by the ambulance team is voluntary,

and a trust also pays for the accommodation of the pilgrims at a

chalet called 'Across' in Lourdes.

Some Christians choose to make this journey uncomfortable as an act of

penance and to reflect on the pain Jesus went through. In most recent

years pilgrims have used modern transport to reach their chosen place

of pilgrimage which some might argues damages the spirit of reason for

going on pilgrimage. Those who choose to go on pilgrimage for their

own reasons may be seeking a break from routine, some time and space

to reflect, but going on pilgrima...

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...cular place, other than this, Rome and Lourdes as

places of pilgrimage are very different. A lot of pilgrims go to

Lourdes with HCPT, but this is not an option when going to Rome. In

Lourdes, activities are done in groups, such as procession around the

Stations of the Cross and the outdoor activities, where as in Rome

pilgrims are left alone, to concentrate on their own thoughts rather

than worrying what others are doing around them. In Lourdes activities

and attractions are mostly outdoors, on the other hand in Rome a lot

of the sights are indoors, such as the statue of St Peter and the

Vatican museums. Both Lourdes and Rome are beneficial and common

places of pilgrimage, but remain very opposite in styles of worship.

Lourdes is very open and communal whereas Rome is more secluded and

things aren't done in big groups.