With the information below, you’ll be able to learn about some of the most popular places to go on pilgrimage as a Christian including how to to travel to these places, and what to see and do as a pilgrim. Armed with this knowledge, you can take the next steps to go on your next pilgrimage! And hopefully, for less time and less money!

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Introduction

Christianity has been around for around 2000 years. A longstanding tradition and devotion in the faith is that of pilgrimage. Going on a pilgrimage lets you encounter the divine and sacred as a metaphor for your own earthly journey towards heaven. Even if you could care less about the spiritual side of pilgrimages, visiting pilgrimage sites is still an edifying and enriching experience for art, history, and culture.

You can read more on the definition of pilgrimage here.

When Christians go on pilgrimage, they go in order to walk in the footsteps of our Lord (in some places, literally!) as well as the holy men and women who have come before. Many times, the Church preserves the remains or artifacts of holy people, otherwise known as relics, and sacred places often house these relics. More information about relics can be found here. Sometimes, miracles occur or the Virgin Mary appears, and these places become popular sites of pilgrimage.

Because of Christianity’s history throughout the world, we have many sacred sites of significance. I want to highlight the top or most popular Christian pilgrimage sites here, below.

Some things to note about this post:

• Use the table of contents above to navigate to what you want to see
• I try to link to official websites, some of which may not be in English. Use the Google Chrome browser to easily translate webpages as you’re browsing
• Some of the information below may be subject to change–let me know if something is out of date!

Let’s go!

Israel

Located in the Middle East, Israel is known as the “Holy Land” because of its many sacred sites of importance in Christianity, but also Judaism and Islam as well. Many (uh, all???) Old Testament stories played out in or around Israel, and following the life of Christ in the New Testament, it is very obvious that Israel is the setting for Jesus Christ’s life.

Bethlehem

Every Christmas season, we often hear and sing about this “little town”. It is located in the central part of Israel, just south of Jerusalem. The name “Bethlehem” means “house of bread” in Hebrew (Arbez, 2019). If you need a refresher on what the song sounds like (even if it’s August right now), check out Nat King Cole’s version for those modern classic feels.

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Bethlehem?

The reason why Bethlehem is famous is because it is THE birthplace of Jesus Christ. According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary headed to Bethlehem to enroll in Caesar Augustus’ census while Mary was about to give birth. She ended up delivering Jesus in a cave in Bethlehem and laid him in a manger, a food trough for animals, because they couldn’t find proper lodging. You can read the full Nativity account here.

Most people visit Bethlehem in order to experience the birthplace of Christ firsthand. The Nativity accounts in the Bible and the songs we sing at Christmas come alive when visiting this “little town of Bethlehem.” 

If infertility is a struggle, then a pilgrimage to the Milk Grotto is a great reason for couples to visit Bethlehem because of the associated miracles related to it in being able to conceive.

Additionally, Bethlehem is rich in Palestinian culture, and local museums showcase its history and culture.

How to Travel to Bethlehem

Bethlehem is located just south of Jerusalem.

Fly

Land at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, Israel. From there, you can take mass transportation or rent a car.

The following major airlines fly to TLV:

The full list of airlines can be found on Ben Gurion Airport’s website here.

Rental Cars

The following major rental car companies are available at Ben Gurion Airport:

• Avis
• Budget
• Hertz

Once you have your rental car, you can take Route 443 or Route 1 towards Jerusalem before switching to Route 50 to head down south to Bethlehem. Here are Google Maps directions from TLV to Bethlehem.

Mass Transportation

From Tel Aviv…

You can take buses and trams to Jerusalem and make transfers to get to Bethlehem. For directions, check out: Google Maps

From Jerusalem…

The 231 bus can get you from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Depending on where you originate from in Jerusalem, you may need to take other buses to get to the HaNevi’im Terminal for Bus 231. For directions, be sure to look at: Google Maps

*NOTE* Regardless of how you get to Bethlehem, bring your passport because there are checkpoints in and out of the city. Subject to security screenings.

How to Get Around Bethlehem

Taxi

Because Bethlehem is relatively small as a city, taxis can be a cheap way to get around. Negotiating or haggling a good price with the taxi driver is often a necessity in order to secure a good deal. Also, be firm and ensure that your driver takes you where you want to go. Otherwise you may end up on a tour you didn’t ask for! More helpful details and cautionary tips at Wikitravel.

Walk

For the adventurous pilgrim, Bethlehem is doable by walking in order to see its popular sites. Be prepared for the local weather and differences in elevation.

What Can You Visit In Bethlehem as a Pilgrim?

Church of the Nativity

First and foremost is the Church of the Nativity. This is the church built over the site of where the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus (Caldwell, 2017). Within it is the Grotto of the Nativity with words inscribed that marks the exact spot Jesus was born. 

Despite wars, rebellions, and multiple renovations, the church still stands. According to Caldwell (2017), the original church built Emperor Constantine in 330 A.D. was destroyed, and the current one still standing is from Emperor Justinian who built it in 529 A.D. The church is shared and administered by different Christian and Orthodox groups and is also significant to Islam due to its connection to Jesus.

Chapel of the Milk Grotto

Located near the Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto marks a spot where Mary supposedly nursed Jesus while feeling to Egypt. You can read about the flight to Egypt here.

According to tradition, while Mary was nursing Jesus, a few drops of her milk fell to the ground. The Milk Grotto is the location with a church built over that spot (The Catholic Review, 2012). The first structure over the grotto was built in 385 A.D.

The “milk powder” from the limestone in the grotto is attributed to allowing many infertile couples to conceive. Many women come here on pilgrimage to pray for children, and many often return to the grotto after their children are born as a prayer of thanksgiving.

The Cave of St. Jerome

St. Jerome is famous for being the first to translate Sacred Scripture from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. He lived in the late 4th century (“Bethlehem”, n.d.). The Cave where he carried out most of his work is located beneath the Church of St. Catherine, which is the official Catholic parish in Bethlehem. 

Other Local Attractions in Bethlehem

Palestinian Heritage Center

The Palestinian Heritage Center is located in northern Bethlehem. The Center seeks to promote and preserve Palestinian culture through embroidery and dressmaking, and it offers workshops, lectures, shows, and other events for visitors. One really cool aspect is that most of the embroidery and dresses are crafted by local women in nearby villages and refugee camps, and  the Center provides the means which these handcrafted items can be sold so that these women can support their families. 

Learn more about the Palestinian Heritage Center on their website (English and Arabic).

International Nativity Museum

This museum is hosted by the historic Salesian convent in Bethlehem, and is located near the Church of the Nativity, a few blocks to the west. Most notable about the museum is its collection of over 200 cribs of different styles from all over the world. Being able to see Nativity scenes expressed in a wide range of various cultures is a must see!

Learn more about the International Nativity Museum here (English).

Jerusalem

The city of Jerusalem is famous for so many reasons! Jerusalem is widely regarded as one of the holiest places on the planet because of how much religious significance it has. It has great importance to all three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Jerusalem?

Jerusalem is where multiple significant events illustrated in the Old Testament occurred, and many events in the life of Christ happened in Jerusalem as well, including the Last Supper, Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Christian pilgrims can literally put themselves in some of the scenes from the Bible and walk in the footsteps of Christ.

To be honest, Jerusalem would be the quintessential pilgrimage. Probably the most popular Christian pilgrimage of them all!

Because of its sacred significance for Jews, Muslims, and Chrisitians, visitors can experience Jerusalem’s multicultural richness. Many would also argue that it’s a great place to experience food!

How to Travel to Jerusalem

Jerusalem is located in central Israel, almost halfway between the Mediterranean and Dead Seas.

Fly

Land at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, Israel. From there, you can take mass transportation or rent a car.

The following major airlines fly to TLV:

The full list of airlines can be found on Ben Gurion Airport’s website here.

Rental Cars

The following major rental car companies are available at Ben Gurion Airport:

• Avis
• Budget
• Hertz

Once you have your rental car, you can take Route 1 or Route 443 towards Jerusalem. Get driving directions here from TLV to Jerusalem.

Mass Transportation

Buses, taxis, and trains will get you from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Note that taxis will be the most expensive option. You can find directions at the following: Google Maps

How to Get Around Jerusalem

Walking

This is probably the best way to get around the city. Most things within the Old City are within walking distance.

Taxi

Taxi cabs are fairly convenient and you can easily hail one from the street. Ensure that your driver turns on the meter (U.S. News, n.d.). Watch out during the Sabbath (Friday-Saturday) because fares will be a little more expensive.

What Can You Visit in Jerusalem as a Pilgrim?

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

This church contains the tomb of Jesus Christ where his body was laid after His Crucifixion and death. According to McMahon (1910), the location of the Holy Sepulchre was passed down orally until Emperor Constantine decided to build a church over the site in 326 A.D. 

Inside the church, you can visit Jesus’ tomb and the spot where the Crucifixion occurred since the church encompasses both places. Also within the church are many chapels, some of which are dedicated to the events of Jesus’ Passion because they mark where they happened! 

One thing to note about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is that multiple Christian ecclesial communities have ownership of the church as well as the many different chapels found within. The primary owners of the church are the Greek Orthodox, Catholic, and Armendian Orthodox churches (See the Holy Land, 2019). Other Christian communities have permission or rights to operate some of the chapels. With the variety of Christian expressions found within the church, pilgrims and visitors can enjoy the different art styles in decor.

Via Dolorosa

The Passion of Christ is Jesus’ suffering and journey from His trial to His burial. A popular devotion related to the Passion is the Via Dolorosa (or “Way of Suffering”/”Sorrowful Way”) or otherwise known as the “Stations of the Cross” where Christians meditate on the different events of the Passion (Hunter-Kilmer, 2019). In Jerusalem, you can actually walk along a set path visiting the places where these events or stations occurred. 

You can read the Biblical account of the Passion in Mark 14-15, Matthew 26-27, Luke 22-23, and John 12-19.

The 14 Stations of the Cross are:

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus carries His cross
3. Jesus falls the first time
4. Jesus meets His afflicted mother
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His cross
6. Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls a second time
8. Jesus speaks to the holy women
9. Jesus falls the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
12. Jesus dies on on the Cross
13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb/sepulchre (EWTN, n.d)

In Jerusalem, these stations are marked via signs. For more information, check out See the Holy Land’s page on the Via Dolorosa.

Other pilgrimage sites in Jerusalem are the Garden of Gethsemane, the Tomb of the Virgin Mary at the Church of the Dormition, the Cenacle or site of the Last Summer, and King David’s tomb.

Other Local Attractions in Jerusalem

Old City

Within the heart of Jerusalem is the Old City, a walled-off area representing the heart of the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religions. The Old City has four distinct quarters: the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter (Tourist Israel, 2018). Within the Old City, you can find the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (mentioned above). You can also visit the Wailing Wall, which is the last remaining wall of the Temple, the holiest site for Jews. And lastly, you can also visit and see the Dome of the Rock, where Muslims believe that Muhammad rose to heaven.

Yad Vashem

This museum serves as the memorial to the millions of Jews who perished during World War II in the Holocaust. The complex has multiple buildings, but its main building is the Holocaust History Museum, which details the history of the Holocasut with artifacts, films, videos, photographs, and art (Lonely Planet, n.d.-b). Other areas of the complex include the Hall of Names, Museum of Holocaust Art, a synagogue, Exibitions Paviliion, Hall of Remembrance, the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations, Cattle Car Memorial, and Children’s Memorial. Spanning over many acres, Yad Veshem offers pilgrims and visitors alike a full day’s worth of diving deep into the history of the Holocaust.

More information can be found here at their website: yadvashem.org

Nearby

On the eastern side of Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet. Contrary to the name, it is not just one mountain but rather a range of hills (Souvay, 1911). For Christians, we know the Mount of Olives as a frequent mountain that Jesus went to in order to pray and from other small scenes from the Gospels.

The Dead Sea is southeast of Jerusalem. It is the lowest point on the surface of Earth. Also near the Dead Sea is the archaeological site Masada. Both the Dead Sea and Masada would make a great day trip from Jerusalem.

Europe

While the Christian faith finds its origin in Israel, Europe is where it spread and blossomed into western civilization. Besides having a lot of awesome saints, really cool churches, Europe is also home to some popular Marian apparitions, or places/events where the Virgin Mary appeared leading to universal devotion. All in all, Europe is probably second to being the most popular continent for Christian pilgrimages.

Rome, Italy / Vatican City

So much can be said of Rome! It is the capital of Italy. It was also the center of the ancient Roman Empire. As such, the “Eternal City” has so much history related to the former Empire as well as the struggling and suffering Christendom through the ages. On my first tour of Rome, the tour guide said it is like a cake or onion with so many layers of culture and history.

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Rome and Vatican City?

For Christianity, it is important to know that Sts. Peter and Paul died in Rome and are both known as patrons of the city. Many famous saints are also buried or entombed in Rome. Major basilicas and other famous churches can also be found within the city,

Within Rome is Vatican City, which is technically its own city-state. Vatican City is central to Catholicism because the Pope lives there but also houses Peter the Apostle’s remains and the Sistine Chapel. The City is named after one of Rome’s hills, which it sits upon.

Rome has an incredibly rich history and there is no shortage of things to see and experience. Because of Rome’s influence on the world, it is also possible to experience and encounter other cultures within the city. With ancient ruins and magnificent architecture, Rome is also a treat for the eyes. 

Vatican City plays a huge role in Catholicism being where the Pope resides and operates. Tourists and pilgrims can see and hear the Pope on Wednesdays for his General Audiences where he offers a lesson, and on Sundays for the Angelus, a popular devotion followed by a short lesson or homily. Major events like saint canonizations and feast days are also celebrated publically at the Vatican.

How to Travel to Rome / Vatican City

Fly

You can fly to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, also known as Rome-Fiumicino International Airport (FCO). One thing to note is that it is closer to the coast than the city of Rome itself, which is about 20 miles away. 

The following major airlines fly to FCO:

For the full list of airlines, check out Fiumicino airport’s page.

Car Rental

The following major car rental companies at FCO are:

• Avis
• Europcar
• Hertz

Go here to search for available car rentals using FCO’s website.

Train

This is probably the easiest way to get to the city from the airport. Trenitalia operates trains between the airport and the city. Get the latest info and order tickets at their website (English). For most pilgrims and tourists, the main train stop in Rome is Roma Termini station. Purchase your tickets at a counter or use a kiosk at the airport.

You can also take the train to the Vatican with a change of trains at Roma Ostiense with a final stop at Roma S. Pietro station.

How to Get Around Rome and Vatican City

Subway/Metro

Rome has a metro system that makes it easy to travel within the city. To get to the Vatican using the subway, use the red line and get off at the Ottaviano stop.

Purchase your tickets at the stations or at tobacco shops.

Go here for a map of the metro system.

Trams

Another way to get around the city is via the trams or cable cars. To get to the Vatican, take Line 19 and get off at Piazza Risorgimento.

You can purchase your tickets at tobacco shops, stations, or probably from your hotel.

Click here for a map of the tram system.

Buses

Lastly, you can also take buses around the city. For the latest route and ticket information, check out the official site for Rome’s buses.

Walk

For everything in-between, you can walk. Rome is a fairly large city, and because its famous sites are somewhat spread out, it is recommended that you mix both mass transportation and walking. On the other hand, Vatican City is so small, you can easily walk from place to place within its boundaries.

What Can You Visit in Vatican City as a Pilgrim?

All visitors and pilgrims are subject to a security search before entering St. Peter’s Square. Additionally, dress code and what you can bring with use is restricted. More information here.

St. Peter’s Basilica

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The Basilica of St. Peter is the most obvious place to visit since most of the publicly accessible area of the Vatican is at the Basilica. This basilica is also the largest Christian church in the world! Before even entering the gargantuan edifice is St. Peter’s Square marked by a large area encircled by “arms” containing two large fountains and an obelisk. 

Many pilgrims attend General Audiences (Wednesdays) and the Angelus (Sundays) with the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. Also, canonizations and other major liturgical celebrations are also held in the Square. You can check out the Vatican’s event calendar for the latest.

Inside has multiple chapels lining its walls. Two of note has Michaelangelo’s Pieta and one is the tomb of Pope St. John Paul the Great (aka JP2 or John Paul II).

Down the center, marked on the floor, are the sizes of other large churches in the world. This shows the relative sizes to the Basilica–they can all be contained within!

In the very back is the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter, which contains the literal chair that St. Peter used as first Pope. Another notable feature is the Holy Spirit stained glass window in the back that shines a brilliant fiery glow when it catches the sun just right.

Beneath St. Peter’s Basilica is the crypt level where many past Popes are buried. And in another section of the crypt level, in the center of the building, is where St. Peter’s remains are located (Baumgarten, 1912). Also in the crypt level, you can see parts of the old Basilica.

You can also climb the dome/cupola and experience fantastic views of Vatican City and Rome.

Vatican Museum

Adjacent to St. Peter’s Basilica is the Vatican Museum. Inside is an incredible collection of art and history throughout the ages. You can see many ancient and famous works including that of Michaelangelo, Rafael and Bernini. Also on display are many Roman sculptures and other artifacts. The primary purpose of the museum is to aid in evangelization through art so therefore most things to look at and view are meant to evoke the goodness, truth, and beauty of the Christian faith and God’s creation.

For more information about the Vatican Museum, check out their website at MuseiVaticani.com (English).

Sistine Chapel

This chapel is connected to the Vatican Museum, and most tours through the Museum end at the Sistine Chapel. The Chapel is famous because it contains two of Michaelangelo’s famous works: the ceiling, and the Last Judgment against the back wall.

The Sistine Chapel is also famous for when it comes time to elect a new pope. For a papal election, cardinals from all over the world gather at the Sistine Chapel to prayerfully discern who among them will be the next Pope.

The chapel is often kept dim in order to preserve the paintings. Pictures and videos are not allowed inside, and security officers ensure the rules are followed as well as to maintain a sense of silence. 

The Vatican Museum has more info on the Sistine Chapel here.

What Can You Visit in Rome as a Pilgrim?

The Catacombs

In the early days of Christianity in Rome, the Christians buried their dead and martyrs outside of the city. They dug huge networks of subterranean burial grounds modeled after Jewish catacombs (Waal, 1908). Most of these catacombs started out as a family vault, and were later expanded as time went on. Within 300 years, about 50 catacombs were constructed around the city of Rome.

Today, you can visit the catacombs and see where Christians were formerly buried as well as leftover artifacts like paintings, inscriptions, and sarcophagi. The major catacombs around Rome are the catacombs of St. Callixtus, St. Sebastian, Domitilla, Priscilla, St. Agnes, and  Sts. Marcellino and Pietro (Vatican, n.d.). Some smaller catacombs are attached to basilicas and churches around Rome, and some of these are not open to the public.

For more information on visiting the major catacombs, check out the Vatican’s webpage with hours, links, contact info, and mass transportation information.

Literally any church

If you ever get a chance to explore the city of Rome on foot, you’re more than likely to run into many churches scattered throughout the city. Most churches have the effect of looking drab and unimpressive on the outside, but once you step inside, many are quite splendid and awe-inspiring.

In Rome, you can also visit:

• The four major basilicas: St. John Lateran (also Rome’s cathedral), St. Mary Major, St. Peter In Chains, and St. Paul Outside the Walls
• Churches and chapels that house relics of the Passion of Jesus Christ
• Churches and chapels that contain famous saints, whether entombed or buried
• Monasteries and convents
• Seminaries and universities like the North American College and the Angelicum

Other Local Attractions in Rome

The Colosseum

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Most people know and understand the Colosseum as the place where gladiatorial combat occurred in ancient Rome. Amazingly, the amphitheater still stands today. There are some conflicting accounts whether early Christians suffered martyrdom in the Colosseum, but in either case, it is also considered sacred ground (Hassett, 1908). Undoubtedly, much blood was spilled in the arena. 

For more information on visiting the Colosseum, check out its webpage (English).

Trevi Fountain

One of Rome’s most well-known fountains, the Trevi Fountain is a wonder to behold. It is located in the Trevi district, and it stands 85 feet tall and 160 feet wide (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2017). In its center, it features the statue of Oceanus on stop of a chariot pulled by sea horses. 

Tradition holds that if you throw coins over your shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, you will return to Rome again. (Short Story: I did that in July 2016…and totally returned unexpectedly in September 2016!)

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More information about the Trevi Fountain can be found here (English).

The Pantheon

Another iconic landmark in Rome, the Pantheon is an ancient temple formerly dedicated for the worship of every god. However, in 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV converted it to a Christian church so it also is now known as the church of St. Mary and the Martyrs (History.com Editors, 2018). Mass is regularly said here. 

Inside the Pantheon is a fantastic view of its domed ceiling featuring an opening or oculus. Sometimes when it is raining, the center of the marble floor is roped off to prevent slipping by tourists. If you happen to visit during Pentecost, the Pantheon celebrates by dropping rose petals from the ceiling. 

For more information about the Pantheon, visit here (English).

Other popular tourist attractions in Rome are:

• The Roman Forum
• Trastevere 
• The Appian Way
• The Spanish Steps
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Piazza del Popolo
• Circus Maximus
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Tiber River

Note: Some of these places have famous piazzas or plazas as well

Camino de Santiago

The “Way of St. James” or Camino de Santiago is one of the oldest Christian pilgrimages. Not specifically a site, but rather a long, walking journey with multiple paths arriving at the Cathedral of St. James in Compostela in Galicia, Spain where St. James the Apostle is buried. Because of how famous and old it is, the Camino de Santiago is a very established pilgrimage. In fact, when most Christians talk about going on a pilgrimage, this is probably what they’re thinking about! (if not the Holy Land or Italy!).

Why Go On Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago?

In the pilgrimage blogosphere, many people offer their own insights as to why they go on the Camino de Santiago. However, I think the Camino de Santiago is less about making it to the Cathedral than the journey that it takes to get there.

WIth the Camino de Santiago, people put the idea of pilgrimage into action. They are motivated by personal encounter and discovery. Or they simply want to experience the challenge of walking many miles.

Or maybe most people just want to see the Botafumeiro!

How to Travel to (and on) the Camino de Santiago

Technically (or rather, traditionally), you could just walk out your front door and go!

There are multiple routes that head towards Santiago de Compostela. Two of the most popular are:

• Camino Frances, which starts in France
• Camino Portugeus, which starts in Portugal

The Camino de Santiago is typically a walking pilgrimage. However, you can bike it too.

Depending on your chosen route will determine where you fly to and other forms of transportation to get to your starting point.

Here’s a useful website on its different routes at FollowTheCamino.com.

What Can You Visit and See as a Pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago?

Depending on your chosen route, you may experience different things. But generally, there are churches and monasteries to visit along with many little towns. Typically, most pilgrims stay in hostels specifically catered to pilgrims on the Camino.

Because of its popularity, it is easy to meet other “peligrinos” or pilgrims along the way. Not all pilgrims are necessarily on pilgrimage for Christian reasons. 

Catedral de Santiago de Compostela

This cathedral is where all of the pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago strive towards arriving at in order to complete their pilgrimage. Construction began in 1075 and continued into the next century (Catedral de Santiago, n.d.). However, over the following centuries, other developments changed its original architectural style throughout.

Pilgrims and visitors can see the following facades outside of the cathedral:

• Obradoiro
• Azabacheria
• Platerias

Inside the cathedral, you can see:

• The Cloister
• The Botafumeiro (see below)
• The Portico of Glory
• The Treasury
• Multiple chapels dedicated to different saints; have artistic significance; or have relics

If you can catch Vespers (Evening Prayer) on a Friday night or on a holy day, you can see the world’s largest incensor, the Botafumeiro. It takes multiple altar boys or friars to swing!

Other Local Attractions In Santiago de Compostela

Monastery of St. Martin Pinario

A huge monastery founded by Benedictine monks located near the Cathedral at the Plaza de la Immaculada. It has an impressive facade, and it contains multiple chapels and altars. The choir stalls for the monks are considered important due to their designer and design (Turismo de Santiago, n.d.-a). Visitors and pilgrims can also partake in the museum that is part of the monastery. Also available are different exhibits displaying art.

More information about the Monastery can be found at Santiago’s tourism site (English), and the official website (Spanish).

Parque de la Alameda

Located near the Cathedral, Alemeda Park is a large park in the central part of the city. It has historically been the point of reference for citizens of Santiago and a great place for a stroll. Many historical monuments and artistic elements can be found within the park (Turismo de Santiago, n.d.-b). The park also features many different species of trees and shrubs.

More information at Alemeda’s official website.

Lourdes, France

This little town in southern France near the Spanish border is famous for the apparition of the Virgin Mary known as Our Lady of Lourdes. In this event, the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl named Bernadette.

St. Bernadette was a sickly child when she was young. In the mid-1800’s, the Virgin Mary appeared to her in a grotto. Bernadette kept returning to the grotto, and the Virgin Mary kept appearing for her. In these visions, the Virgin Mary revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, and she also instructed St. Bernadette to drink from the waters of the grotto resulting in her sickness being cured. 

The grotto where Our Lady of Lourdes appeared is a very famous place of pilgrimage.

To read up more on St. Bernadette’s story and Our Lady of Lourdes, check out this page.

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Lourdes?

Because many, many miraculous healings have occurred from the waters of the grotto, many pilgrims flock to Lourdes to drink it and be healed. Friends who have been told me that you can actually see wheelchairs, crutches, and other medical devices that people have left behind at the Sanctuary because they have been healed!

Other pilgrims also have a devotion to St. Bernadette and/or the Virgin Mary. And visiting Lourdes allows for really entering into the life of St. Bernadette and the visions and encounters she had with the Virgin Mary.

How to Travel To Lourdes

Lourdes is a small town in southern France near the border of Spain. Because of that, it is a little more challenging for travel.

Fly

Most would probably fly to Paris (CDG) then hop on another plane to fly to Lourdes (LDE), Pau (PUF), or Toulouse (TLS). If not flying directly to Lourdes, other forms of transportation are necessary.

The following major airlines fly to CDG:

For the full list of airlines that fly to CDG, check out this page.

Connecting flights to other airports closer to Lourdes are likely on Air France. Other European carriers may originate outside of France with direct flights to Lourdes, Toulouse, and Pau.

Car Rental

The following rental car companies are available at CDG:

• Avis
• Dollar
• Hertz
• Europcar

If you’re driving from Paris to Lourdes, be aware that it is about an 8 hour drive. You can take the A10 or A20 highways south and then use A64 to go towards Lourdes. 

Driving directions here (Google Maps).

Train

Paris > Lourdes (Google Maps)

Pau > Lourdes (Google Maps)

Toulouse > Lourdes (Google Maps)

For tickets, visit SNCF’s official site. (English)

How to Get Around Lourdes

Walk

Lourdes is a small city, so most places are easily walkable. The Sanctuary of Lourdes has all the major pilgrim sites grouped together. 

Little Train

For a 45 minute tour around the city with different stops, you can ride the Little Train of Lourdes. 

For more information, including prices, check out the Lourdes Pass website (English).

What Can You Visit as a Pilgrim at Lourdes?

Grotto of Massabielle

The grotto is the main highlight of visiting Lourdes because that is where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette. Pilgrims are able to visit all throughout the day, and Mass is offered daily (Best Catholic Pilgrimages, n.d.). The spring that feeds the waters of the grotto is also easily accessible, and is believed to have healing powers that cure sickness, disease, and other medical issues like it did for St. Bernadette. Many pilgrims drink the water or collect it to bring home.

Nearby Churches at the Sanctuary of Lourdes

Right next to the grotto is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary or Rosary Basilica. It can seat up to 4,000 people and has 15 chapels dedicated to the 15 mysteries of the Rosary (Best Catholic Pilgrimages, n.d.). Visitors can enjoy its Roman-Byzantine architectural style.

Across the plaza is the Basilica of St. Pius X. It is one of the largest churches in the world able to hold as many as 20,000 people (Best Catholic Pilgrimages, n.d.). Inside is a very large underground chamber with a concrete roof in an oval shape.

Visit the official site for more information (English/French).

The Way of the Cross / Le Chemin De Croix

Located across from the Sanctuary of Lourdes, the Way of the Cross on Spelonche Hill features beautiful outdoor stations for the faithful to do The Way of the Cross or Stations of the Cross. 

Information from the Lourdes tourism site here (French).

Other Local Attractions in Lourdes

Château Fort de Lourdes

Besides the iconic basilicas at the Sanctuary, another feature in the landscape at Lourdes is the Chateau Fort. It is a fortified castle from the Middle Ages. Much of its history has been lost due to sieges, but tourists and pilgrims can still enjoy its walls and excellent views of the Sanctuary.

Visit the official site for more information (English).

Birthplace of St. Bernadette

The “Casa Natal Bernadette” is not too far away from the Sanctuary, and it is the mill where St. Bernadette was born. While it doesn’t offer much in terms of things to look at, it does provide excellent history on the life of Bernadette and her family. You can visit it on your own or take a tour via the Information Center at the Sanctuary.

Information and location at Lourdes’ tourism site (French).

Fatima, Portugal

Located in central Portugal, Fatima is the site of a major Marian apparition known as Our Lady of Fatima. In the early 1900’s, the Virgin Mary appeared to three young children. Their names are Francisco Marto, Jacinta Marto, and Lucia dos Santos. 

In their visions of the Virgin Mary, they received multiple prophecies and messages. One of these messages was that a miracle would happen. This miracle became known as the Miracle of the Sun where many reported to see the sun dancing in the sky. To read up more on this miracle, check out this article from the Catholic Herald.

The other famous messages given by Our Lady of Fatima to the three children are three different “secrets”. The Vatican website provides a comprehensive explanation and commentary on the message of Fatima by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

What’s pretty cool about Fatima is that this is a modern site of a Marian apparition since it happened in the early 1900’s.

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Fatima?

Pilgrims with a devotion to the Virgin Mary can experience a very real and recent site associated with a Marian apparition at Fatima. With the recent canonization of Francisco and Jacinta in 2017 as saints, pilgrims can also learn the context and history of their lives, including Lucia’s. 

While Fatima may mostly be known for its religious sites, it does offer many places for the faithful pilgrim. The region surrounding Fatima is also full of beautiful landscapes, caves, hills, and medieval history making any trip or pilgrimage to Fatima a real treat.

How to Travel to Fatima

Fly

For most people who live outside of Portugal, you would need to fly to Lisbon’s Portela Airport (LIS). 

The following major airlines fly to LIS:

The full list of airlines can be found on Portela Airport’s website here.

Another option is to fly to Madrid, Spain (MAD) and take other forms of transportation to get to Fatima.

Car

Assuming you fly to LIS, Fatima is still a little over an hour drive from Lisbon.

At Portela Airport, the following popular rental car companies are available:

• Alamo
• Avis
• Budget
• Enterprise
• National
• Hertz
• Thrifty
• Dollar

Portela Airport’s rental car web page provides the full list, hours, and contact information.

Take the A1 highway and exit for Fatima. Signs should point you to the Sanctuary.

Get driving directions here from Portela Airport to Fatima.

Bus

Rede Expressos is a coach bus company that can take you from Lisbon to Fatima. The trip takes about 1.5 hours, and tickets cost 12 Euros and up. 

To book a ticket, check out their official website (English).

How To Get Around Fatima

If you arrive with your own rental car, you can use that to get around Fatima. 

Otherwise…

Mini-train

A fun way to get around Fatima is via the mini-train. It has an hour-long route that takes you between the bus station, north and south of the Sanctuary, Way of the Cross, the houses of the 3 Fatima children, and the parish church of Fatima. 

For the map, fare information, and timetable, check out their website: comboiodefatima.pt (English).

Taxis

Two major taxi companies operate in Fatima. Check out their Facebook business pages:

Taxis Fatima

Taxis Central de Fatima

Walk

Once you’re in the vicinity of the Sanctuary, most other sites and local attractions are within walking distance. Ok, so maybe it’s a long walking distance–bring your good walking shoes!

What Can You Visit as a Pilgrim in Fatima?

Sanctuary of Fatima

One of the requests that Our Lady had for Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta was to have a chapel built at the location where she was appearing to the children. In response, a little chapel was built in her honor. Over time, due to the influx of pilgrims, the shrine was built around the chapel. 

The shrine serves to spread the message of Our Lady of Fatima and preserve the history of the miracles that transpired there. Visitors can visit the on-site museum, view temporary exhibitions, and the library.

For pilgrims, the shrine offers multiple liturgical celebrations and Masses, and Rosary prayer times as well. 

The shrine is actually home to multiple basilicas and chapels comprising the shrine complex. You can check out and visit the following:

• Chapel of the Apparitions
• Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima
• Basilica of the Holy Trinity
• Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
• And more!

For pilgrims and groups, the shrine also has retreat houses for those on retreat:

• Retreat House of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
• Retreat House of Our Lady of Sorrows

If you’d like to learn more, the shrine offers a great website with more places to see, resources for pilgrims, lists of events, and background history. Check it out here (English).

Other Local Attractions in Fatima

The Children’s Houses

Located about 2 km southeast from the shrine, the houses of Jacinta and Francisco as well as Lucia are available to visit in the town of Aljustrel.

Museu de Cera Fatima / Museum of Wax of Fatima

This wax museum depicts the main events of the miracle of Fatima. It features 32 scenes, 120 figures, and 34 years worth of history. Visitors and pilgrims alike can appreciate the story of Fatima contextualized in wax form.

For information and tickets to help you plan your visit, check out the museum’s website (English).

Castelo de Ourem / Ourem Castle

To the northeast of Fatima is the city of Ourem. This former medieval town features a hilltop castle. The castle was formerly a Muslim fortification but reconquered in 1136 (Go Discover Portugal, 2014). The castle was rebuilt in the 15th century with Italian influence and architectural style, and it is now considered one of the most beautiful castles in Portugal, especially with its hilltop vantage point.

Monumento Natural das Pegadas dos Dinossaurios da Serra de Aire / Natural Monument of the Dinosaur Footprints

Southeast of Fatima is this monument with dinosaur footprints. It has well-preserved dinosaur tracks of large four-legged sauropods. Visitors can visit the site on their own or with a tour.

Official website here (Portuguese), but you may find the TripAdvisor listing to be more helpful.

North America

While most people don’t usually think of North America when thinking about going on pilgrimages, it does have its own sites of religious significance across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Thanks to European influence and immigration throughout North America’s history, not only did the Europeans bring their people and culture but their Christian faith as well.

Mexico City, Mexico

The Virgin Mary once appeared to a young native man named Juan Diego in the mid-1500s. She asked him to have a church built for her. However, he had many doubts and worries including taking care of his sick uncle and encountering difficulty in getting the local bishop to agree. In the end, Juan Diego carried out the Virgin Mary’s wishes and as proof to the bishop of her wishes, the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Juan Diego’s tilma or cloak. Because of Juan Diego’s faith and the desires of the Virgin Mary for others to become disciples of Christ, many converted to Christianity. To this day, the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is very popular, and she is beloved among Hispanics.

If you would like to watch a PBS kid’s show telling of the story starring a dog, which this episode is basically responsible for helping me learn this story, check out this YouTube video. (Aside: it’s also a sweet Mother’s Day episode!)

Why Go On Pilgrimage to Mexico City?

Pilgrims should definitely visit the Basilica of Sancta Maria de Guadalupe in order to see the tilma and image as an opportunity to pray. With the Metropolitan Cathedral and other old churches in town, Mexico City is an excellent site for pilgrimage.

Mexico City also has much to offer in terms of culture. Visitors and pilgrims can experience its art, culture, history, and architecture. Foodies can also appreciate Mexico City’s local taste with street food and fine dining. Additionally, because of the history of indigenous cultures like the Aztecs and Toltecs, many ruins are nearby to explore.

How to Travel to Mexico City

Located towards the south of Mexico in the middle between the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, Mexico City is relatively close to the Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.

Fly

Travelers can fly to Mexico City International Airport (MEX). It is located on the northeastern side of the city.

The following major airlines fly to MEX:

The full list of airlines that fly to MEX can be found here.

How to Get Around Mexico City

Metro

The Mexico City Metro is the cheapest way to get around town. Note that during rush hour during the week, the front cars are typically reserved for women and children.

Go here to get more info about the official route app and map for the Metro.

Bus

Buses are another cheap option to get around the city. 

For a route map, check out Mexico City’s government Metrobus website (Spanish).

For getting to the Basilica de Sancta Maria de Guadalupe…

• Metro: Get off at La Villa-Basilica station, and walk a few blocks north
• Bus: From the airport, get over to Terminal Aerea, take Bus #5 and then Bus #7
• Google Maps directions

What Can You Visit as a Pilgrim in Mexico City?

Basilica de Sancta Maria De Guadalupe

This basilica houses the original image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Juan Diego’s tilma. It sits on Tepeyac Hill, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego. The current structure is the new basilica, but the old one is still accessible.

The tilma is rather miraculous. Modern science seems to not fully explain the image. For a short, great read on the attributes of the image, check this out. 

Metropolitan Cathedral

One of Mexico City’s most iconic buildings in Zocalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Mexico City. Construction started in 1573 and continued throughout the centuries resulting various architectural styles (Lonely Planet, n.d.-a). Inside, you can see and experience famous altars like the Altar of Forgiveness and the Altar of the Kings. Visitors can also climb up the bell tower and visit the church next door, Sagrario Metropolitano.

Other Local Attractions in Mexico City

Frida Kahlo Museum

Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous modern painters out of Mexico along with her husband Diego Rivera. The house where she was born was turned into a museum a few years after she died in 1958 (Trujillo, n.d.). Visitors to the museum can experience different displays and exhibits showing the world that Frida Kahlo lived in.

For more information on visiting the Frida Kahlo Museum, check out their website (English).

Torre Latino

The Torre Latino is an iconic tower in downtown Mexico City. It used to have a reputation for being one of the tallest buildings in the world. Visitors to the Torre Latino come for the observation deck and its museums on the history of Mexico City.

More information about the Torre Latino can be found here (Spanish).

National Museum of Anthropology

If you want to learn about the indigenous cultures in Mexico, then the National Museum of Anthropology is a great place to visit. The museum features Mexican art and multiple exhibits on ethnography and archaeology. 

Go here for the Museum’s website (English/Spanish)

Bottom Line

Uttering the words “Christian pilgrimage”, and most people will probably think of the places mentioned in this post. And for good reason! These places have significant importance to Christianity whether in the life of Christ like the Holy Land or the saints like Lourdes and Mexico City. 

For the most popular Christian pilgrimages, pilgrims visit these places in order to fully immerse themselves in the history and sacredness these sites offer as a form of devotion, curiosity, penance, or to seek healing whether spiritual or corporal. 

Question for you: Of all the pilgrimage sites listed above, which one do you want to go on the most and why?

Resources

Arbez, E. (2019, February 21). Bethlehem (scriptural). Retrieved from https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/bethlehem-scriptural

Baumgarten, P.M. (1912). Basilica of St. Peter. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved September 15, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13369b.htm

Bethlehem: Church of St.Catherine and the Cave of St. Jerome ~ The Catholic Travel Guide (n.d.). Retrieved from https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/holy-land/bethlehem-israel-birthplace-jesus/bethlehem-church-st-catherine-cave-st-jerome/

Best Catholic Pilgrimages. (n.d.). Our Lady of Lourdes. Retrieved October 2, 2019, from http://www.bestcatholic.com/lourdes.shtml.

Catedral de Santiago. (n.d.). Cathedral. Retrieved September 28, 2019, from https://catedraldesantiago.es/en/cathedral/.

Caldwell, Z. (2017, December 20). The Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus. Retrieved from https://aleteia.org/2017/12/20/the-church-of-the-nativity-the-birthplace-of-jesus/

EWTN. (n.d.). Stations of the Cross. Retrieved from https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/stations-of-the-cross-12706

Go Discover Portugal. (2014, July 25). Ourém Castle. Retrieved October 18, 2019, from http://godiscoverportugal.com/ourem-castle/

Hassett, M. (1908). The Coliseum. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved September 20, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04101b.htm

History.com Editors. (2018, January 31). Pantheon. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/pantheon

Hunter-Kilmer, M. (2019, April 8). The Stations of the Cross were first prayed with a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Retrieved from https://aleteia.org/2019/04/08/the-stations-of-the-cross-were-first-prayed-with-a-pilgrimage-to-the-holy-land/

Lonely Planet. (n.d.-a). Catedral Metropolitana: Mexico City, Mexico Attractions. Retrieved September 26, 2019, from https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/mexico-city/attractions/catedral-metropolitana/a/poi-sig/375723/361544.

Lonely Planet. (n.d.-b). Yad Vashem: Jerusalem Attractions. Retrieved from https://www.lonelyplanet.com/jerusalem/attractions/yad-vashem/a/poi-sig/1030594/361047

McMahon, A. (1910). Holy Sepulchre. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved September 6, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07425a.htm

See the Holy Land. (2019, July 23). Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Retrieved from https://www.seetheholyland.net/church-of-the-holy-sepulchre/

Souvay, C. (1911). Mount Olivet. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved September 15, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11244b.htm

The Catholic Review. (2012, January 19). Bethlehem’s Milk Grotto brings faith, hope and babies. Retrieved from https://www.archbalt.org/bethlehems-milk-grotto-brings-faith-hope-and-babies/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2017, August 8). Trevi Fountain. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Trevi-Fountain

Tourist Israel. (2018, February 16). Old City of Jerusalem. Retrieved from https://www.touristisrael.com/old-city-jerusalem/403/

Trujillo, Hilda. (n.d.). The Blue House: Frida Kahlo’s Private Universe. Retrieved September 26, 2019, from https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/en/the-blue-house/

Turismo de Santiago. (n.d.-a). Monasterio e Iglesia de San Martiño Pinario: Web Oficial de Turismo de Santiago de Compostela y sus Alrededores. Retrieved September 28, 2019, from http://www.santiagoturismo.com/monumentos/mosteiro-e-igrexa-de-san-martino-pinario

Turismo de Santiago. (n.d.-b). Parque de la Alameda: Web Oficial de Turismo de Santiago de Compostela y sus Alrededores. Retrieved September 28, 2019, from http://www.parquealamedasantiago.com/

U.S. News. (n.d.). How to Get Around Jerusalem. Retrieved October 23, 2019, from https://travel.usnews.com/Jerusalem_Israel/Getting_Around/

Waal, A. (1908). Roman Catacombs. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved September 16, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03417b.htm

Vatican. (n.d.). Information for the Visit to the Catacombs. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_commissions/archeo/inglese/documents/rc_com_archeo_doc_20011010_catacroma_en.html

Featured Photo by Jorge Luis Ojeda Flota on Unsplash

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post The Most Popular Christian Pilgrimages appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

I’ve been to two World Youth Days: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013 and Krakow, Poland in 2016. I’ve also been to a few local-level World Youth Days.

Jason over at Light & Heavy led the major pilgrimages to Rio and Krakow. I’ve mentioned before on the blog that I have him to thank that I got introduced to pilgrimages! And again, Jason and I know each other from our home parish and being involved in youth ministry in various capacities.

The way we approached the World Youth Days in Rio and Krakow was to go through a pilgrimage company associated with World Youth Day. With a pilgrimage company that specializes in World Youth Day, we were able to arrange solid itineraries and tours. I know a lot of my pilgrimage reports involve me striking out on my own and doing everything myself, but the World Youth Days were definitely not the case!

With that said, let’s get to it. What is this World Youth Day that I keep talking about?

What is World Youth Day?

From the outside looking in, World Youth Day looks like just a massive (or should I say Mass-ive???) gathering of youth with the Pope.

And that’s a partial, yet true, understanding.

World Youth Day got started because of Pope John Paul II. After many youth gathering in Rome responded to his invitation for the International Jubilee of Youth in 1984, he entrusted to them the notion of World Youth Day.

Pope John Paul II invited the youth again in 1985, coinciding with the UN’s Year of the Youth. He officially instituted World Youth Day, and in the following year, the first official World Youth Day was held in Rome, and the first international World Youth Day was held in 1987 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Each year, dioceses around the world can host their own local World Youth Day.

But every few years, typically 2 to 3, a diocese somewhere in the world will host the large international World Youth Day.

Here’s a good explanation of what World Youth Day is:

[World Youth Day] is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter with their contemporaries centered on Jesus Christ. This event is an opportunity to experience in first person the universality of the Church; to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who want to commit themselves to Christ and others. World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, by means of prayer and the sacraments, together with thousands of other young people who share your interests and ambitions.

Quoted from WorldYouthDay.com

I think that’s a good summary, but I would just further qualify it by saying that millions of others show up. Not thousands, haha!

Here are the past and upcoming World Youth Days:

Each World Youth Day also has a theme that is always a line from Scripture. The theme serves as a point of reflection, and the Pope’s talks and reflections for the youth surround the theme.

Is there an age limit for World Youth Day?

Nope!

While it is geared towards young people, typically ages 15-35, World Youth Day is open to all ages.

As an example, while walking around Rio De Janeiro in 2013, the first group of Filipinos I encountered were from Libya (?!?!), and all of them could have easily been my parents’ age.

A lot of young adults go, and families as well.

So don’t worry if you feel “too old” to go to World Youth Day–I assure you that you’re never too old!

What happens at World Youth Day?

Now here’s another counterintuitive point, much like how World Youth Day doesn’t mean it’s just for youth.

It’s not just a day of stuff. World Youth Day is more like World Youth Week.

Typically, especially in recent ones, the schedule involves many events and activities.

Due to circumstances, I’ve not been able to attend some of the major events and activities below.

Scattered throughout the week-long schedule are:

• Shows
• Music performances
• Pilgrimage site tours
• Church tours
• Opportunities for prayer
• Opportunities for repentance and reconciliation

But the major events of World Youth Day are:

Days In The Diocese

A week before the events of World Youth Day, the host diocese opens up churches and homes for pilgrims. Pilgrims immerse themselves in the local community through meals, worship, and culture.

I’ve never been, but I know it’s an option to participate in.

Catechetical sessions

Participating bishops will offer catechesis sessions on matters of the faith. Part of the duty and responsibility of a bishop is to teach the flock.

In these catechesis sessions, the faithful can learn deeper aspects of the Christian faith in order to better understand God, the Church, and how to share the Good News with all.

During the week, catechesis sessions can be found all over the host city according to language. A World Youth Day pilgrim would just need to find the session in their native language in order to participate.

For World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, my group attended a catechetical session hosted by an Australian bishop at a church that was a 15 minute walk from our hostel. Because English. And because convenient.

Official welcoming of pilgrims and opening ceremonies

At the start of World Youth Day, the bishop of the host city will will celebrate an opening Mass and welcome pilgrims.

This event is usually where you to start to really see the whole world represented by the pilgrims present.

In 2013 in Rio, we had opening ceremonies at Copacabana Beach. And in 2016 at Krakow, we were in Blonia Park. Understand that you need wide, open spaces to host hundreds of thousands of people!

Papal welcome

The Pope typically arrives early or mid-week, but after the opening ceremony. This event bring everyone together again to hear the Pope deliver his welcome address and him lead a prayer service.

The papal welcome is usually held in the same place as the opening ceremony.

Walking pilgrimage

The last events of World Youth Day are usually held in an even larger space, and often several miles away.

In order to attend the last events, pilgrims go on a walking pilgrimage and are prepared to stay the night outside.

I think this is the part that really gets you to feel like a real pilgrim since it involves a lot of walking, discomfort, smelling bad, but also joy and hope because of the end goal. The fruit of having this walking pilgrimage is that it’s analogous to our life in Christ.

I heard that back in 2011 in Madrid, it was raining. In 2013, it had been raining terribly in Rio and the original site of the closing events flooded so everything got moved to Copacabana Beach. For 2016 in Poland, it was dreadfully hot and multiple paths to the site were bottlenecked with pilgrims resulting in standing around in the heat with thousands of others.

But who cares! Because…everyone is looking forward to the…

Evening Vigil

The Pope hosts an evening of prayer at the final site for World Youth Day on the evening before the last day.

By this point in time, most everyone who is attending World Youth Day will be present.

The Evening Vigil includes our familiar devotions like the Rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet, reflections, praise and worship, and other spiritually edifying things.

But the high point of the Evening Vigil is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Pope leads Eucharistic Adoration where everyone gathered can adore Christ truly present in the Eucharist–body, blood, soul, and divinity.

Truly powerful stuff.

I. Will. Never. Forget. 2013 in Rio. Why because this part was soooooo awesome! If you can imagine, 2 million people at Copacabana Beach adoring Christ! And even more amazing was Matt Maher performing his then-new song, Lord I Need You, kneeling in front of the monstrance singing to Christ Himself. With all of us, too.

If you can imagine all of Copacabana Beach filled to the brim with people, and 13 jumbotrons spread every so often along the beach, this was the video playing on those screens during Matt Maher’s song during Adoration:

Amazing, truly amazing. I’m not crying–you’re crying!

After Adoration, I’m not so sure what exactly happens (and that’s a different blog post or two), but I know pilgrims prepare to stay overnight in order to be present for the closing ceremonies the next morning.

Closing ceremonies and Mass

Here, everyone joins the Pope for Morning Prayers and the Closing Mass.

Attending church with millions of others, outside, must be quite the experience!

Apart from Mass, everyone looks forward to the closing remarks where the Pope announces when and where the next World Youth Day will be.

How is World Youth Day a pilgrimage?

World Youth Days, again, are primarily to help the faithful encounter Christ through visiting sacred sites, worshipping en masse (in Mass!), and to rejoice in all that.

Going to World Youth Day involves sacrifice and reflection because of the travel discomforts and opportunities for prayer.

So much walking, being exposed to the elements, going from churches/shrines/chapels to the next one, going to Mass, venerating relics–the list goes on, but World Youth Day can most definitely be a pilgrimage.

Bottom Line

World Youth Day is a fantastic way to go on a pilgrimage with its many different events and opportunities.

At World Youth Day, a pilgrim can encounter the universal Church, and together with the Church, encounter Christ.

You get to meet so many people from all over the world with the same desire to grow their relationship with Christ, and that’s really, really cool.

For you, the pilgrim, World Youth Day should definitely be on your bucket list!

Have any questions regarding World Youth Day? Let me know in the comments!

Reference

WorldYouthDay.com

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post What is World Youth Day? appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

Relics and pilgrimages go well hand in hand because major shrines and churches often house significant relics. Relics also connect us to the past or tangibly help us remember about holy people or things.

Let’s dive deeper into relics!

So then, what are relics?

According to Fr. Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary (2008), a relic is “an object connected with a saint, eg., part of the body or clothing or something the person had used or touched” (p. 461). You cannot buy or sell relics.

Relics can range from the actual flesh and bones of holy people, and things that these people have frequently interacted with. Another kind of relic are objects that have touched either those previous categories. Sometimes you’ll hear these categories as a “class” of relics. Here’s a summary:

1. First Class = an actual part of a saint’s body
2. Second Class = clothing or an object used during the saint’s life
3. Third Class = an object, usually cloth, that has been touched to a first-class relic

Another vocab word to know is “reliquary”. A reliquary is an object that holds or contains a relic.

What does it mean to venerate relics?

The proper response to encountering relics is to venerate them. We do not worship relics nor the holy people that they come from.

To venerate is to honor, but not in the same way God Himself is honored. You can venerate a relic by treating the relic with respect, maintaining a prayerful attitude, remembering the person the relic comes from, and asking for that person’s intercession.

Asking for the intercession of holy people is legit because we’re pretty darn sure that they’re in heaven, especially if they are a canonized saint. Their relics are a tangible way to connect us to them.

Other ways to venerate a relic is to kiss or touch the (glass of the) reliquary, making the sign of the cross, or kneeling before it in prayer. However, I again stress that these actions are done out of love for the saint as a way to encounter God and not done out of worship of the person.

Why are relics important?

Relics are important because they remind us of our earthly pilgrimage to heaven. Relics are of holy people who have passed on to eternal glory, and they remind us of the lives and stories of those who lived a life of holiness pursuing God. The relics we have of saints show us that we, too, can reach sanctity.

Relics also remind us of the resurrection. We don’t treat the remains of people lackadaisically because that would be disrespectful. We await the Second Coming of Christ and to be resurrected with Him, and relics help illustrate that reality.

Where can I find relics?

Most churches will actually have a relic of a saint in the altar, especially if that church is named after a particular saint. But that’s not always the case.

If a saint is associated with a particular place or buried somewhere, their relics will usually be in a church, shrine, or chapel.

A good example would be the city of Rome. With so many saints associated with Rome ranging from early Christian martyrs to more contemporary individuals, it’s pretty easy to find a church or shrine housing the relics of a saint.

Sometimes the relics of a saint are scattered geographically. For example, St. Catherine of Siena’s skull is in Siena, but the rest of her body rests in Rome. St. Francis Xavier’s arm is in Rome, but his body is in India. Even in Rome, St. Peter is buried inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, but his skull is at St. John Lateran (along with St. Paul’s skull).

Some places around the world also have collections of relics. I know that St. Anthony’s Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA has the largest collection of relics in the United States.

And lastly, sometimes relics go on tour. Relics go on tour for the faithful to venerate. In North America, I know that the relics of St. Maria Goretti, St. Padre Pio, St. Francis Xavier, and St. John Vianney have passed through.

Cool and Weird Examples of Relics

I’ve been all over the place, and I’ve encountered some weird and cool examples of relics.

Most recently, I went on a pilgrimage to Atlanta, GA to venerate the heart of St. John Vianney, a French priest from the 1800’s. Amazingly, his heart is still preserved, which makes sense because he had such a heart for his priestly ministry. See featured photo.

I’ve encountered vials of Pope St. John Paul II’s blood in reqliuaries inside of the John Paul II Shrine in Washington, DC, JP2 University in Escondido, CA, and North American College in Rome. Weird, but cool.

When I was in Japan, I was before the very bones of St. Paul Miki and his companions in Nagasaki inside St. Philip’s. 26 of them were martyred on a hill via crucifixion, where the Museum and St. Philips now stand, during Japan’s isolation period and Christian persecution.

I’m a Knight of Columbus, and Fr. McGivney was our founding Father, as it were. I went to go visit the church where he started the Knights, and in the corner of the church is an above-ground stone tomb where he is buried. He’s not a canonized saint…yet.

In Washington, DC at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, they have the body of St. Innocent, a child martyred in Rome from the early centuries.

While praying in front of an abortion clinic, visiting a church in middle-of-nowhere north Texas, and in an obscure church in Rome, I’ve visited relics of the True Cross—(supposedly) pieces of the very wood that our Lord was crucified on.

Also in Rome and related to the True Cross, I’ve visited relics related to Jesus’ Passion including thorns from His crown of thorns, one of the nails that pierced Him, and part of the INRI sign. They’re found in an unassuming basilica down the street from St. John Lateran at the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem.

I’m sure there’s more, but lastly, I’ve also visited the relic of the manger—the food trough that Jesus was laid in after being born. It’s inside of St. Mary Major in Rome.

A last note—St. John Vianney’s heart and St. Innocent, mentioned above, are of a category of relics we call “incorrupt”. Being incorrupt basically means that the relic has not undergone expected decay. It’s pretty wild, dare I say miraculous! St. Innocent lived over 1500 years ago, but you can still see his hand with flesh. St. John Vianney’s heart, though black, is still intact despite being over 150 years old. Even his body is incorrupt.

The most dramatic examples of incorrupt relics are the full bodies of saints who are very much dead in the flesh, but look like they’re sleeping. See St. Bernadette.

Bottom Line

I could probably go on and on about relics! There’s so much to unpack and so many more weird and crazy examples.

Ultimately, visiting relics is a great excuse to go on pilgrimages! Relics are not for worshipping others, but rather, they help us remember our call to holiness and that there are very real people who have lived out this call.

Question for you—what’s a relic you’ve recently visited? Let me know in the comments!

References
Hardon, John A., S.J. (2008). A Modern Catholic Dictionary. Bardstown, KY: Eternal Life.

Featured photo courtesy of Light & Heavy.

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post What are relics? appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

What is a pilgrimage?

I’ve covered what a pilgrimage is before in a previous post. But basically, a pilgrimage involves more of a physical journey to a sacred place. Many popular pilgrimages involve visiting significant places in Jesus’ life and ministry in the Holy Land, visiting churches dedicated to the apostles in the places where they died, or visiting places associated with miracles or saints.

Pilgrimages can be very physical because they involve travel, but the travel itself is part of the spiritual experience and devotion. More hardcore pilgrimages involve a lot of walking. I know that doing one of the longest Camino de Santiago routes is a walking journey of 1000 km across Spain in order to reach the basilica where St. James the Greater is buried.

I also want to bring up the point that pilgrimages have you out and about in the world, which is in contrast to retreats. Speaking of retreats…

What is a retreat?

I bet most people have been on a retreat of some sort, moreso than a pilgrimage. Retreats typically cost way less! Haha.

According to Fr. Hardon (2008), a retreat is a:

“withdrawal for a period of time from one’s usual surroundings and occupation to a place of solitude for meditation, self-examination, and prayer, in order to make certain necessary decisions in one’s spiritual life” (p. 466)

A retreat is not an escape from the rigors of daily life, but rather a regrouping and refreshing in order to go back into daily life with renewed vigor. When soldiers retreat from battle, they’re not giving up but rather temporarily removing themselves in order to regroup with the intent of returning to the battle.

There are many different kinds of retreats. I’ve been on silent retreats involving Ignatian spiritual exercises and retreats focusing on a theme meant to help having an authentic encounter with God.

Retreats tend to be more of a spiritual journey that involves going to a (hopefully) more isolated location in order to pray and contemplate. Some travel may be involved, but the real meat of a retreat is in the retreat itself.

Unlike pilgrimages that involve traveling in the world, retreats are stationary. Maybe retreats happen on retreat center grounds, but the only travel involved is from adjacent building to adjacent building.

Why is it important to know the difference between pilgrimages and retreats?

Encountering God in a real way is possible on both pilgrimages and retreats, but how that is achieved can look different. Pilgrimages tend to involve a sensory or tangible approach to the sacred whereas retreats tend to focus on the interior like your prayer life. A pilgrimage can have you visit St. Faustina’s convent in Poland, but a retreat can have you contemplating Jesus’ message of His Divine Mercy to St. Faustina.

I think the other major difference is physicality. Pilgrimages involve travel, often from place to place. Retreats, on the other hand, have you traveling to one place and staying there. And I don’t think most people travel far to go on a retreat.

Can I be on both a pilgrimage and a retreat at the same time?

I would say yes. I recently did this when I traveled to Phoenix, AZ to visit some local churches, shrines, and monasteries. But I also treated it like a retreat as I had a do-it-yourself retreat book with me as well. I spent a lot of time praying, journaling, and going through the book even as I visited different sacred places around Phoenix.

Check out that pilgrimage report here.

Hopefully this post illustrates some differences between pilgrimages and retreats!

If you’d like to learn more about pilgrimages, subscribe below!

References

Hardon, John A., S.J. (2008). A Modern Catholic Dictionary. Bardstown, KY: Eternal Life.

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post Pilgrimages vs. Retreats appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

If I could categorize pilgrimages into two general ways, they would be either guided or do-it-yourself.

Let’s take a look at both, including some pros and cons.

Guided

These types of pilgrimages are more like tours. The way you go on guided pilgrimages is to purchase a package or tour. Logistically, most everything is already planned out. For me, my World Youth Day pilgrimages were guided. For Rio de Janeiro and Krakow, our leader went through a pilgrim office in order to book flights, lodgings, tour guides, and have a set, action-packed itinerary.

Pros

• Logistically simpler since travel and lodging is taken care of
• Quicker entrance to major sites (ie. standing in line less)
• Travel with a group (usually)

Cons

• Itinerary often doesn’t allow much deviation and flexibility due to set schedules
• Large groups have a lot of “hurry up and wait”
• Likely not everyone in the group share your same level of spirituality

Do-It-Yourself

Do-it-yourself pilgrimages are more self-designed and guided. In other words, you’ll personally be the one who takes care of figuring out the logistics of travel. In 2017, a few weeks before Golden Week (Japanese holiday week), I spent some time researching my different transportation and lodging options as well as the different Catholic sites for my pilgrimage to Nagasaki that I did during Golden Week.

Pros

• Way more flexibility in schedule
• Potential for saving cost is greater
• Can be as short as long as desired

Cons

• Potential to miss out on learning everything or seeing everything
• Pilgrimage is limited to your own skills vs. leaning on experts
• Requires a lot of personal initiative for… everything

Bottom Line

I am not partial to either type of pilgrimages. Both are great ways to encounter God and to experience the universal Church when done with the right interior disposition. In the interest of trying to be a pilgrim for less, I think leaning towards DIY pilgrimages is a good way to reduce time and cost. Ultimately, whether guided or DIY, the Holy Spirit takes control if you let Him. That’s what matters.

What ways to go on pilgrimages do you like doing: guided or DIY? Mixture of both, maybe? Let me know in the comments!

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post 2 Ways To Go On Pilgrimages appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

“with my family anywhere, anytime as long as we are complete, to know more about Jesus”

“Tour of churches in Rome with lots of time for silence”

“My ideal pilgrimage is one that is financially affordable and one that entails making sacrifices, and one that offers many holy places.”

“The Camino de Santiago (translated as “the Way of St. James”) in Europe. It is a 500 mile long network of pilgrim walking trails that all come together at the tomb of Saint James in Spain. It takes between 10 and 30 days to complete the walk depending on your pacing. I want to embark on this pilgrimage because it is primarily a religious journey and the idea of discovering more about myself and other Catholics that I will meet along the way who are making that same journey excites me.”

“A lot of time for prayer and the Sacraments. A place with lots of Church history or tied to some great saints. Places where Holy events have taken place. Both alone and with others. I also really enjoy experiencing Holy Mother Church in different parts of the world. I love knowing that people on the other side of the world share the same faith as me.”

“Wine, mass, prayer, great food. Mass. Adoration. with friends. Affordable. so maybe have to take out the “great” food? Wine. Learning new Catholic things/history with great Catholic friends. Mass. Adoration. Wine. Chocolate.”

“I’d love to go to both the Holy Land and Medjugorje; 4 days for Medjugorje and at least 7 days for the Holy Land; Id rather go to Medjugorje with a small group but for the Holy Land id prefer to go in a bigger group, definitely with a priest; probably in the summer since that’s when I have time”

Recall what a pilgrimage is. From some of the responses above, I can somewhat tell where people are at regarding pilgrimages. Some are more destination-minded whereas some place more priority in the spiritual aspect. Some people are thinking about the practical things like how much it costs, and some consider ideal pilgrimages to be a little more vacation-like. Interesting, because I know we’re looking at a spectrum of understanding here.

Is there a “right way” to go on a pilgrimage? I’m not sure, but I know that one’s approach to pilgrimages likely correlate with one’s level of spiritual maturity. Regardless of your spiritual maturity, my goal for Pilgrim for Less is to inspire and equip people to go on more pilgrimages but for less money and time. Hopefully, we can help each other level up and challenge each other to grow deeper in our faith through pilgrimages!

With that said, I realized that I haven’t thought too much about what I would consider to be an ideal pilgrimage. Giving it some initial thoughts and reflections, I concluded that an ideal pilgrimage for me doesn’t have to be necessarily somewhere specific, but I wouldn’t fight the idea of going to places like the Holy Land, Rome, the Camino de Santiago, Lourdes, Fatima, and all the other hotspots.

Really, for me, I would say that my ideal pilgrimage would contain these certain elements:

An ideal pilgrimage has…

Places to visit that are NOT my home parish.

My home parish is the normal and ordinary location of encountering God in His Word and Body. I could make the simple act of going to Mass on Sunday into a pilgrimage, but I would have a harder time making it feel different enough to not make it feel like I’m just going through the motions. That’s why going somewhere other than my home parish would be ideal for a pilgrimage. Unfamiliar places or revisiting the cool ones for different reasons make it interesting enough.

Visiting places that are conducive to encountering God.

Obviously, these places would be like churches, shrines, chapels, or other holy sites. However,  I also like encountering the beauty of encountering God’s Creation in nature through visiting parks or going hiking. Even visiting museums can be an experience of encountering God! When I visited Hiroshima’s Atomic Bomb Museum in their Memorial Park, they have a stone sculpture in the lobby with a quote from Pope St. John Paul II on the atrocity of using nuclear weapons. When I visited Nagasaki’s Memorial Museum, they feature Dr. Takashi Nagai, a Catholic doctor that saved and healed many other bomb victims despite his own injuries, and later at St. Max Kolbe’s friary and museum, I learned more about Dr. Nagai. How cool!

Other travelers besides me.

I’ve solo-traveled a lot in the past few years, and that’s been pretty great. However, there have been times when I’ve been out on my own where I wished I had some pilgrimage or travel companions. At the same time, I think a small group would be more ideal than having to manage a huge group. I’m talking like less than 10 for a small group. Any more than that, and it becomes a struggle (see next point).

Everyone on the same page.

I’ve chaperoned pilgrimages due to my involvement in youth ministry. Primarily, the World Youth Days in 2013 and 2016. In 2013, we took two youth groups totaling about 20 or so youth with a handful of adult chaperones. In 2016, we took 200+ people from my diocese. What made the 2013 World Youth Day pilgrimage “smoother’ was that it was easier to manage expectations due to the smaller amount of people involved. Whenever plans got thrown out the window or when discomforts and sufferings occurred, it was easy to get everyone on the same page and handle/endure it together.

In 2016, on the other hand, managing expectations was much more difficult! I would say because there were way more people involved who were at different levels of spiritual maturity and who had different expectations of what the pilgrimage was intended for. Therefore, an ideal pilgrimage for me ought to have everyone with the same understanding of what to expect and at least be respectful of allowing opportunities for spiritual growth.

A willingness to take on suffering or fasting.

I think a good spiritual practice for pilgrimages is to take on a form of penance. The easiest way is to choose something to fast from like going on social media, listening to music, taking public transportation, etc. On my first pilgrimage report, I mentioned that I gave up listening to music while driving in my car and using my phone as much as possible during my hike. While we can choose something to fast from, sometimes encountering moments of suffering just … happens. A good example of that was when I chaperoned a group of youth to our annual March for Life pilgrimage to Washington, DC. The last time I went, we got snowed in!

So much snow fell on the ground that it basically caused us to be stuck at the parish we were staying at. That essentially threw off most of our itinerary, and we had to dig ourselves out in order to walk around. I think an ideal pilgrimage needs to have a willingness to suffer because things don’t always go perfectly.

A physical challenge.

I think this is best reflected in the international World Youth Days. To wrap up the week of events for World Youth Day, everyone congregates to a large open area to have a vigil and Adoration with the Holy Father, camp out for the night, and then have the closing Mass. The walk to the site is very much intended to give everyone pilgrimage feels. You’re carrying everything you need to camp out, the distance can be long, and the conditions may not be ideal. For World Youth Day 2016, it was pretty hot the day we walked to the site, and due to how they laid out the paths, we got stuck in multiple bottlenecks of thousands of other pilgrims trying to get the same place.

When I went to Nagasaki in 2017 to visit churches and to learn more about St. Paul Miki and his other martyr companions, I walked everywhere except the few times I took the trolley in order to get further across town. And the Camino de Santiago, every pilgrim’s bucket list item, is all about walking long distances.

Expert guides, if used.

Packaged pilgrimages tend to include tour guides. I’ve had really excellent ones who were really knowledgeable about history and the significance of places or things. I appreciate learning history and learning more about the Church through a guide who really knows their stuff. Even if I’m touring the Vatican, and it’s kind of obvious that my guide is not Catholic, as long as they really know their stuff and is respectful of the Christian faith, I’m cool with it. What I’m not a fan of is when tour guides offer seemingly scandalous information that’s simply untrue. I also don’t require a guide with the official title of “Guide”. When I went to Mother Teresa’s canonization in 2016 with a friend, that friend led the way visiting many churches in Rome that I had no idea about due to his previous trips. He showed me churches that contained relics from Jesus’ Passion, which I didn’t even hear about on my prior trip/tour around Rome. Ideally, having a guide makes the experience better, but only if they know their stuff and don’t trash the Church.

Times for prayer and reflection.

This is probably an obvious point. I know pilgrimages with aggressive itineraries leaning more towards visiting and seeing places while staying in nice hotels make it more tempting to enter into vacation mode. That’s fine, but I think in order to make a pilgrimage fruitful, setting aside time for prayer and reflection is ideal. If such times are built into the itinerary—great! If not, then I’ll try to invent times to pray and reflect. After all, I do one thing before every pilgrimage, and it’s a heavy responsibility.

Moments of being a tourist.

If I’m traveling somewhere, I like to take pictures especially if I’m somewhere iconic. I also like checking out good restaurants and visiting touristy places wherever I travel to. Since I currently hold top hotel and airline statuses, I’d like to utilize those in order to have a comfortable travel experience. In other words, I’m okay with having moments of being a tourist while on pilgrimage.

However! I see these more as a bonus and not a right or have-to-have. This attitude kind of plays into a willingness to take on suffering and having times for prayer and reflection. After all, pilgrimages are meant for one to encounter God, but it’s hard to do that when I’m too busy trying to eat at all the restaurants with the best Yelp reviews or doing all the tourist-trap stuff without being intentional about being on pilgrimage. Maybe the shorter way to say it is… for me, ideally, trips can have both a “tourist mode” and “pilgrimage mode”, but hopefully more emphasis on the “pilgrimage mode”.

Bottom Line

People can have a wide range of understanding regarding what pilgrimages are for and how’re they’re done. And that’s cool. And it makes sense, because we’re all at different places in our spiritual life. Those who more spiritually mature would probably treat pilgrimages with more seriousness and intentionality than someone who is less spiritually mature. Of course, it’s okay to be spiritually immature, but I would say pilgrimages are a great way to grow in one’s faith as long as the desire to grow is there along with an openness to God’s will to be done.

My ideal pilgrimage probably doesn’t look exactly the same as yours, and that’s totally fine. What we should focus on is helping each other on our earthly pilgrimage towards heaven!

Question for you—what do you think my elements of an ideal pilgrimage? Do you agree or disagree?

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post What Is An Ideal Pilgrimage? appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

I guess I could just end this post with that, but let’s explore this further.

For me personally, I’m quite excellent at coming up with excuses with not going on more pilgrimages. I tend to get caught up in work that I need to do like school, my career, and making sure my house doesn’t explode. And then I have the added bonus struggle of not wanting to do something unless I feel adequately prepared for it. But even with these struggles, I still find a way to go on pilgrimages.

Is there ever a best time to go on a pilgrimage?

Yes, I would say there are times that are perfect for going on a pilgrimage. However, I will say that the perfect time is going to look different for each person.

In asking other people what some of the obstacles are for them going on more pilgrimages, the most popular answers seem to be “I don’t have enough time” and “I don’t have enough money.” Totally understandable, and that seems to explain why a lot of pilgrimage groups I see out and about in the world are retirees because they have the luxury of both time and money.

But for those of us who are not yet quite gray-haired with fatter wallets, we don’t need to wait for retirement in order to go on a pilgrimage.

I would say the best times to go on a pilgrimage are:

• When it’s really inconvenient to go
• When you’re young or even aging like fine wine
• When you have something to really pray about, either for yourself or for others
• When the travel bug bites you
• (insert your reason here)
• And so on

Ultimately, the point is that the best time to go on a pilgrimage is when the desires of the heart and soul as well as the anxiousness of the feet align with the motivation to go on one. Time, money, and logistics are merely obstacles that can be overcome, and that’s what this site is for.

When should I go on a pilgrimage?

A common theme in my recent entrepreneurial and ministerial pursuits is the idea of the “80% solution.” In other words, pilgrimage planning, logistics, and execution doesn’t have to be perfect in order for you to go. “Done is better than perfect”, says one of my teachers in unending refrain. So it is with pilgrimages. Just go on them, and don’t worry about them going perfectly.

Honestly, I have yet to have a pilgrimage that goes perfectly as planned. Or planned perfectly. From itinerary fails to literally winging my schedule on the fly, pilgrimages tend to be rather adventurous in more ways than one for me. And you know what? That’s okay. I might not have had a perfectly planned pilgrimage or a pilgrimage that goes perfectly as planned. What’s important is that God’s will for my pilgrimage goes perfectly according to His plan. And not mine.

With that said, when should you go on a pilgrimage?

Now.

Just go.

Do it.

Ok, but do so if it’s mostly prudent to go. I realize most of us have families and jobs to take care of, pets to feed, abodes to dwell in and maintain, Netflix shows and movies to binge on, fuzzy Japanese cat videos to post on Facebook, and glorious memes to retweet on Twitter. Do what you need to do, and prioritize going on a pilgrimage soon. And very soon.

Here’s a quick list of steps you can do to go on your next pilgrimage:

1. Choose a free weekend within the next three months
2. Set a cheap budget
3. Define where you’re going and what you want to visit
4. Decide what spiritual practices and devotions you’ll be doing
5. Roughly figure out your travel logistics like transportation and accommodation
6. Book anything that needs to be booked
7. Pray–especially pray for others and have others pray for you–leading up to your pilgrimage
8. Go on your pilgrimage
9. Share about it! (and tell me–I’d love to hear about it!)

Bottom Line

There’s never a perfect time to go on a pilgrimage, but despite any obstacles, pilgrimages can still be done. The best time to go is when you have the motivation to go on a pilgrimage for whatever reason even if there are struggles that get in the way. With a little bit of prudential planning and flexibility, you can go on your next pilgrimage as soon as this weekend.

Tell me about a place you can go visit that’s nearby—comment below! Bonus points if you actually went, and if you did, share about it!

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post When Is The Best Time To Go On A Pilgrimage? appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Or maybe when I say “pilgrimage”, it brings up thoughts of the practical aspects. You know, spending thousands of dollars to go to Italy or the Holy Land for a week or two. Or maybe it’s a month-long trip with a heavy backpack walking 500 miles across France and Spain on the Camino De Santiago. Lots of walking. Lots. The train rides were confusing, but conquerable. “Where’s the restroom?” in Italian, German, and Spanish are tattooed in your travel notebook. Finding an English Mass was impossible, so you settled for Portuguese one. You struggle to remember the exchange rate between Israeli shekels and US dollars because you want to buy that olive wood crucifix that you’ve been eyeing.

Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

Your Definitions of Pilgrimage

Before starting Pilgrim for Less, I sent out a survey to a handful of people. One of the questions I asked was, “In your own words, what is a pilgrimage?” Here are a selection of some of those answers:

“Visiting sacred places and places that is also in the bible”

“Spiritual journey”

“Pilgrimage is a journey to a religious place that can nourish your soul and uplift your spiritual life.”

“A walk, tour, or observance in a place, event, or structures that aims spiritual and personal transformation”

“A trip to focus on your spiritual life and be reminded of how our life is meant to be a journey to heaven.”

“A pilgrimage is a journey we take to experience God in a more intimate way”

“A pilgrimage is a journey which challenges you physically, mentally, and spiritually. I believe that physically and mentally challenging ourselves oftentimes turns our thoughts to Jesus’ suffering. When we suffer with Him we glorify Him. Pilgrimages are those journeys we take that free us from the distractions and monotony of our every day lives, and help us to discover our true selves and to recenter ourselves on Christ.”

“To go on a trip to holy or sacred sites.”

“A journey of searching for God’s will”

And many of the other responses I received were similar. I think most of my survey takers and readers have a good general sense of what pilgrimages are as these responses above are not far off.

My Definition of Pilgrimage

If I were to give an Aristotelian-styled answer of what a pilgrimage is, I would say that it is an intentional journey involving travel by an individual to places of sacred significance to encounter God. I think it’s important to note that pilgrimages are intentional because they don’t happen accidentally. And I would also stress that the final end of a pilgrimage is to have that encounter with God. Without these things, a pilgrimage would just be any other kind of trip.

Of course, that’s how I’d define a pilgrimage. We’ll continue exploring and discussing further in detail what pilgrimages are on this site.

Expert Definitions of Pilgrimage

Fr. Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary defines pilgrimages as:

“a journey to a sacred place undertaken as an act of religious devotion. Its purpose may be simply to venerate a certain saint or ask some spiritual favor; beg for a physical cure or perform an act of penance; express thanks or fulfill a promise” (p. 422)

He goes on to describe how pilgrimages started out with going to Holy Land and later Rome where many saints were martyred. And in Medieval Times, pilgrimages were assigned as an act of public penance on a grand scale.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a few things to say regarding pilgrimages:

1198 In its earthly state the Church needs places where the community can gather together. Our visible churches, holy places, are images of the holy city, the heavenly Jerusalem, toward which we are making our way on pilgrimage.

2691 … Pilgrimages evoke our earthly journey toward heaven and are traditionally very special occasions for renewal in prayer. For pilgrims seeking living water, shrines are special places for living the forms of Christian prayer “in Church.”

2696 The most appropriate places for prayer are personal or family oratories, monasteries, places of pilgrimage, and above all the church, which is the proper place for liturgical prayer for the parish community and the privileged place for Eucharistic adoration.

Bottom Line

Before we discuss about going on pilgrimages for less, it’s important to know what they are in the first place!

Pilgrimages involve spiritual and travel aspects with a particular goal or intention in mind, usually due to religious devotion. I hope these definitions above give you a better idea of what pilgrimages are.

And now that you know–share this post with a friend! (use the sharing links!) And do you have any questions for me on what are pilgrimages? Let me know in the comments!

References

Hardon, John A., S.J. (2008). A Modern Catholic Dictionary. Bardstown, KY: Eternal Life.

Catechism of the Catholic Church on Vatican.va

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JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

The post What is a pilgrimage? appeared first on Pilgrim for Less.

Before getting into my problem, first let me give a bit of background. While I won’t get into details about my job, just know that I’m an engineer in the aerospace industry. Since April 2015 until October 2017, I was sent to Japan seventeen times (!!!) for work. These trips usually lasted a week or two and culminated in a six-month assignment in 2017.

That’s crazy.

One of the reasons why it was easy to say yes to all these trips, besides the fact that Japan is pretty awesome, was the extra pay involved.

Ka. Ching.

Because of all the extra pay from these many trips to Japan, I was able to fund travels to many other places.

Just in Japan, I was able to visit Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagasaki.

Sydney, Australia. I have an aunt and uncle who live there.

San Diego, California. But I took the Amtrak train from north Texas all the way there, with a train switch in Los Angeles. I also visited San Diego as part of spending a weekend on both coasts (Washington, DC was the other) due to my nonrev standby travels.

Italy. Twice. Once for Mother Teresa’s canonization at the Vatican, and then for a week-long trip with my parents and brother to hit up Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice.

I weekended in Singapore. From Texas. It included a one-night stay in Hong Kong.

When I finished my last trip to Japan and returned home, I went on a trip to Hong Kong from Texas. Via Toronto, Canada.

I was also able to go to Fresno, California in order to attend a family reunion weekend.

These business trips to Japan also partially funded my World Youth Day 2016 pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland. This included Rome and Prague.

I don’t mention all these trips in order to brag, but rather to emphasize that these business trips to Japan were enablers for me to go places. 2015-2017 was intense and lit!

The problem

My problem for 2018? I have no business trips scheduled. Even then, company policies changed such that extra pay doesn’t happen anymore for typical business trips. -cry-

So, with no extra money, I don’t have good means to fund extra travels and pilgrimages.

Ok, kind of. At the end of 2017, I ended up booking three trans-Pacific trips costing me about $3500. Two are trips to visit family. One for fun. But, these trips were largely funded from my extra cash flow. The point is–I really don’t have extra money. And because the total amount of time these trips will cost me about two weeks of vacation, I also don’t have extra time in order to pull off long trips elsewhere.

Bottom line, if I want to go on more trips, especially pilgrimages, I need to be smart about how I spend my time and money.

I realize I have a unique situation that’s probably not relatable to most, but the challenges of time and money are the same.

Question for you–what are your challenges to traveling more?

If you’d like to follow along on how I try to go on pilgrimages for less time and less money, subscribe below!

JR

JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.

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