Some pilgrimage observations

An overview of recent pilgrimage events and news from around the world.

Europe, the Via Francigena
Europe, the camino, an introduction
Asia, the Mount Kailash pilgrimage
Asia, from film induced tourism to anime tourism
America, the Pacific Crest Trail (book)
Europe, Norway's new soul-soothing, time-travelling pilgrimage
Europe, the camino in Slovakia
Europe, pilgrimage as slow travel in Italy's Emilia-Romagna
Asia, pilgrimage sites in Nepal

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Aleteia: This ancient pilgrimage road crosses Europe from north to south

"Before the discovery of the tomb of Santiago El Mayor in Compostela, Rome was the European city with the only Western-known burial spot of one of the twelve apostles.", includes slideshow.

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The Hindu: A 24-day gruelling trek to Mount Kailash in Tibet

"Every year, faith inspires thousands of Indians to undertake the gruelling trek to Mount Kailash in Tibet.", includes slide show.

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The Japan Times: Japan's anime tourism: A lucrative blend of cash and chaos 

"Japan has become a magnet for young tourists from Asia on “pilgrimage” tours to the most famous scenes in Japanese anime."

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Newsweek: The great alone, walking the Pacific Crest Trail

Why did I walk 4265 kilometers grom Mexico to Canada? Introduction to the book of Tim Voors.

(Book available in Dutch: Alleen)

More on the book on site of Gestalten.

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The Telegraph: The ultimate antithesis to modern life? Norway's new soul-soothing, time-travelling pilgrimage

"Leaning on a gnarled wooden staff like a clean-cut version of Gandalf, pilgrim priest Einar was waiting for me outside the world’s most northerly medieval cathedral. “Welcome to Trondheim and well done for finishing St Olav Ways,” he said, warmly shaking my hand."

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Traveler: Pilgrimage of a lifetime: How and why you should walk Spain's famous Camino de Santiago 

An introduction to the camino pilgrimage, where to go, what's it like... "But the Way is no longer about war, fanaticism or religious ascendancy. Today's pilgrims walk arguably in what was always the true spirit of pilgrimage – for acceptance, forgiveness and redemption. And in the case of my friends, utter generosity."

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The Slovak Spectator: Slovakia completes last part of ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela 

"The Way of St James in Slovakia. The route is 603 km long and is divided into five stretches."

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Forbes: Walk On Pilgrimage Paths Through Emilia-Romagna To Celebrate Italy's Year Of Slow Travel 

Slow travel in Emilia-Romagna where ten ancient pilgrimage routes cross through the region.

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Nepali Sansar: Nepal’s Top Pilgrimage Sites – The Abode of Spirituality

Have a look at some of the best Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites..

The climate and the Hajj

MIT news last week published a report on climate change and the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj: 

 Climate change could pose danger for Muslim pilgrimage

When the Hajj comes in summertime, in some years it may not be safe for participants to remain outdoors.

They concluded: "According to a new study by researchers at MIT and in California, because of climate change there is an increasing risk that in coming years, conditions of heat and humidity in the areas of Saudi Arabia where the Hajj takes place could worsen, to the point that people face “extreme danger” from harmful health effects."

The Guardian published an editorial: 

With hajj under threat, it's time Muslims joined the climate movement.

As climate crisis is endangering an age-old sacred rite, environmental stewardship is needed. 

"With approximately 100m plastic bottles left behind each year after the pilgrimage ends, it’s clear that action is desperately needed. "

2019

And again, recent pilgrimage observations

An overview of recent pilgrimage events and news from around the world.

• Scandinavia: A guide to the Scandinavian St Olav Way
• Ireland: The annual Croagh Patrick
• Mexico: Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Spain: Fake markings on the Camino
• Spain: What the Way teaches
• France Mt Saint Michel for the secular and the religious
• Europe: More Muslim pilgrims in Europe, doing it together
• Spain: What you perhaps didn't know about the camino pilgrimage
• Japan: Shikoku, no right way
• SaudiArabia: The Hajj
• Europe/Israel: Walking towards Jerusalem, walking away from depression
• USA/general: Hiking's popularity

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In Matador network an introduction with fine photography on the St. Olav Way.

The ultimate guide to hiking the St. Olav Ways

Photo: Jacqueline Kehoe

There is no other 1,000-year-old path like it, and certainly no path as endlessly serene.

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The Irish Times reports on the annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage. A photographic journey.

Photo: Michael Mc Laughlin

Annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage

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Nearly 60.000 pilgrims 'did' Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Catholic News Agency reports.

Walking, biking pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe draws 60,000

"By foot and by bicycle, some 60,000 people arrived at the Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City on July 22, for a pilgrimage that covered more than 185 miles from Querétaro state"

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ElPais reports on the fake signs on the Camino de Santiago.

Down the wrong path: Spanish city fights against fake signs on Camino de Santiago
"Associations say some bar owners are altering official markings to get people to walk by their establishments, even if it means a risky detour."

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Chaplain Mike in Internet Monk on what the Way teached him.

Sunday with Ron Rolheiser: What the Walk Teaches Us

Photo from articleby by Staffan Andersson

" The trail taught me something else, deeper, more needed, and more humbling: What I learned from walking the road in the company of three close friends was how spoiled and immature I’d become"

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Catholic Reporter lookes at secular places of spirituality, like Mont St Michel.

Mont-Saint-Michel serves as spritual oasis in secular times

Article picture Pixabay/Ridoe 

Raimund Joos: What's often missing is direct contact with the world and with people — and that's what a pilgrimage offers, a way of letting go and being open to something new."

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ScienceNordic:  Growing number of Muslim pilgrims in Europe

"Pilgrimages have become more popular all over the world in recent years. New pilgrimage sites are emerging and in Europe Muslims and Christians are visiting each other’s pilgrimage sites."

“We often also see Muslim pilgrims combine their journey with taking part in a march for peace or other forms of civil engagement, for example, a meeting between different Muslim groups or a meeting between Christians and Muslims.

Article photo from Sara Kuehn

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Enjoy the quiz, do you know? 

Twelve things you didn’t know about the Camino de Santiago

"Do you know who the first pilgrim was on the world-famous Way of Saint James? Can you guess what the effect of the internet is on today’s travelers? Read on…"

Article photo The coastal path at the Asturian beach of Peñarronda. GONZALO AZUMENDI

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In JapanTimes a report on the Shikoku Henro.

No right way to complete Shikoku’s 88-temple pilgrimage

Between the slurping sounds that accompany the rapidly disappearing noodles, we talk about why we are doing the pilgrimage.

Article photo by CHRISTINA SJOGREN

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IrishTimes wants you to explore five routes

Irish Pilgrim Journey 2018: five ancient and sacred routes to follow

"Walk for the Weekend: Explore five ancient routes across some of the country’s most captivating landscapes"

And again you'll meet Croagh Patrick.

Articlephoto: St Finbarr’s Pilgrim Path. Photograph: David O’Callaghan

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And another pilgrimage in Ireland. Know of the Ladywell Shrine? Have a look at Alateia:

A pilgrimage to Ireland’s miraculous Ladywell Shrine

"Upon approaching the shrine I had arrived early but already there were people praying the stations of the Cross which is a popular prayer said by many of the local Catholics who visit the Shrine every year. One married couple informed me that for 40 years they’ve been coming to the Shrine and have never missed a year."

Article photo by Stephen Mc Elligott | Aleteia

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The Sun: In august Mecca greeted it's Muslim pilgrims.

HOLY JOURNEY Incredible images show Muslims gathering in Mecca where where 2.6MILLION worshippers will descend for the annual Hajj pilgrimage

"The five day pilgrimage is the world's largest single gathering of people and this year begins on the evening of August 19."

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The Guardian: 'A 60-mile trek brought deep calm. So the author headed for Jerusalem, 5,500 kms away'

How walking – and then a pilgrimage – lifted Guy Stagg’s depression

"And the value of pilgrimage, it turned out, wasn’t completed when the end-point was reached. Instead, he has continued to ponder it and, little by little, begun to understand how it has helped him recover."

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StarTribune, The popularity of hiking

Footprints of hiking’s popularity are everywhere

Photo: A walk in the woods BROAD GREEN PICTURES

"The number of Americans day-hiking has risen 22 percent over the last three years, and there has been an 11 percent increase in backpacking."

Some recent pilgrimage observations...

In this episode of recent popular articles on pilgrimage..

• Shikoku
• Lindisfarne Good Friday
• Camino Primitivo
• Rocky Mountains, the spiritual
• Chimayó
• What is a pilgrim?
• Deutsche Welle Camino
• Bitten by the Hiking Bug

The Japan Times: No right way to complete Shikoku’s 88-temple pilgrimage

"The scent of incense reaches us before we see the temple. Two ferocious statues guard the gate, accompanied by a mannequin in full pilgrim costume: white clothes; a sedge hat with Kobo Daishi’s name and guiding messages in print; a walking stick; a monk’s stole and mala prayer beads." Click for full article.

Chronicle Life: Cross-bearing pilgrims arrive in Lindisfarne for Good Friday event

"Pilgrims celebrate Easter by crossing over the tidal causeway carrying wooden crosses on the final leg of their annual pilgrimage to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne"

An earlier post on the subject here.

MailOnline: Being in the moment on the Camino Primitivo

"'I've never been more in the moment': The life-changing effects of tackling Spain's oldest pilgrimage - a 200-mile walk through the Cantabrian Mountains"

CBC: The mountains as spiritual place

"The mountains as temple: A pilgrimage to Alberta's Rockies. 
The faithful discuss how moments of stripped-down clarity can come while being buffeted on a windblown peak"

Santa Few New Mexican: Thousands join pilgrimage to Chimayó

“I am walking to Chimayó in thanks for all the blessings that God has given me and to pray for the world because there is so much evil, so much lack of unity,” Elizabeth Lara said in Spanish. “I am asking for unity in the world and health for some of my friends that are sick and for my family.”

Metro: What is a pilgrim?

"One such thing is walking hundreds of miles to a place of worship

on what’s known as a pilgrimage."

"Anyone can go on a pilgrimage, as the more general dictionary definition of a pilgrim is ‘a person travelling to a place of particular personal interest’.

Deutsche Welle: Pilgrimage season gets underway in Europe

"More and more people are stepping away from daily life and onto a pilgrimage path like the Way of Saint James, which goes to Spain's west coast. Germany also offers pilgrims routes and help to meet their different needs."

Stuff: Bitten by the Hiking Bug

"One day we came around a corner and found a herd of sheep and goats and a shepherd standing next to them with a golden Labrador. At night he slept next to the herd to protect it from wolves – I felt like I'd stepped out of the Swiss family drama about Heidi and Peter."

Find a previous version of 'recent articles' here.

Pilgrimage and Place is a project by Paul Kouwenberg

Find the sister page 'The Pilgrims Gaze' here
The latest entry there has links to the recent BBC series on Pilgrimage The road to Santiago.

Both pages are also on Facebook:

Pilgrimage and Place

The Pilgrims Gaze

Some recent popular pilgrimage articles

In this episode of recent popular articles on pilgrimage..

• Ed Byrne taking a pilgrimage
• BBC: Pilgrimage: The road to Santiago
• Nancy Frey: Pilgrimage in the internet age
• Ireland's old pathways connect to Camino trail
• Cycling the Via Francigena
• Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
• The world's 10 most spiritual places
• A coffee pilgrimage

Ed Byrne taking a pilgrimage

Interview in Wanderlust Travel Magazine with Ed Byrne on his pilgrimage part of the BBC series Pilgrimage: The road to Santiago.

"Ed Byrne: "I didn't go into it expecting to have a spiritual experience – I'm aware of my limitations"

Pilgrimage: The road to Santiago

More on the characters in the BBC TV series here.
Info on the BBC site here.

"Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago – Who are the celebrities taking on the epic trek?"

At the moment Episode 1 is on Youtube.


Pilgrimage in the internet age
Do you know Nancy Frey? Do you know about her (phd-thesis) book Pilgrim Stories. On and Off the Road to Santiago?

See her recent text PILGRIMAGE IN THE INTERNET AGE and the post recorded keynote.

Here's the text.

Here's the keynote.

Ireland's old pathways connect to Camino trail

Part of the 100 km needed to receive a Compostela can be walked on Ireland's ancient Celtic pilgrim paths. Find it here.

Cycling the Via Francigena
How to tackle the most beautiful cycling route in Italy. Click here for the article in The Telegraph.

"Atarget gives purpose to a bike ride, and the news that the pilgrimage route to Rome has been resurrected as a cycling trail is an invitation to saddle up. Completed in 2016 after a 10-year campaign of marking and mapping, the Via Francigena is the longest signposted cycle route in Italy: 620 miles from the Great St Bernard Pass to St Peter’s".

THE IMPORTANCE OF PILGRIMAGES TO THE HOLY LAND

"Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, however, are important not just for pilgrims coming from afar. They are crucial for the survival of the Christian community in the Holy Land and for the pilgrimage sites themselves."

Click here for the article in the Boston Pilot.

The world's 10 most spiritual places

Are these the most spiritual places? Look for yourself in this article in The Telegraph.
"The serene scene, with its bells and birds, temple tops and warming sunrise glow snuck in; got under the skin. There was a sense of a place greater than the sum of its colourful, crumbling parts. "

A coffee pilgrimage

Starbucks Lovers Can Now Make a Pilgrimage to Its 600-Acre Coffee Farm in Costa Rica.

"Starbucks aficionados might want to reconsider their next vacation. Today, the coffee giant is opening the doors (and fields) to its 600-acre coffee farm in San Luis, Costa Rica."
Find the Vogue article here.