Pilgrimage is a form of journey undertaken by people from a very early period of history. For centuries besides trade it was the reason for which people left their towns and villages to get to know new places.
First and foremost the motivation of pilgrimage was and is religious. A group intending to make a pilgrimage makes a list of programmes which includes the places of visit, liturgical celebration and religious activities to be performed on the way. Often the time of pilgrimage is concentrated to a few weeks of the year, e.g. the time of a special feast.
Typical examples are the great pilgrimage feasts of the Jews in the Old Testament: Feast of Passover, Feast of the unleavened bread, Feast of the Tabernacles, New Year's day, Yom Kippur and Feast of the consecration of the Temple. Pilgrimages are mostly made by single persons, but also often by groups.
There is no clear distinction between those two forms of pilgrimage. Pilgrimages were not known to early Christians. The remembrance of Jesus was so alive that the attainment of salvation through him needed no mediator. Pilgrimages were necessary if it was not so. A few church Fathers were the first to make pilgrimages. Their pilgrimages to the Holy Land were with the intention to attain a better conviction in Biblical tradition or truth (Melton of Sardis, Origin and so on). There are different factors which led to the tradition of pilgrimage to the Holy Land. (Discovery of the Holy Tomb, Holy Birth Grotto, acknowledgement of Christianity by Emperor Constantin). Pilgrims to the Holy Land wished to see places invariably connected to the life of Jesus, to relive and to have an experience of Him. So in corresponding places of Jerusalem the Passion of Jesus was celebrated on the day and the time, corresponding to His Passion. It is confirmed from the Easter Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil). Partly even now, especially the Good Friday Liturgy, prompts the Jerusalem Pilgrimage. We are well informed about these ceremonies from the written reports left behind by some of the pilgrims. The most famous and informative among them is the travel diary of Atheria (or Egeria) of the 4th century. It makes it possible to reconstruct time-bound, the liturgy of this time in Jerusalem. This pilgrim report was even important for the liturgical reform of the 2nd Vatican Council.
In the middle ages the horizon of pilgrimage widened. Apart from Crusaders, who focused still on Holy Land, people preferred tombs and holy places connected with saints especially martyrs. People had gone for such pilgrimages to implore the saints as they are intercessors before God. The tombs of major apostles Peter and Paul, which are mentioned to have a long tradition of veneration from the early period of Christianity, became major pilgrimage destinations for the whole of European central Middle Ages. This is equally valid for Santiago de Compostela, where the Tomb of the Apostle James traditionally is believed to be.
The declaration of holy year with indulgence attracted many to Rome since 14th century. Since late middle ages it became evidently a custom among pilgrims of Rome to visit 7 main churches over there. Slowly indulgence became the motivating factor of pilgrimage. Along the main routes of pilgrimage hospitals were built. Proper infrastructures are developed in order to take care of the food and accommodation facilities of the pilgrims. Some places attained special rank because of the veneration of certain relics or parts of the Holy Cross.
In German speaking areas pilgrimage to Cologne played a major role. After the transport of the mortal remains of the 3 Holy Magi and because of the veneration of the Staff and Chain of St. Peter, Cologne became nearly second to Rome. During the period of Reformation the number of pilgrimage also declined. There came also a stagnation of pilgrimage to Vierzehnheiligen after the destruction of the chapel over there during the Peasants Revolt (1525).
The Counter Reformation during the Baroque Period tried to revitalize pilgrimage. At this time, pilgrimage was declared to be a special from of Catholic devotion and it attained a character of proclamation of the faith. Many churches of pilgrimage (also Vierzehnheiligen) give testimony to the importance of this form of piety. During the age of Enlightment, however, pilgrimages were prevented or restricted even by Catholic sovereigns owing to silly reasons. But in 19th and in the first half of the 20th century pilgrimages flourished once again. Now it gained a Catholic way of protest against the rationalism of modern times and predominant rule of the Protestants (e.g. the German league from 1815 to 1866 and a little later in the struggle between the State and Church). Especially Marian pilgrimages increased considerably. Instead of relics, visions and miraculous images became more and more predominant. Modern ways of transport, like the train made pilgrimages easier and particularly possible for the sick.
Internationally speaking Lourdes and Fatima, nationally in Germany Altoetting and Kevelaer, in Austria Mariazell and in Poland Tschenstochau are all important destinations of pilgrimage. During the second half of 20th century pilgrimages revived again. Often they were a reaction against totally rationalised Theology and Liturgy of 2nd Vatican Council. People who took part in pilgrimage wanted an intense experience of Liturgy and Church. Young people are attracted to pilgrimage for they find it a way of fulfilling their search for God and a way to find themselves out in a world that has lost its balance. For some, it is sport aspect that plays major role in pilgrimage. Again, young people look forward to have a spiritual experience in places like Taizè and a touch of the sacred from a charismatic personality.
Pilgrimage remains a special way of travelling even in our times. Interestingly among pilgrims there are also people who have no normal religious life. Old traditions (possibly a vow) play a supportive role in making pilgrimage.
Pilgrimages are also understood as a way of search for the sense of life. Pilgrimage helps many people to understand themselves as being with body and soul. It also helps to come in contact with often forgotten core of life.
Pilgrims - do they not bear a better witness of faith which is not so easily understandable though involves the whole person than every theological proof? Are they- by that - not "far from the Kingdom of God"?
P. Ernst Fischer
