What's a pilgrim?

[biloute]

According to dictionary.com a pilgrim is a person who travels to a sacred place for religious purposes (especially if a long distance), a traveler or wanderer (esp. in a foreign land), an original settler in a region, or a newcomer to a region or place (esp. western U.S.).

I'm not satisfied with any of these definitions. I would most agree with the first definition except I'm not convinced the traveler in these modern times either must be going to a sacred place or doing it for religious purposes. The tomb of St. James is not a sacred place for me, nor did I walk for religious reasons, but I was still a pilgrim.

I've been thinking of through-hiking the AT at some point in the next few years or so, and I think it would be a very similar experience. Not on the surface, but in the fact that to do something like that you have to face yourself, and there's a specific ending point to reach, plus some kind of higher motivation for going.

But then there are people who choose not to go so far, or who travel via different means, or who are going simply for cultural or sporty reasons and I wouldn't necessarily say they're not pilgrims.

So what would you say constitutes a pilgrim or a pilgrimage?

 

[AJ]

I would say that this topic has been done to death!

 

[tploomis]

I would say that this topic has been done to death!

I would say this is well worth pondering, whether it has been done before or not.

 

[OTH86]

I agree, Tom. Other opinions are always welcome. I've found that new-ish members to the Forum have valuable contributions.
Terry

 

[Phillypilgrim]

As "Firesign Theater" said in 1971, "I think we are all Bozos on this bus".
Thus is my feeling about Pilgrimage. Every blessed being on this planet is on one kind of Pilgrimage or another, and we are all in it together.
Happy New Year!

 

[ivar]

This is an interesting question, but many times these kinds of threads end badly (with a fight). As long as we follow the rules, all ok. (Link bottom right of every page).

 

[Mark Lee]

C'mon now. A pilgrim or pilgrimage is whatever you want it to be.

 

[hecate105]

I think - to travel to a particular place with reverence...
should cover everything from Santiago to Gracelands!!

 

[SYates]

Ok, the word pilgrim has this original meaning:

It comes from the Latin (pre-Christian era) word peregrinus 'the stranger that comes over the fields'.
It later acquired the meaning of 'somebody that travels to a place that is holy to him/her'.

That really is all what it is to it linguistically, everything else is open to interpretation, mostly based of ones own perception / experience.

Worst case scenario: A pilgrim is one that is / does things like I am.

Buen Camino para tod@s l@s peregrinos, SY

 

[pilgrim b]

Worst case scenario: A pilgrim is one that is
Buen Camino para tod@s l@s peregrinos, SY

O Dear, I'm pilgrim b

 

[SYates]

Yes you are ;-) Buen Camino! SY

 

[AJ]

Worst case scenario: A pilgrim is one that is / does things like I am.

If one is truly honest then I think we can say that this is not the worst case scenario: it is the usual scenario. Hardly anyone is objective.

 

[GettingThere]

There are probably as many definitions of pilgrimage as there are/have been pilgrims. Dictionary definitions vary (the Oxford English Dictionary has several, including the rather broad "journey undertaken to a place of particular significance or interest, esp. as an act of homage, respect, etc."), and are extended by actual usage and evolve over time. At various times churches and other organisations and religions have had (or still have) "rules" which define what pilgrims are or must do, which may be different again. And then a multitude of individual motivations even within those rules/definitions.

I found this rather good (IMO) essay from the Guardian from 2012 which discusses the apparent "revival" in pilgrimage and what the term might mean to different people. The author says despite the issues with the word it "feels like a necessary term for describing how more and more people are choosing to make sense of their places and of themselves", and ends by referring to the poem Piers Plowman with the comment that "pilgrimage might serve as a kind of wonder-voyage, moving the pilgrim out of the verifiable and into the 'marvellous' ".

 

[LoneStar]

To me a pilgrimage is a meditation in boots. It is combination of the external journey with the internal journey. We get the chance to meet new people and we meet ourselves as well. We are often amazed by the sheer beauty and kindness of humanity. My boots usually take me to the mountains but I am so very glad that this past spring they took me to the Camino. Of course good food, beautiful scenery and amazing historical locations are an added bonus. This is hardly a universal definition but one that fits my vision of why I go on long walks.

 

[Felipe]

Adding to the thread: in Spanish, besides the usual in other languages, peregrino/a also means
"Extraño, especial, raro o pocas veces visto"
"Adornado de singular hermosura, perfección o excelencia" (upon Real Academia Española)
my poor translation to English:
"Strange, special, rare or rarely seen."
" Ornated with singular beauty, perfection or excellence".
as in
"una idea peregrina" (an odd, strange idea)
"de peregrina belleza" (of singular beautiness)

 

[kellyz]

I always think of a pilgrim as a seeker, with the connotation of also being an outsider (among other outsiders). I like the quotation: " "pilgrimage might serve as a kind of wonder-voyage, moving the pilgrim out of the verifiable and into the 'marvellous' " But at the same time it's lacking something to describe my personal experience of peregrination. The state of "wonder" strikes me as being one of curiosity without connection. The marvelous is distant, but the sublime--that's something else, and more related to awe than wonder. Anyway, I'm not sure I experience wonder or awe on pilgrimage, at least not frequently! My experiences have been more about simplicity, clarity, humility and openness.

 

[Former member 19626]

This was posted on the forum before and I would cite the source if I could find it!
Anyway, here is a poem I like.......

Six pilgrims on Camino
One night under the stars
Pondered at the wisdom
Of settling truths in bars

What is the real reason
For walking far and wide
Let no barrier be erected
Expose what you might hide

“It’s obvious,” said the writer
The Camino holds its sway
By romanticizing suffering
As each pilgrim makes their Way

“I disagree and I can prove it,”
Declared the Catholic Priest
“It’s scripture and repentance”
God’s shield against the Beast

“Hold on,” said the ageing hippie
Dead flowers in her hair
It’s spiritual not dogma
That draws me to this fair

Withdrawn until this moment
A vagabond with wine in hand
“For me a cheap vacation”
No roots, no home, no plan
“My demons, they are many”
And war my daily bread
The Camino Calls, I answer
Cleansing heart and soul of dread

It’s all of these and none of these
The Camino ebbs and flows
The same, yet ever changing
The truths each pilgrim knows

Buen Camino

 

[whariwharangi]

If John Wayne (or one of his characters) staggers (swaggers?) up to you and says 'howdy pilgrim' then you are one.

 

[julie]

So what would you say constitutes a pilgrim or a pilgrimage?

For me, it comes down to intention. I like long distance walking but there is a definite difference (for me anyway) between a walk and a pilgrimage. When I set out on one of the pilgrim ways, it is because I have the intention to go on pilgrimage and the feeling is quite different. I am more contemplative and often stop to pray.

The people I meet are also different and that enhances the idea of being on pilgrimage. It seems to me that the pilgrim routes are walked open-heartedly. On occasion, I've met people with the pilgrim glow on a regular long distance walk and, invariably, after discussion it has turned out that they have previously been on the Camino.

Other walks attract me because of the beauty of the surroundings or the villages appeal but you don't choose the Camino, it chooses you. I don't know how you define that but I'm sure you know what I mean. It's why we go back time after time and yet still sometimes wonder why we are there this time, what lesson is in store for us. Every pilgrimage has contained lessons that appeared at the right time in my life. I have not found that to be the case with long distance walks.

 

[kellyz]

The people I meet are also different and that enhances the idea of being on pilgrimage. It seems to me that the pilgrim routes are walked open-heartedly. On occasion, I've met people with the pilgrim glow on a regular long distance walk and, invariably, after discussion it has turned out that they have previously been on the Camino.

Yes, that is really a large part of what makes the Camino a different experience for me. I try to live out the Camino adage that "life is the Camino," but there's my struggle to keep my heart open, and then there's the realization that others may not even been trying to open their hearts, let alone see themselves as fellow pilgrims on the road of life. Just today I was taking a walk and thinking about this, when I came across some other walkers who happened to be shouting at each other on their way across the street, and I thought, are these people pilgrims? And if so, do they know it? And I started remembered that Camino is so special because we arrive with open hearts, or we open them pretty soon after.

 

[hecate105]

I also think tho' that we can be all openhearted one day and another day lose it completely - or is it just those travelling with their spouse...! We had some deeply moving moments and the experience has made us change the way we live - but we still had times when we were growling at each other fiercely. I think it is part of the natural ebb and flow of life..