Pilgrims and Pilgrimages

[jirit]

Today we commonly think of pilgrimages as being journeys to places of scared, religious or spiritual importance made by people we call pilgrims.

However, the word pilgrim comes from Latin – peregrinus, a term used to describe a foreigner or stranger from another land, from abroad.

Later during the Middle Ages, the term “pilegrim” was used, this word itself derived from Old French word “pelegrin” (itself derived from “la peregrinus” or foreigner). The English used the word “peregrine” meaning a person that wanders through farm fields.

Obviously the primary of transportation in the first millennium was walking, so the term pilgrimage comes from the word "peregrinari" translated from "be on the road" or "the stranger to be in walking." Today we obviously have more choices of transportation.

The terms “peregrinus” (pilgrims) and "peregrinari" (pilgrimage) gained religious importance in the first millennium, when Romans, describing Christians who were traveling to places like Rome and later places like Santiago, used these words. These Christians were strangers from abroad (not normally Romans from the city of Rome, for example) walking along roads, and through farm fields, to a scared places like Rome and later Santiago.

Today most people from all backgrounds make pilgrimages to various places, not all places being particularly religious but maybe scared or spiritual. Most travel using other forms of transportation (car, train or plane for example) and very few actually walk there. For example, more people arrive in Santiago by plane or train than by foot.

My questions to all:

What makes the act of “walking” across Spain to Santiago a “pilgrimage” as compared to simply arriving there by say train or car?

Do you think more of yourself as a “pilgrim” when you walk to, instead of simply driving to Santiago?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

What makes the act of “walking” across Spain to Santiago a “pilgrimage” as compared to simply arriving there by say train or car?
Do you think more of yourself as a “pilgrim” when you walk to, instead of simply driving to Santiago?

IMHO Pilgrimage is time apart from normal life to journey to a Holy Place. In my view the mode of transport is irrelevant - aeroplanes, boats, trains, cars, horses, bicycles, buses and of course walking. All is pilgrimage - it is defined by the journey and the destination. To me, pilgrimage is a state of mind and heart.

I don't think I am any more of a pilgrim here in Santiago because I walked 1300 kms to get here as opposed to someone who cycled 200 kms or came on a bus with a group from their parish somewhere in Spain.

What do you think?

 

[jirit]

I don't think I am any more of a pilgrim here in Santiago because I walked 1300 kms to get here as opposed to someone who cycled 200 kms or came on a bus with a group from their parish somewhere in Spain.

What do you think?

Hi JohnnieWalker

On the camino, I always had the sense that by using one’s own energy through walking or biking as compared to using a mechanic means to journey to Santiago that this was more pure, more authentic, more traditional, etc - hence a more genuine pilgrimage.

I say this with all due respect, because along the camino, some pilgrims look down at those pilgrims that ride bikes, while others call pilgrims that taken guided tours whereby a transport van picks them up from time to time - “fake pilgrims.” Moreover, I doubt very much, pilgrims that walked into Santiago would hug and congratulate those pilgrims that happened to arrive in Santiago that morning by train or bus.

That is why I asked the questions. I am curious to understand what other people think

 

[David]

This is such a good question!

For me - my personal opinion, not a judgement - I think that for a pilgrimage to be a pilgrimage one has to walk alone - meeting others along the way, yes, but essentially to be alone. Mainly because if one travels with a friend there is too much talking and not enough reflection, introspection.
Too much "what Sylvia/John would think about this .. oh yes, they should never have got divorced, I hear Stephen is applying for that new job, I hope the new boiler is installed when I return home, last winter was awful, oh, what a lovely church, a bit like the one we saw on our holiday last year in Bognor ..." sort of thing.
Whereas for the solitary pilgrim the foot journey is two-sided, the external physical journey being a mirror, or metaphor, of the internal spiritual journey.

Arriving at a sacred site by train/plane/boat/car, etc is a different thing - not somehow 'lesser' but different. Their 'journey' happens when they are there. The preparation and thinking about the shrine has been almost the same (?) but the inner process is done in a different way. Following the rites and rituals of the shrine is its own journey, both inner and outer and the destination, surely, is the same.
But I do think that the thing about solitary pilgrimage is also true for those who arrive by machine - it is a special thing, a special process - initiation into connection with other really - and if one is chattering away and taking photographs it is merely another holiday destination, not a pilgrimage to a sacred shrine.