Virtual Pilgrims

sillydoll · Sep 14, 2006

When I was planning to walk the Via Francigena to Rome, a dear, elderly woman said to me:
"I would love to go to Rome, but I know that I never will. I would pray in Rome for my children and grandchildren who have moved away from the church and no longer take part in the scaraments."
She proudly showed me a photograph of her children and grandchildren - 14 in all.
I asked her to make a copy for me that I could carry with me on our journey. Wherever I had my 'pilgrim passport' stamped, I got a stamp for Shirley as well. When we returned home I sent it to her. She was absolutely delighted - especially with the Vatican stamp.
(I don't know if it has made any difference to her children's church attendance!)
Wouldn't it be nice if we could 'carry' other pilgrim friends with us on our caminos? I recently sent a small photo of myself (hugging the saint in Santiago) to a complete stranger who is amember of this Forum. She has agreed to carry me with her to Santiago.
I can't wait to start my virtual pilgrimage!

Dael · Sep 14, 2006

Hi Sil,
On my first Camino I heard of a version of virtual Caminos. Pilgrims who were unable to complete their journey gave another Pilgrim "something" of theirs to carry on to Santiago.
(This may not be a true story but is nice anyway - a lady pilgrim who had to go home cut off her pigtail and a male pilgrim wore it pinned to his hat all the way to Santiago).
I have had the honour and pleasure of carrying mementoes of others with me, and left them in Santiago, as the doners requested.
I believe that in the Cathedral is a basket into which you can place written 'wishes' but I couldn't find it this year. Does anybody know which side chapel it is in?
While cycling through France on our first Camino people used to shout something to us as we passed (I don't speak French). We found out that they were asking us to pray for them in Santiago. This brought home to me the high regard that Pilgrims are held in by non-pilgrims. The list grew quite lengthy by the end of our journey.
Yours Aye
Dael

Peter Robins · Sep 14, 2006

back in the good old days, 'Pray for me/us at Compostela' was a standard greeting on the Camino. It was the title of a 1978 French book on the subject. Because nos of pilgrims have become so large, I think it's more or less died out now. A pity, as it's a nice concept.

JohnnieWalker · Sep 14, 2006

Is it also true that local people would touch passing pilgrims almost as if they wanted to share the journey with them?

sillydoll · Sep 14, 2006

Virtual Pilgrim

Last year, a fellow I barely knew who lives in my hometown of Durban in South Africa, walked the Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan.
I have been collecting info on the 88 temple pilgrimage for years and when I offered to share what I had with him, he offered to take my photo with him.
When he returned, he had a get-together for 12 'virtual' pilgrims who had journeyed with him. He told us that each evening he would lay our photos out at the temple shrine and remember us in his chanting.
Isn't that wonderful! I will probably never get to walk the 88 temple pilgrimage (even though it is in my wish-list box) but I almost felt as though I had travelled with Bob to Japan and on the Shikoku pilgrim trail.
If it gave me a lift, surely we can give others a lift by offering to 'carry' them with us on our pilgrimages?