PILGRAMAGE

• Pilgrimage


  A religious journey to a holy site or sacred place, seen as an act of worship and devotion
• Reasons for going on pilgrimage


  • To get closer to God
  • To strengthen faith
  • To seek healing
  • To learn more about religion
  • To fulfill a religious duty
  • To be inspired by religious figures
  • To seek guidance, answers or wisdom from God
• Two contrasting places of pilgrimage are Lourdes in France and Iona in Scotland
• Lourdes


  An important place of Catholic pilgrimage in southern France
• Lourdes


  • 5 million pilgrims visit each year
  • 70 miracles have been officially recognized by the church
  • Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette 18 times in 1858
• History of Lourdes


  1. Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in 1858

  2. Told Bernadette to dig, and a spring with healing water appeared

  3. Mary instructed a chapel to be built and for processions to be held
• Activities at Lourdes


  • Praying in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Attending mass in the Grotto where the visions occurred
  • Praying the rosary
  • Drinking or bathing in the healing spring water
  • Participating in torchlight Marian processions
  • Visiting the Bernadette Museum
• Significance of Lourdes


  • Over 200 million pilgrims have visited since 1858
  • Seen as a place to strengthen faith and experience spiritual/physical healing
• Iona


  An island off the coast of Scotland, another place of Christian pilgrimage
• Iona is a contrasting place of pilgrimage to Lourdes
• Pilgrimage


  A journey to a place of spiritual importance and significance
• Lords


  • Huge Basilica
  • Large Marian procession every night
  • Associated with apparitions of the Virgin Mary
  • Known for miracles and healing
• Iona


  • Small island
  • Quiet and peaceful
  • Associated with Saint Columba and the founding of the first early Monastery and Abbey
  • Long-standing place of pilgrimage since 7th century
• Visiting Lords


  Can lead to a renewed sense of faith and spiritual healing
• Visiting Iona


  Can lead to feelings of closeness with God, inner peace, and spiritual renewal
• Reasons people go to Lords


  • Pray for miracles and healing
  • Attend Marian procession
• Activities at Lords


  • Pray at The Grotto
  • Attend masses
  • Collect healing water
• Reasons people go to Iona


  • Personal reasons
  • Pray and study the Bible
  • Connect with nature and the island's history
• Activities at Iona


  • Attend daily service at the Abbey
  • Join weekly pilgrimage walk
  • Pray and reflect privately
• Iona is described as a place with a "thin veil between Heaven and Earth"
• Iona has been a place of pilgrimage since the 7th century, while Lords has only been a place of pilgrimage since the 19th century
• Visiting Lords


  Can have a profound effect on one's faith and spiritual well-being
• Visiting Iona


  Can lead to a feeling of closeness with God and spiritual renewal
• Pilgrimage

  A religious journey to a holy site or sacred place, seen as an act of worship and devotion
• Reasons for going on pilgrimage

  • To get closer to God
  • To strengthen faith
  • To seek healing
  • To learn more about religion
  • To fulfill a religious duty
  • To be inspired by religious figures
  • To seek guidance, answers or wisdom from God
• For the exam, two contrasting places of pilgrimage need to be known
• Lourdes, France

  An important place of Catholic pilgrimage
• Iona, Scotland

  A contrasting place of pilgrimage to Lourdes
• History of Lourdes

  1. 1858 - Virgin Mary appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette 18 times

  2. Bernadette told to dig, and a spring with healing powers appeared

  3. Virgin Mary instructed a chapel to be built and for processions to be held
• What people do at Lourdes

  • Visit and pray in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Attend mass in The Grotto where the visions occurred
  • Pray the rosary at The Grotto
  • Drink or bathe in the water from the spring
  • Take part in torchlight Marian processions
  • Visit the Bernadette Museum
• Importance of Lourdes

  • Over 200 million people have attended Lourdes on pilgrimage
  • Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared 18 times
  • The healing water is believed to have miraculous powers
  • It is seen as a spiritual place that strengthens faith and brings people closer to God
• Impact of visiting Lourdes

  • Strengthens faith
  • Provides spiritual healing
  • May lead to physical healing
  • Feelings of inner peace and togetherness
  • Increased sense of religious identity
  • Spiritual renewal
• Lourdes is sometimes referred to as the "Disneyland of Catholicism"
• Iona is an island off the coast of Scotland, contrasting with the large crowds at Lourdes
• Pilgrimage

  A journey to a place of spiritual importance and significance
• Lords

  • Huge Basilica
  • Large Marian procession every night
  • Associated with apparitions of the Virgin Mary
  • Known for miracles and healing
• Iona

  • Small island
  • Quiet and peaceful
  • Associated with Saint Columba and the founding of the first early Monastery and Abbey
  • Long-standing place of pilgrimage since 7th century
• Visiting Lords


  Can lead to a renewed sense of faith and spiritual healing
• Visiting Iona


  Can lead to feelings of closeness with God, inner peace, and spiritual renewal
• Reasons people go to Lords


  • Pray for miracles and healing
  • Attend Marian procession