As these pilgrims keep travelling to these religious, sacred sites there comes a time when in one way or the other, a remarkable point in their lives changes and bringing about unity, freedom, merits and protests.
They also gain the opportunity of buying or bringing back home ancient relics such as, special medals, crosses, and different artefacts. It is said that some have also brought back treasuring goods like bibles which, in spaces between them contains fine sands which is said to have come from the tomb where Jesus stayed for three consecutive nights.
Pilgrims have also brought back home books, which have helped, deliberately in prayers especially for the Roman Catholics in their Christian lives and practise.
Most people go on a pilgrimage to renew their faith and their relationship with God. Because the whole idea of the pilgrimage is related to their faith, they also believe that it will make a difference to how they run their everyday lives. Some people go on a pilgrimage for repentance.
This may be because they have done something specifically wrong, and want forgiveness, or just for general sins. It would make a person feel better in themselves if they have done penance for their sins, and they would that God is just in forgiving them. Another benefit of going on a pilgrimage is the fellowship that will be received. People will be going to a place with like-minded people who have similar beliefs.
A pilgrimage is a good time in which someday could spend a lot of time in prayer and reflection. They can reflect on there lives and how they are running, but also forget there everyday problems and concentrate on deep and thoughtful prayer, and communication worth God. Also knowledge could be deepened and people could help others and care for those in need.
They have also gained special favours in their every day lives like the feeling of…. Being healed.
Most of the time pilgrims come with sick relatives or thy come themselves to acquire healing. These pilgrims in most cases bring water bottles to collect holy water, which they return to sick relatives. Some times when these pilgrims leave, they don't get physically healed but they know that they have been spiritually healed and they feel like they have been reborn.
Different places of pilgrimage will provoke different reasons for going on an pilgrimage, for example Lourdes will normally receive a lot of visitors who are sick or disabled, where as those who go to the holy land will most likely go to re-inact the bible.
When these pilgrims start this scared journey, they always feel that they have countless of sins but at the end of the pilgrimage, they come to feel that their hearts have been washed and are now as pure as snow. They go back home with no feelings of guilt retained in them. In other words they have a feeling that their sins have been forgiven.
They sometimes come from different places and from different social backgrounds but at the course of the journey, they come together and unite as one big family.
Some of these pilgrims have come to these sacred places for self- punishment. The feel that they have done so many wrongs in their lives and they therefore seek for ways to punish themselves spiritually. In other words they seek for penance throughout the course of the journey.
Finally, some of these pilgrims have come to pray for relatives, friends that are back home who need special prayers. Intercession basically takes place because most of the time, the relative being prayed for cannot make it to the holy site due to one reason or the other.
Most Christians also go on pilgrimages because…
Some are seeking for inspiration. Some desire a new perspective, a change of mind. It also happens that some are studying towards various spiritual paths and also learning methods of meditation.
Some pilgrims could be deeply questioning their life's purpose while some are committed to the idea and practise of pilgrimage. Some of them might in a possible way be purifying their heart's confusions, giving way to clarity.
While others may not possibly know why they are making a pilgrimage but are following their feelings and intuition. Some are doing penance and some maybe, basically wants to be in harmony with the natural world. Some are curious or wish to observe, while others are spiritual adventurers.
A pilgrimage could also be looked upon as a religious holiday, in which you could make new friends, have fun and maybe even get a suntan! Yet all this would be done while developing your relationship with God. The friends made could easily become friends for life, and there may even be a possibility of meeting them on future pilgrimages. This, even though of not significant religious importance is a good benefit of going on a pilgrimage.
Most pilgrims want to calm their minds and find peace. And some are singers and writers looking for something to sing and write about.
Some may be seeking for historical contents and others are seeking for miracle through the medium of God.
Many people visit places where Jesus had travelled in his life, to help the bible to come to life. Following the footsteps Jesus took to the cross, and seeing that place where he was horrifically crucified would make the story of the crucifixion come to life, and strengthen peoples faiths and beliefs.
Every one should go on pilgrimage because as one comes back from the sacred sites, the return as a new person and as one whom has a deeper faith for his religion. It is also advisable for youths to go on pilgrimage because there are many youth programmes set up to inspire the youths.
There are many reason people go on pilgrimages, and the reasons all aid their relationship with God and enable people to live their life in a better way. Pilgrimage can be the most rewarding spiritual adventure and retreat from this world and for your soul.
By Finn Mcnulty