It has been a place of pilgrimage ever since and generations of pilgrims have taken the boat to the island and spent time in deep prayer and reflection. The traditional Lough Derg pilgrimage lasts for two days. The pilgrims undertake to begin fasting at midnight on the first day and travel to the island by boat during that morning.
When they get there they have to walk barefoot. It is a symbol of an aspiration to do self-punishment. The pilgrim then begins a series of ‘Stations’, it is series of prayers, gestures, walking, kneeling. All these are conducted in silence. During the course of three days, the pilgrims will complete the nine stations. Part of the Stations involves walking around the beds committed to a variety of saints.
Apart from walking barefoot, the major hardship is fasting for two days. This means that all the pilgrims have only two meals of dry toast and oatcakes and can only drink black tea, coffee or water. This remembrance of the way St Patrick lived when he was a monk.
Lough Derg’s strict routine helps us to gain self-knowledge; self discipline also helps us to provide the opportunity for spiritual growth to take place. Another thing we learn from Lough Derg is self sacrifice which is very important; it is the Christian’s calling through Baptism to lead a life of self sacrifice, so that we can better appreciate those whose lives are less fortunate than our own.
There is a play in Lough Derg called Four Masses. This means that the pilgrims in Lough Derg have to have four masses in forty eight hours. It is quite a lot to have four masses but it does emphasis the need for spiritual food and nourishment in our lives, something that is need long after the pilgrimage ends. There is another activity in Lough Derg which is very important part of Christians play. This activity called Renewal of Baptismal Vows. This reminds us that Christian pilgrimage begins with baptism and is a life long journey.
Now, I am going to talk about Lourdes located in France.
Lourdes is also a holy place of pilgrimage for Roman Catholics. In Lourdes there are many opportunities for prayer. Many people like to say the Hail Mary and rosary at some of the activities in Lourdes.
The difference between Lough Derg and Lourdes is that the people who go on pilgrimage to Lough Derg have to be silent because the image of walking softly with God suggests we can find him in silence, and therefore much of the pilgrimage is conducted in silence and they cannot sleep for two days. In Lourdes you don’t need to be silent and you get to sleep which is very good for the pilgrims. Lough Derg, people make their pilgrimage barefoot which takes the image quite literally but in Lourdes you do not have to walk around barefoot.
All the activities in Lough Derg are very much different to Lourdes. In Lourdes the activities are more relaxing and better in the religious life of Christian. One activity is to light candles which symbolize the light of God in Christians view. Lighting candles also keeps the people feeling more relaxed. But all the people in Lough Derg has to say quite a lot of prayers in the activities and there no plays which keeps the people relaxing such as lightning the candles, having fun and etc.
In Lourdes there is an activity called Praying at the Grotto. At this activity Catholics go to the Grotto which is the cave where Mary appeared to Bernadette. There is a statue of Mary there dressed as Bernadette described her. They have mass underneath the statue and people walk round this area to be where Mary appeared. They do this to be where Mary was and to get closer to God. It is a holy place and therefore it brings you closer to God.
One of the popular activity in Lourdes is Holy Water. This is one of the reasons for many pilgrims coming to Lourdes. As you might know Lourdes were becoming a famous holy place because of the holy water which healed about 65 people as I mentioned before. People drink this holy water and some people have bath in it. This special holy water is classed as miracle
The good opportunity you get in Lourdes and not in Lough Derg is that you get to have fun such as fun masses where the hymn singing is joyful especially for the disabled children and there are days out to the local country side where you can meet other Christians.