"Explain the part Pilgrimage plays in the life of Christians"

When on pilgrimages, miracles can happen, big and small. I did some research on the internet and here is a story which made an impact on me. Mr. Micheli had a large tumor in his left pelvic area. A biopsy showed that the tumor was an aggressive, usually fatal form of cancer. For some reason, the man did not receive treatments for ten months as his skeleton was disintegrating. The man went to Lourdes, where he was bathed. Reports from the Medical Commission of Lourdes record that the man had lost significant amounts of weight, was in constant pain, and was unable to eat. After his return from Lourdes, Mr. Micheli began to regain his appetite and noticed more mobility in his legs. About one month later, doctors took X-rays. The man's cancer had decreased significantly in size. Then in May, 1963, the tumor disappeared and, as reported by physician Larry Dossey, "Another event happened that was even more amazing than the disappearance of the tumor. The bone of the pelvis, hip, and femur began to regrow, and with time completely reconstructed itself! Two months after being bathed at Lourdes, Micheli went for a walk." The physician's report of Mr. Micheli's case read, in part, "The X-rays confirm categorically and without doubt that an unforeseen and even overwhelming bone reconstruction has taken place of a type unknown in the annals of world medicine. The patient is alive and in a flourishing state of health nine years after his return from Lourdes." This is certainly an example of a life changing experience as a result of pilgrimage.

 Apart from the big miracles such as this one, pilgrims witness small significant miracles that are only noticed by them. An example of how pilgrimage changes lives is one about a girl in my school who suffers from Downs Syndrome, after going on pilgrimage to Lourdes Maria gained confidence and could talk openly to a class (something she wouldn’t have considered doing before). After looking at a video on Pilgrimage to Lourdes in Class, it is clear that amongst many unfortunate or unhappy people, there is much happiness. ‘The hardest thing about going to Lourdes is actually leaving, the people I met there were so true to themselves and I learnt to be like it too, I could finally accept things that I was conscious about like my weight’, Said my relative who gained confidence in her time in Lourdes. From what I can gather from interviews and other accounts of pilgrimages I can see that anything can be gained on pilgrimage, if pilgrims set individual goals, big or small, and if they fully involve themselves and be open to new ideas and new people, anything can be gained and it can change their life.