There are many places of Christian pilgrimage. Santiago de Compostela in Spain is a place of Christian pilgrimage. People travel from all over the world to this place and the church where Saint James’ (one on the 12 Disciples) bones are supposed to be buried. Saint James was taken prisoner by Herodes Agrippa and tortured to death. Herod Agrippa refused to bury his body but Jacob's disciples stole the body and brought him to his church and buried him there. Now the Pope Alexander III declared it a Holy Town. Lourdes is also an important place of Christian Worship. In the small French town, situated on the Pyrenees, the Holy Mary was seen. In 1858 a young girl Marie Bernard saw Mary; she appeared 18 times to Marie. Now the place is seen with great importance.
Christians take part in many spiritual activities on pilgrimages. Some people pay respect by praying to God and thanking him, or asking him for help. Many people go to mass to show their respect or go to confession. There are many different things a pilgrim can do. It depends on the place.
In Santiago de Compostela, some pilgrims go as far as following the path that Saint James walked. Also at the cathedral mass is held there everyday and is open to everyone. Many pilgrims queue to kiss a pillar to show there love and devotion.
In Lourdes many Christians go to mass every morning and pray to God. Some may go the Actual site where Mary was seen and pay their respects there. Also the ill and unwell may bath in the water as it is supposed to have healing powers. Some people actually do benefit from this.
Christian see life as a journey. When they are born their journey begins. The aim of most of these journeys is to become closer to God and eventually return to him.
In Santiago de compostella I have mention that the pilgrims often follow the walk of Saint James. This helps them understand what he went through, and following his journey gives them a spiritual connection. Many may feel closer to God and forget their worries and have a clear mind.
In Lourdes I have mentioned that Many Pilgrims will visit the site where Mary was seen and they will pray to her. This place helps the pilgrims to focus. It may feel to them that there is a special energy there and that Mary is still there but just can’t be seen by all, but her presence can be felt.
Going on pilgrimage and taking part in these activities help people in many different ways. Going on pilgrimage can heal people mentally and physically. Some people that have travelled to Lourdes on Pilgrimage and bathed in the holy water have become physically healed, e.g. and almost blind woman bathed her eyes in the water everyday she was there. Her eyes began to get worse as the days went on, but her belief in the healing power of the water kept her going. Then while sitting in mass trying to read her hymn book she raised her head and looked at the one in front of her and then she realised that she could see. Not perfect but better that it was. Her belief in the healing power of the water may have made this happen but she believes that it was Mary’s power. There are records in Lourdes of un explained healings some are classed as miracles. Others may feel healed mentally. Many sick people need help to cope with their condition. They feel like going on Pilgrimage clears their mind and gives them inner peace. This may help them cope for the rest of the year.
Some people thing that pilgrimages tend to be very commercialized these days, and that this is bound to reduce the value of the pilgrimage for the Christians.
Commercialism may help make pilgrimage more appealing to the younger generation if it is livelier. This is important because les of the younger people go on pilgrimages. So if more worship is aimed at the younger generation they will eventually grow to be more religious. Commercialism also brings more opportunities for people to meet fellow Christians with similar if not equivalent beliefs. These opportunities to meet other people will attract more people to the area of pilgrimage, as the thought of meeting people with the same beliefs appeals to them. As more visitors arrive they add to the sense of a community. Souvenirs are used as a reminder of that pilgrimage. And can be taken home and given to others to share the experience. This may get more people interested and intrigued in pilgrimages.
More commercialism means more profits. The money produced from commercialism of a pilgrimage site like Lourdes could keep a family alive. It would seem quite unchristian to stop people from making a living. Commercialism of pilgrimage site can make it more accessible. They are more likely to be advertised in brouchers and so there for it will cost less and be more accessible to pilgrims.
I and many other Christians believe that commercialization of a pilgrimage site devalues the spiritual aspect of pilgrimage, and may distract people from the true meaning.
Exploiting people's beliefs to make profit is wrong. It says this in the bible in the New Testament, when Jesus turned the moneylenders out of the temple, believing it to be wrong to do business on such a holy place. So the very fact that there is trading being done on a Holy place of pilgrimage is very bad. If a place is swarming with people it becomes difficult for the elderly, disabled or the sick to get around. These groups unfairly suffer at the because of the people who are there for the commercial reasons.
