The Way Of The Pilgrim

THE WAY OF THE PILGRIM

2 Cor 5:17

Every year since 650 AD Muslims celebrate the Hajj. The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca. According to Islamic beliefs every devout Muslim must attend at least one Hajj in their lifetime if they wish to guarantee their arrival in Paradise upon their death. This year the Hajj, which went from June 5 to July 6 , had over 2.5 million participants.

Do Christian’s make a pilgrimage? Many Christians would like to visit Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime. But, is it a requirement? Historically speaking, the Crusades would come close to being a mandatory pilgrimage. Pope Urban II in 1095 stated that anyone going on a Crusade to wrest Jerusalem from the infidels would have all their sins forgiven and a spot reserved for them in heaven. A rather cheeky promise since there is nothing in the Bible that suggests that a crusade would guarantee a trip to heaven.

However, in Christianity tens of thousands of people do make pilgrimages. A trip to Jerusalem is one. Another, is a trip to Rome. The third important pilgrimage is the one to Santiago de Campostella.

Santiago de Campostella is the capital of the province of Galicia, Spain. Located in the center of town is the Church of St. James. In a secure vault located in the church is a reliquary containing the bones of James, the Apostle. Or so they say.

Around 950 AD pilgrims began making their way to this church to pay homage to the sacred bones of James the Apostle. The numbers of people making this pilgrimage have waxed and wane over the centuries, but in 2023 over 300,000 Christians have made the trek. To go on this pilgrimage is a serious commitment. To be recognized as a pilgrimage and receive a document stating you have done so requires the following;

1. You must have walked the last 62 miles, or rode a bicycle or horse for the last 124 miles.

2. To verify that you have done so you must have a pilgrimage passport. Along the four main paths to St James are hostels, restaurants, and city halls that have special stamps. When you arrive at one of these stations, they will stamp your passport.

3. The five main trails to Santiago de Campostella can be found in:

France, which will require a trip over the Pyrenees Mountains

Germany, which will require a hike over the Alps

Poland, also requiring a hike over the Alps

Spain, starting near the border with Italy and going mostly along the coast line

Portugal, also going along the coastline.

The longest trail is almost 800 miles. The shortest is 125 miles. Most people surprisingly take the 500 mile trail in Spain, or the 300 mile trail in France.

This is a serious commitment. It can take almost 6 weeks to hike the 500 miles to the church. Fortunately, there are hostels that are free to the pilgrims along the way. Each one is placed approximately one days journey apart which on average is about 12 miles. All you have is what you can carry in your backpack.

Fortunately, most of the trail is well marked. It should be since people have been walking these trail for over a thousand years. Tourists also hop on the trail, but mostly for the scenery, especially along the coast lines of Portugal.

When you finally arrive at Santiago de Campostella, the Catholic diocese has an office where you present your pilgrims passport. They will confirm that you have abided by the rules and that you are serious pilgrim by asking a few questions and reviewing that all the stamps on your passport are legitimate. If you meet these requirements you will be presented a document, suitable for hanging on the wall, with the date and time of the completion of your pilgrimage.

Biblically, there is no requirement for you to make a pilgrimage to support your faith or ardor of your belief in Christ. Health wise, it couldn’t hurt to get a little exercise though. Many athletes will tell you that taking long walks, or biking a long distance is good for you mentally. It allows you to meditate on issues that maybe troubling you. But, as a requirement to show how devoted you are as a Christian? Not necessary.

Of course, as daunting as the miles one has to walk to Santiago de Campostella on a pilgrimage it pales in comparison to the hundreds, if not thousands of miles that Paul the Apostle walked as he established the various churches in the eastern Mediterranean.

Paul was a very talented individual and multifaceted. He was a church planter, administrator, theologian, writer and preacher. Of all the writers in the New Testament, Paul was the most concerned about what he believed to be the necessary hallmarks of a good Christian. In his Pastoral Epistles he would often chastise and correct the churches he helped establish. He also defined what the hierarchy and roles for each of the leaders should be. Furthermore, he established what kind of person should fulfill those roles in the church. He also mandated that each church should be actively evangelizing in their city, but at no time should they neglect their own members and their needs.