Religious Tourism

Pilgrimage or religious travel is one of the eldest tourism forms that date back in history. Among the first tourists were pilgrims of Middle Age.

 

A religious travel aims for three most important reasons.

 

One of them - and the most widely spread aim - is visiting some symbolic place. The believers walk or ride to the places where legendary and important religious events happened. Many pilgrims visit Bethlehem, Mecca, Vatican,

Jerusalem, orthodox churches and mosques, catholic and protestant temples.

 

It was in Middle Ages when people believed that at such “centres of faith” their prayers have special powers. Linked with the names of prophets, gods and saints, or the blessing signs, these places attracted many pilgrims.

 

But not only world religions have these sanctuaries. A great interest for the ancient pagan religions prompts people to seek for the pagan temples of old. Slavic and Celtic pagan temples are reborn and still keep memory and old powers. Surely they are religious destinations.  

 

The second aim is healing. A deep-seated faith that relics, icons, altars, menhirs, a touch of Pope’s hand have healing powers moves people to travel. We can’t say what exactly heals: a placebo effect of a strong real faith - or mystic, divine powers - but the facts say: it’s true. Blind people recovered their sight, lepers got rid of their disease and cripples began to walk.

 

More important healing, unseen with an eye - is spiritual healing. Atoning for sins or perceiving wisdom under guidance of a wise master - in East or West, it’s alike. To become wiser, better, to get rid of the sins - a man must “carry a cross”.  A penance was an often detention of Middle Age priests. Wearing only a shirt and no shoes a “sinner” should have made a long way for a sacred object and back.

 

The aim number three is quite common and human: curiosity. Being an Orthodox Christian or a Catholic, or a Protestant, you can’t miss a chance to visit a mosque, can you? More over, tourists often try to not only visit the temple, but manage to attend worship.

 

It may happen that a small town has nothing but a temple among its sights. And it does make the town a nice destination!

 

There is a “religious tourism inside-out”. Could you guess?

 

It’s the situation when a famous relic or icon travels to the believers by itself (well, escorted by guards and priests, of course). Then it stops at towns and villages and people come to pray, to touch, and to bend before this sacred thing.