What is a pilgrimage, anyway?

Someone recently asked me what exactly a pilgrimage is and what it isn't. This is an excellent thing to consider. 

The English word “pilgrim" is derived from the Latin peregrinum, which conveys the idea of wandering over a distance, but not aimlessly or without intention.

Pilgrimage is practiced by many religions, and for those who don't believe in a religious tradition, a pilgrimage could be a way to reconnect with history or one's own past. In any context, it can provoke an inner journey. 

Myself, I make a twice-yearly pilgrimage to my favorite beach in Massachusetts; it has special significance in my past and always provides me with solace, no matter the season or tides.

From a Catholic perspective, the primary purpose of pilgrimage is to honor God by devoting a time for going outside the purely mundane and connecting with the Eternal in places that are regarded as holy. 

Pilgrimage can be experienced as a communal or a solitary adventure, but even a solitary pilgrim is upheld by the prayer and support of others.

I would say although pilgrimage can sometimes look like sightseeing, it is much more than that. Yes, there are travel plans, hotels, luggage, language considerations, and practicalities to consider, but the reverence and prayerfulness of visiting the holy sites (or places where meaningful events took place) departs from the general atmosphere of a purely sightseeing visit. 

It should also be mentioned that pilgrimage doesn't require a long trip or days of walking. Pilgrimage is what you want it to be based on your needs and capabilities. For example, I can make a yearly pilgrimage to a monastery that is only a few hours' drive. I can make a local pilgrimage to particular shrines that hold meaning for me as I pray there.

Recently, I went to a Marian shrine in Webster, NY to pray a Rosary, then I continued on Lake Road to a park on Lake Ontario, where I sat to pray by the water's edge. It was a tiny pilgrimage nestled into a morning I had off from work, and I returned to my home feeling reconnected and refreshed. 

Pilgrimage is always in the hands of God, despite the need to plan and make arrangements. For myself, I have to let God do his work and not try to control everything, which for many of us is challenging! This, too, is an aspect of being a pilgrim:  letting the experience unfold rather than controlling every moment; being led by grace.

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