Statistics show that religiosity in Poland is still very high. This is especially true of the elderly, for whom faith is an inseparable element of culture or even national identity. No wonder that pilgrimages are the favorite form of trips for seniors. What should you know before going on a pilgrimage?

Pilgrimage is not a new invention, let alone a Polish invention. We, Poles, love pilgrimages, but it is worth knowing that this form of religiosity was already used in antiquity, even in ancient Israel. Every pious Jew was required to visit the holy city of Jerusalem once a year. Muslims have also been making pilgrimages to their holy places for many centuries. So when we go on this type of trip, we can feel part of not only Christian history, but part of human history in general. This awareness can be extremely refreshing for us.

Why are we on pilgrimage?

One of the most characteristic forms of realizing one's religiosity is pilgrimage. It has a deep genesis dating back to ancient times and has always been trying to fulfill three basic tasks.

Firstly, it serves to demonstrate one's religiosity, to go out into the world with it, so it plays a missionary and advertising role - speaking in a secular language. Second, it is some kind of allegory, a reminder that we are here in the world only for a moment. Therefore, our whole life is a kind of pilgrimage, a journey to another world, to which we are getting closer, whether we like it or not. And finally, thirdly - we always offer the trouble of pilgrimage for some intention, for ourselves, our loved ones, with a request for forgiveness, with thanksgiving or in some other matters that we carry in our head or heart.

If we feel an inner need to take part in some kind of pilgrimage, it is worth considering the matter carefully, because it is not an ordinary trip. Consider what we would like to do and for what purpose. It can be said that the whole world today is a pilgrim. There are many possible forms, directions and terms, and undoubtedly, every pilgrim will find something for himself. What questions should you answer?

First of all: What is our goal?

Some people go on a pilgrimage with a purely religious intention. They want to visit some specific sanctuary of St.Poland or abroad to pray, make a request or thank you for something. Then, of course, our interest is limited to one destination and we choose a group of similar pilgrims.

When in August each year crowds of people go to Jasna Góra Monastery, we know that they set such a simple goal for themselves. But that's not the only possible motivation.

Here is someone else who may be thinking: I would like to visit a holy place, but also visit the country where this place is located. Then, of course, we undertake the organization of such a trip in a completely different way. We must then plan our pilgrimage in such a way that, in addition to religious purposes, we also carry out the sightseeing. Find places on the map that we would definitely like to visit and try to adjust our plans to the basic goal, i.e. religious experiences.

Still other pilgrims, focusing on religious goals, do not think of just one place. For example, they want to visit all Marian shrines in Poland. The goal is only spiritual, but the organization of the trip is much more complicated.

Second: How strong do we feel?

This is probably the most important element of our pilgrimage scenario. There are pilgrimage routes in Europe that are several thousand kilometers long. For example, from Warsaw you can go on an organized pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Over 3,000 kilometers. If that is not enough, he can walk to Jerusalem. It is nearly 4,000 kilometers. And if someone dreams of a pilgrimage across the ocean, for example from the sanctuary in Guadalupe, he or she has to travel over 10,000 kilometers one way.

Everything is possible these days. Unfortunately, we seniors must take into account the capabilities of our body. It is easy to decide on an extreme venture, it is more difficult to implement such a plan. Therefore, reason is important that our religious rapture only brings us good fruit.

We can assure you with all responsibility that God does not care that we lose our he alth on the pilgrimage route. So if the planning goes into the implementation phase, let's check what exactly is included in the travel plan proposed by the organizer, the kilometers necessary to go, the temperatures in the places we are going to, the pace at which you will have to move, and the conditions of stay and food in the places of accommodation.

Third: What can we do?

Have we already examined the state of our soul and the state of our he alth? It's time to look at the condition of our bank account. We will not be able to afford every trip and it is worth adjusting oursdreams to the realities we live in.

If we have enough strength and want to take part in the walking pilgrimage to Jasna Góra, the costs we will have to bear will be small (in proportion to the low level of comfort during our escapade. But this is her greatest charm!). But if we decide on a foreign pilgrimage organized by a travel agency, with flights, coach transit and accommodation in high-class hotels, the costs that we must expect are thousands of zlotys, sometimes even many thousands.

Fourth: how to go about organizing the pilgrimage?

The possibilities are endless. If we have a specific goal and budget, everything else depends on us. In today's modern and comfortable world, where service companies are able to meet virtually every consumer wish, we will be able to plan a pilgrimage without any problems. Let's list some of the most popular ways of making a pilgrimage:

  • Parish pilgrimages

Contrary to the saying "church mills grind slowly", we can see that parish communities are trying to introduce modern methods of evangelization, as well as respond to the needs of the faithful. Hence, every self-respecting parish organizes pilgrimage trips to the most popular places of worship. This, of course, enlivens and integrates the local community, but it can also be a way of supporting the budget. Simply put, the parish earns money by organizing such pilgrimages in order to obtain funds for development, investments or charity activities. So let's first look for pilgrimage opportunities in your immediate vicinity, we will surely find something for ourselves.

  • Specialized travel agencies

There is demand, there is supply. Some tour operators began to specialize in organizing pilgrimages. Such offices, apart from providing the usual tourist base, airplanes, coaches, hotels, also provide the care of guides and priests. Priests cooperating with this type of institution make sure that the prayerful nature of the trip is preserved. Such clergymen are often high-class specialists in the field of church history or biblical studies. Most often they know the history of the places we are going to, their religious and cultural significance very well.

  • Travel on your own

Nobody will forbid us to organize a pilgrimage on our own. Such an endeavor is quite difficult for several reasons. We have to arrange the route, find transport and accommodation.

Individual pilgrims do not have the samerights as organized groups (e.g. during organized pilgrimages, participation in a mass organized in the sanctuary or participation in a general audience in Rome, which is more difficult to organize individually). Independent pilgrims are also not allowed everywhere (for example, in the area of ​​monasteries), they also do not have the opportunity to take advantage of the knowledge of pilgrimage guides, and most often they have to pay more for admission to museums or hotel accommodation. Despite all these difficulties, it is a very good solution for a large number of pilgrims.

For all those who want to dictate the pace of their journey, the time spent in each of the places they visit. It is also a way to calm down, for a bit of meditation, for individual prayer. After all, it is supposed to be a spiritual experience. The deeper the silence around us, the deeper the experience will be.

About the authorMałgorzata Wójcik The editor in charge of the website. Journalist with 25 years of experience. From the beginning, she was associated with the subject of children and he alth - she worked, among others. in the magazine "M jak mama". At mjakmama.pl, she specializes in pregnancy and childbirth. Privately - mother of three adolescent children. He is eager to read and walks in the woods with his dog.

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Category:

Geriatrics