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Why the Oldest Form of Travel Could Be the Most Popular in a Post-COVID World

Dr. Heather Warfield, pilgrimage researcher, explains the modern-day pilgrimage and how to plan one that's meaningful to you.

Many of us may not be able to travel for Thanksgiving this year, but pilgrimages predate Plymouth Rock and are likely to be a popular type of trip once the industry recovers from the ravages of COVID-19.

Don’t just take our word for it: We sat down with Dr. Heather Warfield, an associate professor in the Applied Psychology department at Antioch University and editor of the forthcoming book series "Pilgrimage Studies" (Peter Lang Publishers) to learn what her research can teach us about pilgrimages and the way we think about them.

Travel + Leisure: How would you define a pilgrimage?

Dr. Heather Warfield: "Pilgrimages are the oldest form of travel, so when we think about a pilgrimage we need to position it within that context: That people for millennia have, either through agricultural or other time cycles, left their communities either collectively or as individuals to go to shrines or temples and to give offerings. In many of these places, these sacred sites are believed to be inhabited by a deity or there’s a connection with a creator or ancestors in some way. My colleague Michael Di Giovine talks about pilgrimages being 'a hyper-meaningful journey,' and I really like that definition because it focuses on the meaning, which is really at the heart of what differentiates a regular form of travel or leisure from pilgrimage; it is the meaning or transformation that occurs."

You’ve said that pilgrimages will be a popular form of travel once the world moves past COVID. Why do you think that’s true?

"There are a number of factors all converging together. One of them is global in the sense that we have been forced inside, both literally and figuratively, where people have been disconnected. So people have had the opportunity to think about what’s important and have slowed down where we are not rushing around commuting. I mean we have meeting fatigue, but we’re thinking about our values and what we want to pursue once we are out of this quarantine state. So I think post-COVID travel is going to include scenarios where people will want to have an experience that is more focused on meaning as opposed to travel as a commodity. Also, the mental health toll that COVID has taken is pretty significant; we’re seeing a lot of increased depression, anxiety, and isolation. People are going to want to seek out meaningful connections with other people and one way to do this can be a pilgrimage. Finally, many travel indicators show that people will be more engaged in the natural world — and since there are so many sacred sites located in nature, people will be engaging in a new way with places such as mountains, trees, lakes, and natural trails."

What are some popular pilgrimages that people were taking pre-COVID?

"One pilgrimage that has exploded is the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes in Europe. There are many pathways, but one of the main pathways is the Camino Frances, which is a trail that goes from France to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Santiago, Spain. The Hajj pilgrimage, which is the Islamic pilgrimage focused on the Kaaba in Mecca, is also a well-known pilgrimage, simply because it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. In general, Holy Land pilgrimages where people will go to places that are significant to the Abrahamic faiths are rather prominent. There are also a number of notable pilgrimage routes in Japan."

Do pilgrimages have to be religious?

"No. Some examples of non-religious pilgrimages can include literary pilgrimages: visiting one’s ancestral home; sports pilgrimages such as going to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin; visits to battlefields and/or war ruins; many new trails and routes such as St. Olav Ways in Norway, the Deeside Way in Scotland, Walk of Peace along the WWI Isonzo Front trail in Slovenia; and trails that follow the Underground Railroad in the United States."

Is there a special way to prepare for a pilgrimage as opposed to a typical vacation?

"Yes, the preparation is very important because this is a sacred endeavor. I’ve interviewed people who’ve said they feel it’s the only time they take off work where they don’t feel guilty. That’s more of a commentary on American work culture, but the idea of being able to disengage from the routine to do something that feels sacred is important. The sacrifice is quite prominent for people where they might have been saving for a decade or maybe their husband or wife died, and they have something from that person they’re going to take with them. I also think that people need to prepare in some way for how they might be changing and what that might look like. Some people don’t prepare enough in that area to realize that they come back very different; they might not fit in their social construct anymore, and that requires some kind of response."

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What Is A Pilgrimage And Why Would Somebody Do One?

Published: December 19, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Wynnie Dufour

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Introduction

Embarking on a Journey of Spiritual and Personal Significance

Pilgrimage, a word that resonates with spiritual and historical significance, has been a timeless tradition across cultures and faiths. The concept of pilgrimage transcends mere travel; it embodies a profound journey of the soul, a quest for spiritual fulfillment, and a pursuit of personal growth. Whether driven by religious devotion, historical reverence, or a yearning for self-discovery, individuals have embarked on pilgrimages for countless centuries, seeking solace, enlightenment, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

The allure of pilgrimage lies in its ability to transcend the mundane and transport participants into a realm of introspection, self-discovery, and cultural immersion. From ancient religious sites to revered natural wonders, pilgrimage destinations offer a tapestry of experiences that speak to the human spirit in profound ways. As we delve into the multifaceted nature of pilgrimage, we unravel the historical, religious, and personal significance that continues to draw individuals to embark on this transformative journey.

Defining Pilgrimage

Exploring the Essence of Pilgrimage

At its core, pilgrimage can be defined as a sacred journey undertaken with a profound purpose, often involving travel to a revered destination, such as a religious site, shrine, or historically significant location. This purpose-driven expedition sets pilgrimage apart from conventional travel, as the emphasis lies not only on reaching the destination but also on the inner transformation and spiritual enrichment experienced along the way.

What distinguishes pilgrimage from ordinary travel is the intention behind the journey. While conventional travel often focuses on leisure, relaxation, or exploration, pilgrimage is imbued with a deeper sense of devotion, reverence, and self-discovery. Participants embark on pilgrimages with the intention of seeking spiritual growth, connecting with their faith, or paying homage to revered figures or events.

Throughout history, pilgrimage has been a universal phenomenon, transcending cultural, religious, and geographical boundaries. It is a testament to the human quest for meaning, transcendence, and connection to something greater than oneself. Whether walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, circumambulating the Kaaba in Mecca, or visiting the ancient temples of Kyoto, the act of pilgrimage binds individuals together in a shared pursuit of spiritual fulfillment and personal transformation.

Historical Significance of Pilgrimage

Tracing the Timeless Tradition of Sacred Journeys

The roots of pilgrimage delve deep into the annals of human history, intertwining with the origins of civilization, faith, and cultural exchange. Across ancient civilizations, pilgrimage held profound significance, serving as a conduit for spiritual expression, cultural exchange, and the veneration of sacred sites. The earliest recorded pilgrimages date back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley, where individuals journeyed to revered temples, shrines, and natural landmarks in pursuit of divine favor, healing, or enlightenment.

Throughout antiquity, pilgrimage routes emerged as arteries of cultural diffusion, religious fervor, and communal solidarity. The ancient Greeks embarked on pilgrimages to the sanctuary of Delphi, seeking counsel from the Oracle, while the Hindus undertook arduous journeys to the sacred waters of the Ganges River. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, pilgrimage held profound significance, with Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and other holy sites drawing devout pilgrims from distant lands.

During the Middle Ages, pilgrimage reached its zenith as millions of pilgrims embarked on arduous journeys to Santiago de Compostela, Rome, and Jerusalem, seeking spiritual absolution, healing, and a deeper connection to their faith. The pilgrimage routes, such as the Camino de Santiago, not only facilitated religious devotion but also fostered cultural exchange, trade, and the sharing of knowledge across Europe.

Across diverse cultures and epochs, pilgrimage has left an indelible mark on human history, shaping the spiritual, cultural, and geographical landscapes of the world. The enduring historical significance of pilgrimage underscores its role as a timeless tradition that continues to inspire and unite individuals across the globe.

Religious Pilgrimage

Exploring Sacred Paths and Revered Destinations

Religious pilgrimage stands as a cornerstone of spiritual devotion and cultural heritage, permeating the practices of numerous faith traditions worldwide. It encompasses a diverse tapestry of sacred journeys, each imbued with profound meaning, symbolism, and historical significance. From the annual Hajj to Mecca in Islam to the circumambulation of Mount Kailash in Hinduism, religious pilgrimage manifests in a myriad of forms, uniting adherents in a shared pursuit of divine connection, spiritual renewal, and communal solidarity.

For adherents of Christianity, pilgrimage holds deep-rooted significance, with revered sites such as Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela drawing millions of pilgrims each year. The Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion, stands as a poignant pilgrimage route for Christians worldwide, evoking profound reflections on the suffering and sacrifice of Christ.

In Buddhism, pilgrimage carries immense spiritual weight, with destinations such as Bodh Gaya, where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, and Lumbini, his birthplace, serving as revered sites for devout pilgrims. The act of circumambulating sacred stupas, such as the Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal, embodies the essence of Buddhist pilgrimage, fostering introspection, mindfulness, and reverence for the teachings of the Buddha.

Similarly, in Judaism, pilgrimage holds deep cultural and religious significance, with the Western Wall in Jerusalem serving as a revered site for prayer, reflection, and communal gatherings. The annual pilgrimage to the Western Wall during the festival of Sukkot exemplifies the enduring spiritual bond between the Jewish people and their sacred heritage.

Across the spectrum of religious traditions, pilgrimage serves as a conduit for spiritual communion, cultural preservation, and the embodiment of faith in physical form. The act of embarking on a religious pilgrimage transcends mere travel; it represents a profound testament to the enduring power of faith, tradition, and the human quest for transcendence.

Secular Pilgrimage

Uncovering the Quest for Cultural and Historical Reverence

Beyond the realm of religious devotion, secular pilgrimage encompasses a diverse array of journeys undertaken for cultural, historical, or personal reasons. While lacking the religious connotations of traditional pilgrimages, secular pilgrimages are imbued with a deep sense of reverence for historical landmarks, iconic destinations, and revered figures who have left an indelible mark on human history and culture.

One of the most iconic secular pilgrimage routes is the journey along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. While rooted in Christian tradition, the Camino has evolved into a transcultural phenomenon, attracting individuals from diverse backgrounds who seek personal introspection, physical challenge, and a sense of camaraderie along the ancient pilgrimage route. Pilgrims traverse picturesque landscapes, historic towns, and revered cathedrals, forging enduring connections with fellow travelers and the rich cultural tapestry of the Camino.

The quest to visit historically significant sites, such as the ancient wonders of Egypt, the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu, or the solemn grounds of Auschwitz, embodies the essence of secular pilgrimage. These journeys serve as a testament to the human fascination with history, heritage, and the enduring legacy of civilizations that have shaped the course of humanity.

Furthermore, the pursuit of paying homage to revered cultural icons, such as the homes of literary giants like William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon or the haunts of influential figures like Frida Kahlo in Mexico City, reflects the deeply personal and cultural dimensions of secular pilgrimage. These journeys offer individuals an opportunity to connect with the lives, legacies, and creative spirits of those who have left an indelible imprint on the cultural landscape.

Secular pilgrimage, in its diverse forms, transcends the boundaries of traditional religious devotion, inviting participants to embark on journeys that honor the richness of human history, the enduring influence of cultural icons, and the timeless allure of iconic destinations that resonate with the human spirit.

Personal and Spiritual Reasons for Pilgrimage

Embarking on a Journey of Self-Discovery and Spiritual Renewal

While pilgrimage often carries religious or historical significance, it also holds profound personal and spiritual meaning for individuals seeking self-discovery, inner healing, and a deeper connection to the world around them. The decision to embark on a pilgrimage is often driven by a myriad of personal and spiritual reasons, each rooted in the human quest for meaning, transcendence, and a sense of belonging.

For many, pilgrimage represents a transformative journey of self-discovery, providing a sacred space for introspection, contemplation, and the unraveling of life’s profound mysteries. Whether trekking the ancient paths of the Kumano Kodo in Japan or embarking on a solitary sojourn to the Isle of Iona in Scotland, pilgrims seek solace, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose amidst the backdrop of sacred landscapes and revered destinations.

Moreover, pilgrimage serves as a catalyst for spiritual renewal, offering individuals an opportunity to deepen their connection to their faith, commune with the divine, and seek solace in the embrace of sacred sites. The act of walking the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France or meditating in the tranquil gardens of the Ryoan-ji temple in Kyoto fosters a profound sense of spiritual awakening and inner peace.

Additionally, personal reasons for pilgrimage often stem from a desire to seek healing, closure, or a sense of connection to ancestral roots. Visiting the birthplace of a beloved ancestor, walking in the footsteps of one’s forebears, or paying homage to familial heritage sites can evoke a profound sense of belonging and a deeper understanding of one’s place in the tapestry of history.

Ultimately, the decision to embark on a pilgrimage is a deeply personal and spiritual endeavor, driven by the yearning for self-discovery, spiritual enrichment, and a profound connection to the sacred and the transcendent. It is a testament to the enduring human spirit that seeks solace, enlightenment, and a deeper understanding of the mysteries that lie beyond the physical realm.

Modern-Day Pilgrimage

Traversing New Paths in the Contemporary World

In the contemporary era, pilgrimage has transcended its traditional boundaries, evolving to encompass a diverse array of modern-day expressions that reflect the shifting landscapes of spirituality, culture, and human connection. While traditional religious pilgrimages continue to thrive, modern-day pilgrimage has expanded to include secular journeys, wellness retreats, and cultural odysseys that cater to the evolving needs and aspirations of today’s pilgrims.

One prominent facet of modern-day pilgrimage is the resurgence of interest in ancient and sacred paths, such as the Camino de Santiago, the Via Francigena, and the Shikoku Pilgrimage. These historic routes, once traversed by medieval pilgrims, now attract a global community of modern-day pilgrims seeking spiritual enrichment, physical challenge, and a sense of cultural immersion along the time-honored trails.

Furthermore, the rise of wellness and mindfulness pilgrimage destinations, such as the tranquil monasteries of Bhutan, the yoga retreats of Rishikesh, and the meditation centers of Sedona, reflects the contemporary emphasis on holistic well-being and spiritual rejuvenation. Pilgrims embark on these journeys not only to explore new landscapes but also to delve into the depths of their inner selves, seeking balance, tranquility, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Moreover, the concept of cultural and literary pilgrimages has gained traction in the modern era, with enthusiasts embarking on journeys to visit the homes of beloved authors, the settings of iconic films, and the haunts of influential artists. These cultural odysseys offer participants an opportunity to connect with the creative legacies that have shaped the cultural tapestry of humanity, fostering a deep sense of appreciation for the arts and the enduring impact of creative visionaries.

As the world continues to evolve, modern-day pilgrimage reflects the diverse tapestry of human aspirations, from spiritual enlightenment and cultural reverence to personal growth and holistic well-being. It embodies the timeless human quest for meaning, connection, and the pursuit of transcendence in an ever-changing world.

Embracing the Timeless Essence of Pilgrimage

As we navigate the rich tapestry of pilgrimage, we encounter a profound tradition that transcends time, culture, and faith, weaving together the threads of spirituality, history, and personal transformation. From the sacred paths of religious devotion to the secular journeys of cultural reverence, pilgrimage stands as a testament to the enduring human quest for meaning, transcendence, and connection to something greater than oneself.

Throughout history, pilgrimage has served as a bridge between the material and the spiritual, offering individuals a transformative passage into the realms of self-discovery, communal solidarity, and reverence for the sacred. It has shaped the landscapes of human experience, fostering cultural exchange, spiritual renewal, and the preservation of revered traditions and heritage sites.

In the modern era, pilgrimage continues to evolve, embracing new forms that cater to the diverse aspirations of contemporary pilgrims. Whether seeking spiritual enlightenment along ancient paths, embarking on wellness retreats for holistic rejuvenation, or tracing the footsteps of cultural icons, modern-day pilgrims embody the timeless spirit of the sacred journey.

Ultimately, pilgrimage transcends the act of travel; it encapsulates a profound odyssey of the heart and soul, inviting participants to embark on a transformative quest that unfolds amidst the revered landscapes of the physical and the metaphysical. It is a testament to the enduring human spirit that seeks solace, enlightenment, and a deeper understanding of the mysteries that lie beyond the physical realm.

As we reflect on the multifaceted nature of pilgrimage, we are reminded of its timeless allure, its capacity to inspire, and its ability to unite individuals from diverse walks of life in a shared pursuit of spiritual fulfillment and personal growth. Whether treading the hallowed paths of ancient temples, venerating sacred relics, or immersing oneself in the natural wonders of the world, pilgrimage remains an enduring testament to the human spirit’s unyielding quest for transcendence and connection.

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Definition of pilgrimage

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of pilgrimage  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

• peregrinate

Examples of pilgrimage in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pilgrimage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near pilgrimage

pilgrimage festival

Cite this Entry

“Pilgrimage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilgrimage. Accessed 8 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of pilgrimage, more from merriam-webster on pilgrimage.

Nglish: Translation of pilgrimage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pilgrimage for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pilgrimage

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What is pilgrimage tourism and why is it important?

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Pilgrimage tourism is an extremely popular type of tourism , but what exactly is pilgrimage tourism and where does it take place? Read on to learn all about it…

What is pilgrimage tourism?

For the pilgrims, for the destination, non-religious pilgrimages, camino de santiago, western wall, vatican city, pilgrimage tourism- further reading.

Pilgrimage tourism is essentially the process of visiting pilgrimage sites. These are primarily religious destinations, and can even be said to have formed a very early version of tourism. 

Typically, pilgrimages are long journeys taken over days, weeks or even months for religious purposes. They are a whole journey, one that people of faith take in order to strengthen their relationship with their religion. However, pilgrimage tourism can include visits to specific churches or mosques or other religious landmarks in the city you might be visiting on holiday. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn-out journey (a typical pilgrimage), it can be a quick visit that forms part of any other kind of tourism. 

In his paper The Issues and Perspectives of Pilgrimage Tourism Development in Thanjavur, S. Vijayanand strengthens this definition of pilgrimage tourism as follows:

Pilgrimage tourism is the type of tourism that entirely or powerfully motivates tourists for the achievement of religious attitude and practices. One of the oldest types of visiting the attractions and a global experience in the olden times of spiritual growth, it can be differentiated into different forms. The temporary religious sightseeing is well-known by excursions to close by pilgrimage centers or religious conferences. The durable implies visits of quite a few days or weeks to nationwide and worldwide pilgrimage sites or conferences.

Why is pilgrimage tourism important?

When talking about the importance of pilgrimage tourism, we can split this in two. How important is pilgrimage tourism for the destination, and how important is pilgrimage tourism for the pilgrims themselves?

Traditional pilgrimages are important to many people. They are linked to almost all religions across the globe; people travel to certain destinations to experience religious enlightenment. The journey itself, often long and sometimes difficult, is a chance to reflect. Whether taken alone or in a group, a pilgrimage is something that helps people in some way. This might be something people choose to do after a loss: being alone with your grief as you journey to somewhere spiritual can be a great way to healing. 

Or, you might just want to change your life in some way. The chance for reflection and being alone with your thoughts for days at a time might help you make a tough decision that you’ve been pondering on for a while. If you’re trying to decide whether to take a new job, for example, or whether to stay in your relationship and so on. Big life decisions are often made during pilgrimages!

Pilgrimages can be a way to deepen your relationship with your religion too. It is a way of showing how dedicated you are to your faith, certainly, and it is a chance to learn more about the religion itself. Pilgrimages tend to echo the footsteps of prominent figures from different religions, or they end at somewhere that is very significant. 

Another reason why pilgrimages are so important to so many people is that it can be a chance to ask for forgiveness of, or seek a favour from, the deity you worship. Because the destination tends to be such a holy place, many people believe that praying here means there is a higher chance of your prayer being answered…

Pilgrimage tourism is all about going somewhere. There are many destinations that are popular with pilgrims, as they hold such significance for different religions.  As with any type of tourism, pilgrimage tourism has a huge economic impact. Some pilgrimage destinations and locations rely entirely on this kind of tourism for their income. This, in turn, is passed on to the surrounding areas. B&Bs get bookings, restaurants see more foot traffic, local shops gain customers. Jobs are created: for tour guides, for people making handmade souvenirs, for photographers and so much more. 

NBC News says: Religious travel generates at least $8 billion a year for shrine-centered economies and provides employment for thousands, according to academics — and being able to measure the celestial and spiritual elements of pilgrimage in monetary terms is far from a modern phenomenon; it’s as ancient as the act of spiritual travel itself.

It is also important in that it allows people who work at these religious pilgrimage destinations to share their faith. This is a big thing for many.

Many destinations see day-visitors too. That is, people who have not undertaken a long journey to get there (i.e the pilgrimage itself) but who still want to visit the location as a tourist. This ploughs a lot more money into the industry!

It should be mentioned that the term ‘pilgrimage’ does not always have to be used in relation to religious destinations. The term can often just mean someone going somewhere that is *really* special to them for one specific reason. This is more of a personal pilgrimage. It is still a type of tourism, of course! Examples include Elvis superfans visiting Graceland , or someone travelling to another country to finally watch their favourite football team in action.

Popular pilgrimage tourism destinations

There will be a few destinations on the list that are instantly recognisable to most. And there will likely be some that don’t automatically spring to mind. All are places that people visit for the purposes of pilgrimage tourism…

Located in southwestern France , this is a popular Catholic pilgrimage site. It rose to prominence when a peasant girl claimed to see an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims tend to visit between March and October. Since 1860, over 200 million people are said to have visited here – and 68 miraculous healings are said to have taken place. The spring water from the grotto is said to have healing properties.

This holy city in Saudi Arabia is a Muslim pilgrimage site. The journey here is known as Hajj, and it takes place annually. This is a mandatory duty for all adult Muslims, who are expected to go at least once in their lifetime if physically and financially able to do so. It takes around 5-6 days, and millions of Muslim men and women take this journey together every year to Islam’s holiest city.

There are several routes to choose, but all lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, located in Galicia, Spain. His remains are said to be buried here. This is a long journey, but one that is very popular and has a huge impact on pilgrimage tourism. There are several hostels/B&Bs to stop in along the way, and you can spot many scallop shapes along the route as this is the symbol of this pilgrimage.

In Nepal, this is said to be the birthplace of Buddhism. As such, many Buddhists from across India and beyond make the journey here every year to where Siddhartha Gautama was born in 623 BC. A beautiful and bright location, it is an important spot for pilgrims who want to see the stone slab where he was born and the pool he was bathed in.

Also known as the Wailing Wall, this is located in the old town of Jerusalem. It is the most important place of pilgrimage for people of the Jewish faith because of its proximity to Temple Mount. This is where God’s presence is felt and manifested the most. Because Jewish prayer is forbidden at Temple Mount due to its Islamic connections, the wall is the next best place. People pray and mourn here, with prayers written down and stuffed into the many cracks in the wall itself.

Jerusalem has many other sites that are considered to be important sites for Jewish pilgrims. People also visit Via Dolorosa, Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives among other famous places.

Located in the central west bank of Palestine, Bethlehem is a popular location when it comes to pilgrimage tourism. According to the Nativity, it is the birthplace of Jesus which is why so many Christians are keen to visit. There is a church here with a grotto, said to be the exact place of Jesus’ birth. Around 2 million people visit every year.

A smaller pilgrimage location that is definitely not as popular, this is a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the ‘80s, quite a few children have seen apparitions of the virgin Mary. This is why Medugorje is gaining recognition as a somewhat untraditional site of pilgrimage. It currently sees around 1 million visitors annually.

This is an incredibly popular location although not necessarily a pilgrimage site. It is of great importance to Catholicism, however, so it earns a place on this list. Many Catholics come here to pray, for an audience with a pope and to admire the beauty of the Sistine Chapel and the rest of this tiny enclave.

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• 1 Understand
• 2 Christian pilgrimages
• 3 Hindu pilgrimages
• 4 Islamic pilgrimages
• 6 Other religions
• 7 Non-denominational

A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy site, originally for religious reasons, nowadays often for a more vague spiritual experience.

Understand [ edit ]

Before the advent of rail travel and steamships in the 19th century, long-distance travel was hardly a pleasure, and many of those who ventured far from home were motivated by faith. A pilgrimage was, and still remains, a way to find redemption, wisdom, or the meaning of life. Though modern pilgrims can travel fast and comfortably to sacred places, some might, literally and figuratively, choose the narrow path. Some pilgrimage routes have become destinations in their own right as has the "travel infrastructure" of yesteryear – whether it is still in use as such or not. Many pilgrimage routes are also open – and indeed often travelled on – by those of a different faith or no faith at all. Other routes and destinations are off-limits to those outside the religion either year round or during special occasions.

Christian pilgrimages [ edit ]

Famous and important Christian pilgrimages include those to the Holy Land , the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, pilgrimages to Rome . Other pilgrimages in Europe include the Nidaros Path to Norwegian Trondheim and Via Maria in Central and Southeastern Europe.

Hindu pilgrimages [ edit ]

Pilgrimage, often called "yatra", has been commonplace in Hinduism due to the presence of numerous sacred sites. Famous ones include Amarnath Yatra , Char Dham Yatra, Deoghar Yatra , Kailash Yatra , Kashi Yatra , Kanwar Yatra etc. The sites are heavily crowded during pilgrimage, so be prepared when you travel these sacred sites.

Islamic pilgrimages [ edit ]

The main and most well-know pilgrimage for Muslims is the Hajj , which is mandatory for all Muslims at least once in their lifetimes if their health and financial circumstances allow for it. While the Hajj must be performed during the Dhu al-Hijjah; a lesser Hajj, known as Umrah, can be performed any time of the year. There are also other Islamic pilgrimages, some relevant only for specific denominations.

Buddhism [ edit ]

The following four are considered the holiest places in Buddhism.

• Lumbini , Nepal — birthplace of Buddha.
• Bodh Gaya — place of his enlightenment.
• Sarnath — place of his first religious speech.
• Kushinagar — place of his death.
• 88 Temple Pilgrimage
• Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage

Other religions [ edit ]

• Izumo shrine
• Kumano Kodo

Non-denominational [ edit ]

• Narrow Road to the Deep North

See also [ edit ]

• Religion and spirituality
• Sacred sites of South Asia — for Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam

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a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion: a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

the Pilgrimage, hajj .

any long journey, especially one undertaken as a quest or for a votive purpose, as to pay homage: a pilgrimage to the grave of Shakespeare.

to make a pilgrimage.

Origin of pilgrimage

Synonym study for pilgrimage, other words for pilgrimage, words nearby pilgrimage.

• Pilgrimage of Grace
• pilgrim bottle
• Pilgrim Fathers
• Pilgrim's Progress

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pilgrimage in a sentence

So within each category, we can break down the best candidates to emerge from the outfield corn or otherwise make a pilgrimage to heav– err, Iowa.

Legend has it that a boy once saw his deceased mother’s reflection in the pool, which inspired the pilgrimage .

I had never raised a dollar in my life and when I saw he was on the board, I made a pilgrimage to him to get advice and help.

In high school, whenever I visited Boston for debate tournaments, I made a pilgrimage to touch the famous “lucky” foot of the John Harvard statue on which, I later learned, freshmen boys like to urinate.

Malaysia’s Batu Caves are a pilgrimage site for Hindus all over the world.

Mrs. Kouachi works at a nursery and has worn the veil since she made the pilgrimage to Mecca in 2008.

So the trip to The Macallan estate was sort of a pilgrimage .

For her next project, the idea of a “ pilgrimage ” plays another role.

RELATED: Annie Leibovitz's ' pilgrimage ' (Photos) The subjects for pilgrimage , on the other hand, are intimate objects.

“ pilgrimage roads were important in connecting a multicultural religious community,” Chan said.

For each one of us had seen that one-minded pilgrimage of the brown cattle take place in moons gone by.

They were probably a company of German priests on a pilgrimage to the Eternal City and its sacred shrines.

Every pilgrim would consider his pilgrimage of no account if he did not step in here immediately on his arrival.

His pioneer spirit was so strong that Ilion became a place of pilgrimage for men with ideas.

So the pilgrimage passed and faded into the mist of the horizon, where the planet unveils itself to the human eye.

British Dictionary definitions for pilgrimage

/ ( ˈpɪlɡrɪmɪdʒ ) /

a journey to a shrine or other sacred place

a journey or long search made for exalted or sentimental reasons

(intr) to make a pilgrimage

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Meaning of pilgrimage in English

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• break-journey
• circumnavigation

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Definition of pilgrimage noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• to go on/make a pilgrimage
• believe in God/​Christ/​Allah/​free will/​predestination/​heaven and hell/​an afterlife/​reincarnation
• be/​become a believer/​an atheist/​an agnostic/​a Christian/​Muslim/​Hindu/​Buddhist, etc.
• convert to/​practise a religion/​Buddhism/​Catholicism/​Christianity/​Islam/​Judaism, etc.
• go to church/ (North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
• go to the local church/​mosque/​synagogue/​gurdwara
• belong to a church/​a religious community
• join/​enter the church/​a convent/​a monastery/​a religious sect/​the clergy/​the priesthood
• praise/​worship/​obey/​serve/​glorify God
• attend/​hold/​conduct/​lead a service
• perform a ceremony/​a rite/​a ritual/​a baptism/​the Hajj/​a mitzvah
• carry out/​perform a sacred/​burial/​funeral/​fertility/​purification rite
• go on/​make a pilgrimage
• celebrate Christmas/​Easter/​Eid/​Ramadan/​Hanukkah/​Passover/​Diwali
• observe/​break the Sabbath/​a fast/​Ramadan
• deliver/​preach/​hear a sermon
• lead/​address the congregation
• say/​recite a prayer/​blessing
• preach/​proclaim/​spread the word of God/​the Gospel/​the message of Islam
• study/​follow the dharma/​the teachings of Buddha
• read/​study/​understand/​interpret scripture/​the Bible/​the Koran/​the gospel/​the Torah
• be based on/​derive from divine revelation
• commit/​consider something heresy/​sacrilege
• seek/​find/​gain enlightenment/​wisdom
• strengthen/​lose your faith
• keep/​practise/​practice/​abandon the faith
• save/​purify/​lose your soul
• obey/​follow/​keep/​break/​violate a commandment/​Islamic law/​Jewish law
• be/​accept/​do God’s will
• receive/​experience divine grace
• achieve/​attain enlightenment/​salvation/​nirvana
• undergo a conversion/​rebirth/​reincarnation
• hear/​answer a prayer
• commit/​confess/​forgive a sin
• do/​perform penance
• His parents made a pilgrimage to Lourdes.
• She was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land when she got sick.
• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.
• There was a ban on political protests during the pilgrimage.
• destination
• during a/​the pilgrimage
• on a/​the pilgrimage
• pilgrimage to
• a centre/​center of pilgrimage
• an object of pilgrimage
• a place of pilgrimage

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What is a Pilgrimage? In Islam and Other Religions – Everything You Need To Know

Table of Contents

Whether it is the Islamic Hajj, Christian pilgrimages to holy sites, Jewish visits to the Temple in Jerusalem, or Hindu journeys to sacred rivers and temples, pilgrimages are a fundamental part of various religions.

These spiritual excursions are not merely physical journeys, but transformative experiences that offer believers an opportunity to strengthen their faith, seek spiritual purification, and connect with the divine.

But what is a pilgrimage? In this guide, we will explore the concept of the spiritual journey of pilgrimage across different religions, uncovering its significance, rituals, and the profound impact it has on the lives of those who embark upon this spiritual quest.

What is a Pilgrimage in religion?

A pilgrimage is a journey or a religious excursion undertaken by individuals or groups of people to a sacred place or site that holds significant religious or spiritual importance.

It is a practice observed in various religions around the world, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and others. Pilgrimages are often seen as acts of devotion and are an integral part of religious traditions.

How to pronounce Pilgrimage?

Pilgrimage is pronounced as “PILL-gruh-mij.”

Why are pilgrimages important in religions?

Pilgrimages hold great importance in many religious traditions for several reasons. Firstly, they allow individuals to deepen their spiritual connection and devotion to their faith. By embarking on a pilgrimage, believers seek to strengthen their relationship with their deity or higher power.

Secondly, pilgrimages offer an opportunity for reflection, self-discovery, and personal growth. The journey itself often involves physical and mental challenges, requiring individuals to step out of their comfort zones and face hardships. This can lead to a greater sense of humility, gratitude, and a renewed commitment to their religious beliefs.

Pilgrimages also provide a sense of community and unity among believers. People from various backgrounds come together, sharing the same purpose and faith, fostering a sense of solidarity and mutual support.

They serve as a means of commemorating significant events or honoring revered figures from religious history. The sacred sites visited during pilgrimages often have a historical or mythological significance that date back a century or two, often associated with important religious events, miracles, or the lives of prophets and saints.

What is a Pilgrimage in Islam?

In Islam, Hajj is a sacred pilgrimage that holds immense religious significance for Muslims. It is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the fundamental acts of worship that shape a Muslim’s faith and practice. Hajj is an obligatory duty for adult Muslims once in their life, who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The importance of Hajj is emphasiSed in the Quran , where Allah commands Muslims to perform this pilgrimage. In Surah Al-Imran (3:97), it is stated: “And Hajj to the House (Kaaba) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, for those who are able to undertake the journey.” This verse underscores the religious obligation of Hajj and highlights its significance as a duty owed to Allah.

Why do Muslims go on Pilgrimage?

Muslims undertake the pilgrimage of Hajj once in their life to fulfill a religious obligation and seek spiritual purification. It is believed that by performing Hajj, Muslims can have their sins forgiven and start afresh. The journey is seen as a way to draw closer to Allah and to seek His blessings by travelling away from home and embarking on it.

Muslims also go on Hajj to reenact the actions and rituals performed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during his final pilgrimage . It is considered a way to follow in his footsteps and to strengthen the sense of unity within the Muslim community that extends beyond their home.

How long does Hajj (Pilgrimage) last?

Hajj is performed during specific days of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. The pilgrimage lasts for approximately five to six days, starting from the 8th and ending on the 12th or 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. However, the preparations and rituals leading up to Hajj can take several weeks.

How to perform Hajj?

Performing Hajj involves a series of rituals and acts of worship that must be carried out in a specific order. It is a detailed process that requires proper guidance and understanding. For a comprehensive guide on how to perform Hajj, click here .

What are the benefits of pilgrimage in Islam?

Pilgrimage in Islam offers numerous benefits to the individuals who undertake this journey. Some of the key benefits include:

• Spiritual Purification and Forgiveness

Hajj is considered a journey of spiritual purification. Muslims believe that by performing the rituals of Hajj with sincerity and devotion, they can attain forgiveness for their sins and achieve spiritual cleansing. The act of repentance and seeking forgiveness during Hajj is emphasiSed in the Quran, where Allah says, “And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way” (Quran 3:97). This act of seeking forgiveness and purifying the soul is a profound benefit of the pilgrimage.

• Unity and Equality

Hajj is a gathering of Muslims from different backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities. The pilgrims all dress in simple white garments (Ihram) , removing any distinctions of wealth or social status. This collective experience promotes a sense of unity and equality among Muslims. It serves as a reminder that in the eyes of Allah, all believers are equal, as stated in the Quran: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13).

• Strengthening Faith and Connection with Allah

Hajj provides an opportunity for Muslims to deepen their faith and strengthen their relationship with Allah. Through the performance of various rites and rituals, such as circumambulating the Kaaba and standing in prayer on the plains of Arafat , pilgrims experience a heightened sense of devotion and closeness to their Creator.

This connection with Allah nourishes the spiritual well-being of the pilgrims and reinforces their faith.

• Remembrance of Prophets and Historical Events

The pilgrimage sites in Mecca and Medina are associated with significant events and the lives of Prophets, including Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (AS), Prophet Isma’il (Ishmael) (AS), and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Muslims visit these sacred sites to honor the prophets and to remember their exemplary lives. This remembrance deepens the pilgrims’ understanding of their religious history and reinforces their commitment to following the teachings of these esteemed prophets.

• Education and Reflection

Hajj serves as an opportunity for learning and reflection. Pilgrims engage in religious lectures, discussions, and spiritual practices during their journey. They gain knowledge about the Islamic faith, its principles, and its teachings.

The immersive experience of Hajj allows for introspection and self-reflection, enabling pilgrims to assess their lives, seek personal growth, and make positive changes.

• Social and Community Bonding

Hajj fosters a sense of community and solidarity among Muslims. The shared experience of pilgrimage creates strong bonds among pilgrims, as they support and assist one another during the physically and emotionally demanding journey.

This communal aspect of Hajj encourages Muslims to build relationships, foster understanding, and develop a sense of empathy and compassion for one another.

• Increased Gratitude and Humility

The challenging aspects of Hajj, such as the physical exertion and the crowded conditions, cultivate humility and gratitude within pilgrims. They learn to appreciate the blessings bestowed upon them by Allah (SWT) and recognise the importance of patience, perseverance, and humility in their lives.

This gratitude and humility carry over beyond the pilgrimage, shaping their character and behavior and has been doing so for more than a century.

What is pilgrimage in Christianity?

Christian Pilgrimage refers to a journey made by individuals to places of religious significance. These places may be holy sites, shrines, or locations associated with biblical events or the lives of saints.

Christian pilgrimages vary across denominations and may include visits to places like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Lourdes, or Santiago de Compostela, depending on the tradition and beliefs of the pilgrim. These beliefs go a long way back in history and have been passed down for many centurires.

What is a Catholic pilgrimage?

Catholic pilgrimages are specific to places like the Catholic Church and involve visiting locations that hold religious importance and have been a part of catholic culture for centuries.

These sites may include shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, saints, or locations associated with significant events in the life of Jesus Christ. Catholic pilgrimages often involve prayer, veneration of relics, participation in Mass, and other devotional practices for Jesus Christ.

What is a pilgrimage in Judaism?

In Judaism, a pilgrimage is known as Aliyah Laregel. It refers to the ancient practice of Jewish people traveling to the Temple in Jerusalem during specific festivals, such as Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

While the Temple no longer stands, the concept of pilgrimage remains important in Judaism as a part of their history, and is a way to connect with the religious and historical roots of the faith.

What is a pilgrimage in Hinduism?

In Hinduism, pilgrimage, known as Tirtha Yatra, is a significant aspect of religious practice. Hindus undertake journeys to sacred sites, temples, rivers, and mountains believed to possess spiritual energy and divine blessings.

Popular Hindu pilgrimage destinations include Varanasi, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Ayodhya, and the four holy sites of Char Dham (Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram).

Summary – What is a Pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage is a religious journey undertaken by individuals or groups to sacred places or sites of religious significance. It is an act of devotion, offering opportunities for spiritual growth, self-reflection, and connection with a higher power.

Pilgrimages have existed in various religions for centuries, such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, and hold different meanings and practices and significance in their history and traditions.

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Summary - What is a Pilgrimage?

What is Pilgrimage? Spiritual Seekers Share Experiences

What is pilgrimage? Is it a route, a destination, or a state of mind? An obligation or a plea? Is it religious, secular, or both?

The origins of the word “pilgrim” are generally agreed to mean traveler. It is said to come from the Latin perager, meaning “through the fields,” or the French word pelegrin, meaning “foreign.” Pilgrim also has the same root as the English word peregrinate which means to “wander or travel, especially by foot.”

The “ Way of St. James ” is an ancient pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain that has been trodden for more than a thousand years. The journey was one of the most important Christian pilgrimage routes in medieval times; tradition holds that the remains of the apostle Saint James were buried there in the town of Galicia, after being carried by boat from Jerusalem. The earliest recorded visit to a shrine in Santiago de Compostela was in the 8th century.

While a pilgrimage of any sort is generally viewed as beginning when one crosses his doorstep, the El Camino routes outlined in the 12th century by Pope Calixtus II are still considered the definitive source for many modern guidebooks.

Breathing With The Earth on El Camino

The French Way is the most popular of the routes and runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side and then another 780 kilometers onto Santiago de Compostela. The route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in October 1987. A typical walk on the Camino Francés takes at least four weeks.

Eva Michaelsen of Alken, Denmark, while not a Catholic, is a seeker who has made three pilgrimages along El Camino. “The first time in 1997 I needed a break. In 1998, I needed to walk myself free from a relationship, and I felt I came deeper into the feeling of being a pilgrim. The third time I walked the Camino, in 2006, I had been through a personal crisis and needed to find myself again. I cannot say when or where I will go next time as a pilgrim. I need to hear the call first. It is not something that you just do, like going on holiday. I need to have a reason to go, a question.”

“Walking is very basic and very human,” she continued. “The rhythm of your steps can be considered as a sort of ‘breathing’ with the Earth. When you walk for long distances and for several days it can be like meditation. The rhythmic repetition has a calming effect on your body and soul.”

If Michaelsen’s El Camino experience illustrates that pilgrimage can be considered a route, a destination, and a state of mind, Sari Pitaloka of Jakarta offers insight into what inspires those who undertake what is possibly the world’s best-known pilgrimage.

A Muslim Pilgrim on the Hajj

Muslims comprise one-fifth of humankind who share a single aspiration, to complete, at least once in a lifetime, the spiritual journey called the Hajj. For 14 centuries, countless millions of Muslims, men, and women from the four corners of the earth, have made the pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. In carrying out this obligation, they fulfill one of the five "pillars" of Islam or the central religious duties of the believer.

“Hajj is a direct invitation from Allah to visit his House, the Ka’bah, in Mecca,” said Pitaloka, 46. “It needs a clear intention from the believer himself, though, as it is like a ‘calling.’ Nothing good in this world happens to us if we do not take our responsibility and make a clear intention and commitment. You can see it like this: if your Creator invites you to visit His house, would you refuse? Refusing to do so would be impolite and not really show a clear faith in your Creator, right?”

“Although Hajj is obligatory, there are exceptions, as Allah would never give something to us that we cannot handle, as a human being,” she continued. “Remember, He is our creator, and who knows better than He? If we are financially not capable of making the journey, if we are sick or physically not able to perform Hajj, then there is no sin upon us.”

Hindu Shradda Offers Sustenance to Departed Souls

An obligation is but one of many reasons a devout Hindu might undertake a pilgrimage.

For a Hindu, a pilgrimage could also be a quest for personal enlightenment, a mission for spreading a philosophy as was done by several sages, or it could have a very specific goal, like liberating the spirits of one's ancestors.

A Hindu ritualistic ceremony is known as Shraddha is performed on the anniversary of a parent’s death by the eldest son, every year in his home, until his own death. The Sanskrit word's translation in English is "that done with commitment or devotion."

“When a Hindu--or a Buddhist--dies, his or her soul is reborn unless it has evolved to perfection--a state referred to as Moksha in Hinduism, meaning liberation,” Dr. Kam Srikameswaran, 75, of North Vancouver Canada explained. “Each birth is an opportunity to improve the soul’s status by good conduct, fulfillment of one’s responsibilities. During the period between death and rebirth, the soul lives in an interim world of ancestors called Pitrloka. In this interim state, souls need sustenance and this can only be provided by the living descendants of the dead.”

To expedite the process, a devout Hindu may make a pilgrimage to the River Ganges at Varanasi and perform the Shraddha on its banks.

Shortcut to Moksha

"A dip in this river at this holy site is the ultimate shortcut to Moksha--liberation from the cycle of births and deaths,” Srikameswaran said. “The waters cleanse him of his sins, relieve his Karmic obligations and hasten his quest for absorption into Brahma, the Universal spirit. By performing the Shraddha, the soul of the departed is also similarly liberated.”

“My father did Shraddha for his parents every year at home as prescribed by Hindu scriptures and once at Varanasi,” Srikameswaran continued. “I did not and do not honor my parents in the same way, because my interpretation of Shraddha is a lot more simplistic. For me, those two days of each year have become days of remembrance, with love and respect.”

While reincarnation provides Buddhists and Hindus with more than one opportunity for enlightenment, other pilgrims seek spiritual rebirth in this lifetime.

Catholic Pilgrimages in France

In 1858, Lourdes, France was a small town of 4,000 inhabitants--today six million people visit annually. Every year about 400,000 pilgrims bathe in its pools -- sick and healthy alike.

Tom Reedy, 55, of Glenview, Illinois made his second pilgrimage to Lourdes in the spring of 2008 with a group of about 400 others, through the Order of Malta’s American Association. The contingent included members of the Order, auxiliary, clergy, and other pilgrims, including 50 invalids and their caregivers.

"We as Roman Catholics believe that our Blessed Mother appeared to a French peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, on 18 occasions over a period of months in 1858," he said. "In the visions, Mary requested that people come to Lourdes on a pilgrimage, which they have been doing for more than 150 years now. Part of the Order's mission is to serve the sick and poor, which we do in part with this pilgrimage. The Grotto is also a special place where Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette. The miraculous waters have accounted for healings and are said to be a sign and invitation to spiritual purification. "

"People think Lourdes is simply about physical healing, someone throwing away their crutches," said Reedy. "While there have been 66 documented miracles at Lourdes, we are all maladies, whether physical or interior. The physical is easy to see, while people's interior struggles are not. I think it is an incredible place, offering a holy spiritual experience, and that pilgrims do come back changed, whether the miracle is simply acceptance. The point of the journey is to come back a better person."

The Shikoku Pilgrimage Of Buddhist Temples in Japan

The power of sacred spaces, both external and internal, was the motivation for Bob Davies’ Shikoku pilgrimage during the Japanese winter of 2005.

The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a route of 88 temples on the island of Shikoku, Japan, visited by the Buddhist monk Kūkai, who was born in Zentsūji, Shikoku in 774. In addition to the 88 "official" temples of the pilgrimage, there are over 20 bangai -- temples not considered part of the official 88. To complete the pilgrimage, one need not visit the temples in order; in some cases, it is even considered lucky to travel in reverse order. The pilgrimage is traditionally completed on foot, but modern pilgrims use cars, taxis, buses, bicycles, or motorcycles. The walking course is approximately 1,200 kilo­meters long and can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days to complete.

The founder and director of the Wu-Shin Chi-Dao Foundation for Self Development in Durban, South Africa, Davies, 65, considers himself neither a Buddhist nor an adherent of any other religion but considers pilgrimage as visitation to a sacred site.

“Shikoku is the last remaining--and fast disappearing--location of the finest and most extensive collection of sacred places available on our planet,” he declared. “I made the journey as an extended, active, inner pilgrimage to experience, identify with, and validate the sacred spaces and potentials within me as a living and evolving human being, the vehicle of my infinitely finite spirituality .”

Professor Dallen Timothy, director of Arizona State University’s Tourism Development and Management department said “Pilgrimage is travel that is undertaken to enhance one’s spiritual self and demonstrate devotion. It doesn’t have to relate necessarily to organized religion, although usually, it does. Some observers see it as all travel that has a very deep and personal meaning at its core, whether religious, ethnic, or patriotic in nature, or even travel that involves achieving a lifelong wish, goal or desire.”

A Journey of Inner Conviction

Prasad Menon of Avon, Connecticut considers pilgrimage a journey of inner conviction, knowing that it could be difficult or even dangerous. He cited a 2008 two-week trip with a dozen other Rotary members to northern Nigeria, where he was involved in vaccinating 8,000 children.

“I have been associated with the Rotary’s polio eradication program for the last 20 years but my involvement was limited to raising money,” he said. “To convince others about the importance of the Eradication Program, I decided that I needed to feel that pain with these people. There were a lot of risks associated with this journey. People in the area are extremely poor, live in an unhygienic environment, with no medical facilities nearby, and there were kidnappings of foreigners. My family, except my daughter, thought I was totally out of my mind.”

“We were in the slums with open sewers in the middle of the alleys where we walked,” Menon continued. “But, when you look at 8,000 children with bright shining eyes and smiling faces, you forget all those difficulties; you feel like you are in heaven! And when you administer the two drops of a vaccine in their mouth, what you feel is indescribable. Those children don’t have to worry about the crippling disease anymore and we were responsible for that!”

Ancestral Pilgrimages

While fulfilling an inner conviction can sometimes motivate pilgrimages that lack strong familial support, “roots tourism,” or pilgrimage to the land of one’s ancestry, is driven by a need to connect with one’s origins.

“The term ‘roots tourism’ obviously references Alex Haley’s famous novel Roots, published in 1976 and produced as the first television miniseries in 1977,” said Cheryl Finley, Assistant Professor of African American and African Diaspora Art at Cornell University. Finley visited Ghana in 1999 as part of her dissertation field research.

“It was hard to separate the personal from the professional, that is, not to study and interpret different sites and behaviors without checking in with my own emotions,” she recalled. “Overwhelming feelings of sadness engulfed me as I first caught site of the rocky coastline on the way to Cape Coast. I didn’t expect to feel that way, but I was told that I would.”

“Sankofa is an Akan word that means ‘one must return to the past in order to move forward,’ ” she continued. “The word Sankofa came into popular parlance with cultural heritage tourists, as many of them defined their frequent trips to Ghana as symbolic journeys in which they were able to “go back and retrieve” what they had forgotten of their ancestral heritage, to authenticate, reclaim and affirm their historical connection to the past, especially as it helped to make sense of their day-to-day diasporic condition.”

Finley explained that the term diaspora, from the Greek meaning “a scattering or sowing of seeds,” today is used to refer to any people, defined ethnically, racially, religiously or culturally, who are forced or induced to leave their traditional homeland, being dispersed throughout other parts of the world, and the ensuing developments in their dispersal and culture. Originally, the term diaspora was used to refer specifically to the populations of Jews exiled from Judea by the Babylonians, and Jerusalem by the Romans.

Rites of Passage

Aaron Zucker, a student at the University of Alabama, went to Israel in 2008 as part of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program. Taglit-Birthright Israel seeks to strengthen participants’ Jewish identity and provides the gift of first-time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26.

“Despite not being a very religious Jew, there was a certain indescribable feeling that I felt in certain parts of Israel,” he recalled. “I always felt very Jewish in a cultural way, but not as much spiritually. When I made my pilgrimage, it was about a month after I lost my grandfather, who was an Auschwitz survivor and the most religious person I’ve ever met. Despite me shedding many tears all over the different stops we made, it helped me get through his physical absence and connect with my spiritual presence with him.”

Dr. Justine Digance of Griffith University in Australia points to studies of rites of passage as indicating that certain times in one's life are more conducive to a pilgrimage: loss of employment, death of loved ones, retirement, reaching adulthood, recovering from illness or life-threatening situations, as well as moving from a work/life balance to a life/work balance.

“The quest for meaning is the driver for pilgrimage, whether religious or secular,” she said. “Many individuals may not see themselves being on any type of pilgrimage journey, but in the course of that process, may encounter certain life-changing experiences that are the usual expectation of those who call themselves pilgrims. They may not be consciously searching for meaning in their lives but something unusual occurs in the course of their journey.”

What is Pilgrimage? Changing One's Beliefs

Florence Lanzmann of Paris experienced this shift after a trip to India ten years ago, where she visited Varanasi, a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges, considered the center of the earth in Hindu Cosmology. Many of the city’s ghats, or stairs that access a body of water, are used as cremation sites.

“I didn't feel any transformation when I was in Veranasi," she said. "I am not a religious believer and considered death as the end. There I was surprised, shocked, that it was obvious that some people just came to Veranasi to die. They were ill or very old, they were there because it's the city of salvation and they believe to die in this holy place enables to reach another better life in the cycle of re-birth. And strangest to me was that it seemed joyful, like a celebration.”

She continued, “It's only when I came back to my daily life that I felt I had changed, particularly in that I'm still not sure that's there is a life after death, but I'm not sure anymore there isn't. And maybe this trip helped me recently, after the death of my husband, even if I wasn't conscious about it at that moment. It's now hard to conceive that there isn't a hereafter and I often consider that the persons I loved who are dead are still around me.”

A Tourist Versus a Pilgrim

If travelers who did not consider themselves pilgrims while on a journey looked back at their experience differently in hindsight, then what is the distinction between a pilgrim and a tourist?

Michaelsen of Denmark observed “In one of the pilgrim hostels I saw a note on the wall: ‘The tourist is demanding. The pilgrim is grateful.’ There is some truth in it. But I think the pilgrim is more conscious than the tourist about why he is traveling and about how he or she acts and conscious about the spiritual dimension in life. A pilgrim is open to change, whereas a tourist is a consumer. A pilgrim takes risks--walking, a simple life, outside, uncomfortable, alone--where the tourist is very comfortable. But of course, the distinction is very difficult, because sometimes you are a tourist on the Camino.”

Dr. Thomas S. Bremer, department of religious studies, Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee suggested “Perhaps the most helpful distinction between pilgrim and tourist came for me in a conversation I had with the eminent historian of the early Christian world Peter Brown of Princeton University. In simple terms, pilgrims try to make themselves worthy of the destination through the ascetic practices of the journey, while tourists expect an experience worthy of their investment in time, money, and effort. Thus, pilgrims make a worthy self through devotion and piety, whereas tourists expect an experience worthy of the self.”

“A tourist is half a pilgrim if a pilgrim is half a tourist,” wrote Victor and Edith Turner, both noted anthropologists.

Sometimes the distinction is in the eye of the beholder, as is the inspiration for each journey.

The Communal Nature of Places of Pilgrimage

Places of pilgrimage are revered because of some mystic or sacred connection. Could it be possible that the alluring aura of such destinations has been created and enhanced by the seekers who have been drawn to them?

Pilgrimage is said to often involve “communitas,” the experience of bonding with fellow travelers. The notion is that as part of a “flow,” the individual self becomes less important.

We asked a cross-section of seekers to describe their experience.

Feeling the Love

Aaron Zucker, a student at the University of Alabama, traveled to Jerusalem as part of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program, which organizes educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults. Despite somewhat shaky initial footing, he too soon fell in step with his fellow pilgrims.

“The group of people on my trip was ideal for me,” said Zucker. “At first, my two fraternity brothers that I went with and I were nervous, confused, and annoyed by most of the other people on our trip. Geography was the main reason for these original feelings. Out of 40 college students, there were the three of us from down south, and pretty much everyone else went to school around the large cities up north.”

“But after spending almost all hours of the day together, and having religion as a common ground, we grew to love each other,” he continued. “It seems crazy that you can say you love someone after ten days, but think about this… Let’s say you hang out with someone for one hour a day for a month. You would feel like you know that person pretty well right? We accomplished that feat of being around each other by the second or third day out of ten.”

Tom Nowakowski 40, of Palm Springs, California, felt this magic while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile trek from Mexico to Canada.

“When we go on a long trek like the PCT, we quickly realize that if we let go of our expectations and pre-conceived notions of how things are supposed to happen, they generally happen on their own, fulfilling most of our needs and often exceeding our wildest dreams,” said Nowakowski. “It is such a frequent occurrence that the trail community has coined a term for this phenomenon, ‘trail magic.’ Everybody has stories about wonderful interactions with total strangers somewhere along the trail. It is very common to be invited to spend a night with the family giving us a ride to the closest town. Many people–‘trail angels’–go out of their way to help and accommodate hikers on their long adventure.”

Connection is the Essence of Pilgrimage

Amanda Pressner, 32, made contact with a few angels over the course of her year-long, four-continent journey. She also found her connection deepen with the two friends with whom she was traveling.

“I don’t think we felt it day-to-day so much but the trip indelibly changed our relationships with one another,” she said. “I think it was a sum total of all the little things–getting stranded together in the Peruvian desert with no water–and consequently getting rescued by a priest in a minivan. Having to go to the hospital as a trio to get tested for parasite, encouraging each other up and over Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail.”

Hendrik Stagehuis, 37, of Jakarta recalled an experience he felt conveyed the spirit and nature of his Hajj pilgrimage. The tahallul is one of the rituals of the Hajj in which participants undergo a haircut, which symbolizes freedom or release.

“I was with my group of around 10 guys and we all dived in to get our haircut,” he remembered. “I had never done it before and it was like being at the sheep shaver, handled very quickly and efficiently, hair flying around everywhere in the crowded barber factory and within two minutes I lost my wealthy hairdo.”

“We were watching each other getting shaved and it was hilarious, at the same time a great experience of joy, relief, feeling purified, freed, clean like a newborn baby!” he continued. “And the next thing we did was butt heads for a photo. It’s difficult to describe the true feeling of brotherhood, connection, friendship, power, energy, happiness and total freedom I and all of us felt, no doubt one of the greatest experiences of my life. That’s what a simple head shave can do for you!”

Bob Davies, 65, of Durban, South Africa had a different experience during his pilgrimage to the 88 Buddhist temples on Japan’s island of Shikoku.

“Such tendency of ‘communitas’ detracts from the very personal, spiritual potential of a pilgrimage by clouding the inner uniqueness of each of us and our opportunity to experience the power of choice and the implications of the outcomes of our decisions,” he said.

He said he chose to make his Shikoku pilgrimage in the winter, as then there would be less people, saying “I can always find and bond with people, a bit more difficult to interact with ‘God’ from the deepest level of one’s being when others are around. I need strength, not to develop the dependency upon the collective and engineered energy of a group to ‘find myself.’ ”

Reconnecting to the Past Through Places of Pilgrimage

For some, that connection to others is the specific purpose of a type journey referred to as “roots pilgrimage.”

“There are many things calling people to visit their ancestral lands, probably as many things as there are people doing it,” observed Professor Dallen Timothy, director of Arizona State University’s Tourism Development and Management department. “Most of what I’ve observed though is people’s desire to connect with their ancestors in one way or another. They feel a hollowness or something missing in their lives.”

“Some people feel a spiritual or religious obligation to visit their homelands,” he continued. “Some people are simply curious about how the places and landscapes might have looked when their forebears worked and lived there; some groups of people were dispersed throughout the world by force, or they were severely persecuted, like, for example, African-Americans and Jews, causing them to need some form of closure.”

Cheryl Finley, 46, is Assistant Professor in the Department of History of Art and Visual Studies at Cornell University. She frequently writes and lectures about African diaspora art, heritage tourism, and the aesthetics of memory. As part of her dissertation field research in 1999, she traveled to Ghana to study an exhibition in Cape Coast Castle.

“Beyond the mere sight of Africa as a symbolic motherland, the physical and imposing sites of the castles of Cape Coast and Elmina and the forts along the coast are claimed by roots tourists as tangible and necessary memorials,” she said. “These are some of the very few places where material evidence of the legacy of slavery still stands before their eyes and is available to be touched, walked through, and experienced with all of their senses and with the movement of their bodies through the space.”

David Chabot, 70, a professor of clinical psychology at Fordham University and a practicing family therapist, was one of 70 Flynn descendants who gathered in Ardford, County Kerry, Ireland in the summer of 2006.

“When someone is in the dark about their past they are missing an important reference point to deal more effectively with the present,” he asserted. “Returning to one’s roots involves getting specific facts about the people and the context of their lives to better understand the strengths and limitation that were handed down to you. When you understand and accept them, you can better understand and accept yourself. This allows you to deal better with present. My observation of the people on the reunion was that almost everyone was very aware of the psychological significance of the trip.”

Hindu Ritual of Shraddha

Sometimes pilgrimages can result in a metaphysical reunion.

Dr. Kam Srikameswaran, 75, of North Vancouver Canada recalled being at Haridwar, India, where the Ganges flows rapidly after its recent descent from the Himalayas. He was there to perform a Hindu ritualistic ceremony known as Shraddha, made on the anniversary of a parent’s death by the eldest son, every year in his home, until his own death.

“At sunset, we walked past crowded rows of colorful merchandise and souvenirs to the main gathering place on the river,” he recalled. “Thousands squatted on its bank and on a small built-up island, meters across the water. I stood at the back of the sitting crowd to watch the Arati, the evening worship with oil lamps. Bells clanged, priests chanted and, to a song in praise of Mother Ganges, thousands of lamps waved in as many hands. Many, adorned with blossoms, were set afloat in the water. Soon, it was a procession of floating lamps lighting up the river accompanied by a song of prayer, joined in chorus by the assemblage.”

“I stared at a particular set of steps on the bank across the water,” he remembered. “I saw the same steel hand rails and security chain and the steps into the water where I took an icy cold dip with my dad seventy years ago. There was an overpopulation of fish there; my father tried to part them for my dip. The sights and sounds of Haridwar that day were the highlights of my pilgrimage.”

Connecting with Self on Pilgrimage

Other pilgrimages involve renewing a relationship with one’s self in order to better connect with others. Ben Drake made 100-mile trek across the English countryside to Embercombe, a 50-acre wellness center in the U.K.’s South Devon. He conducted his pilgrimage on the occasion of his 50th birthday, and faced a few fears in the process.

“I was inspired by the writings and example of Satish Kumar, a great pilgrim who undertook a walk around many of the spiritual places of Britain for his 50th,” Drake explained. “I wanted to mark a turning point in my life, a time when my soul and its wellbeing is the most important thing in my life.”

“I wanted to set myself free,” Drake said. “I hoped to find courage and recapture a desire to live my life without compromise. To step away for a moment or two from an often mundane life as a father, house husband, teacher and partner and rediscover who I am when I am being authentically me and to return to the those that I love with that discovery written all over me.”

“I rediscovered some zest and passion that I had lost in the mundane of life and found more courage to stand up and be me regardless of what others think,” he continued. “The journey is still very much in progress and I love the effect it has had on my life and relationships. There were times that I was deeply challenged while walking and I needed to dig deep–it has been good for me to remember how to do that. There were times that I felt wonderfully at peace with the world–that I am grateful for.”

The experience of humility seems to be a common denominator across all types of pilgrimages.

“The Hajj is much more than just a journey to a ‘sacred site,’ ”said Pitaloka. “It is a physical challenge and at the same time explains the emotional and spiritual essence of Islam–true faith in one God and only God alone. Hajj shows us who we are and why we are here in this life, in this world, and serves as a period to take time off (Editor: about 30–40 days) to reflect on ourselves from the inside and purify our minds, hearts and spirit and establish a strong connection with our Creator.”

Private Mass in the Catacombs of St. Peter’s Cathedral

Henry Kozowyk of the Boston, Massachusetts area, had such a connection in Rome.

While on a trip to Italy’s capital with their parish priest and a small group of fellow communicants, Kozowyk and his wife stayed in a bare, basic guest quarters within a monastery, crossing paths with silent monks-in-training as they came and went.

A senior church official gave Henry and his traveling companions a personal tour of St. Mary Major.

“In welcoming us, he referred to us as the pilgrims we were,” Kozowyk said.

The priest had arranged for them to attend a private mass in the catacombs of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Arriving at 6:30 a.m., when the church was closed to the public, they were able to view the saint’s encased bones through a gate in the chapel, directly below the Pope’s alter in the main cathedral.

“I got to do one of the readings,” recalled Kozowyk with reverence. “I just had this feeling of ‘Wow, here I am.’ Because of my religious faith, it was overwhelming, very humbling. To be in the presence of a saint, go back centuries in history, it made me think I am part of something so much bigger than myself.”

Places of Pilgrimage Inspire Being in Moment

For Hendrik Stagehuis of Jakarta, being fully in the present moment enabled him to achieve a similar connection.

“The highlight of the Hajj was the time spent at the plain of Arafah, where all of us perform ‘Wukuf’,” he said. “This is a process to open up your heart completely to Allah, wish for anything you want to have, do and be in this life, and the hereafter, truly ask for forgiveness in the widest sense of the word, re-establish and create an ever closer relationship with Allah, get rid of all issues, doubts and other “baggage” that I was carrying around from the past.”

“Just purifying my heart by shutting my mind down, shutting up the ever ongoing thinking and voices in the mind that keep me out of the now–where I actually live my life–not in the past or future,” he continued. “And getting the reward by getting clarity about myself, my life, this world, my vision and goals in life. Being worthy of being admitted to Paradise in a place as close to Allah, God Almighty, as possible.”

Places of Pilgrimage Change Your Perspective

Aaron Zucker of the University of Alabama had a revelatory moment upon returning from his pilgrimage.

“When we went to the Western Wall, I placed a note in it like thousands and thousands had done before me,” said Zucker of Alabama. “There were thousands of people there that day. Despite those facts, I still felt alone. Luckily, my fraternity brother gave me a gift that can never be replaced. He took a picture of me talking to the wall when I was by myself.”

“I had no idea he did until it came up on my Facebook when we got back,” he continued. “I sat down at my computer and just stared at it for literally five minutes. Sometimes when I’m in a weird mood or have a lot of stress, I just get on Facebook, and put that picture up. It makes me become focused and understand that there are bigger things in life than a microeconomics test coming up or that I haven’t planned the next party for my fraternity.”

Eva Michaelson, 50, of Denmark, has made three pilgrimages along Spain’s El Camino route and she too has found each journey but a beginning.

“Most pilgrims agree that there is ‘something,’ which is like a gift, that they bring back home, and which maybe makes them change things in their life,” she said. “The change can start now, and it is never too late. But the inner way makes you look at your life from a new perspective. You can’t walk or run away from yourself. If you are prepared or even if you are not, pilgrimage has for most people an element of ‘it-has-changed-my-life’ in it. It is, of course, the inner journey I am talking about.”

Bob Davies of South Africa recalled a profound moment of his Shikoku pilgrimage.

“There is one memory that often ‘flashes back,’ walking along an unknown and unmarked narrow mountain path, deeply and darkly forested, far from any signs of human existence, in the midst of a range of mountains with deep valleys,” he recalled. “Coming into sight ahead of me was a splitting of this walkway I was on, to a large number of divergent tracks, with no indication of or knowing which track then to take, a perfect opportunity for getting lost.”

“I quietly asked for some form of guidance without breaking my determined stride forward,” he continued. “A second or two later, an owl flew over my left shoulder and swerved to the right to fly above one of the multitude of almost indiscernible tracks. I took that track without hesitating and it took me to where I wanted to go. Any other would have led me many hours off into the wrong valleys without any means of acquiring a correction as this large, mountainous area was uninhabited.”

Tom Nowakowski is drawn to the mountains for such experiences of connection.

“The driving force behind all this is that you are much closer to a Presence, it’s palpable,” he declared. “It might be for the first time that our minds are quiet enough to catch a glimpse of an ever present inner voice that has never had a chance to be heard in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives.”

“In spite of the fact that we may travel for thousands of miles, it is the inner journey that makes a pilgrimage what it really is,” he said. “Inevitably, on the pilgrimage, all the artificial layers we are used to travelling with through life become less and less important. What do I do for a living? How old am I? What do I look like? How much do I own? All these questions gradually lose their significance.”

“Eventually, what you are left with is simplicity and existential basics,” he concluded. “Who am I? What is my purpose in life?"

What is Pilgrimage? Personal and Universal

While people have different reasons for undertaking a pilgrimage, the practice is a cultural universal because humans are hard-wired to seek meaning. For the many people who are called on a quest to find a greater purpose for their lives, that calling involves an outer journey. Ultimately, pilgrimage is about achieving a sense of connection, be it to self, others, or the divine.

Interested in learning about other Spiritual Practices around the world?

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Publisher and editor of People Are Culture (PAC). This article was created by original reporting that sourced expert commentary from local cultural standard-bearers. Those quoted provide cultural and historical context that is unique to their role in the community and to this article.

13 thoughts on “What is Pilgrimage? Spiritual Seekers Share Experiences”

Fascinating and helpful information! So appreciative of your wisdom, insights, and outstanding details! C. Pollard

Thanks so much! I am so pleased that the explanations were useful to you! Pilgrimage is an important dimension of so many beliefs!

A pilgrimage is of course the framing story for the Canterbury Tales. What’s interesting is that although the pilgrims are engaging in a devotional exercise, the stories are quite irreverent.

Yes indeed, I think often spiritural seekers are only too aware of their human foiobles and hence the motivation to “connect”!

I love this article. It really helps bring me a new perspective to my travel goals. It is helpful for me spiritually and, concretely very useful with the Cultural Creators/Stewards listed at the end.

I am pleased you enjoyed this piece and found it helpful! Whatever your beliefs, connecting with the spirituality of a place and its history is meaningful!

I found this article to be very meaningful. I do believe that there is something about a connection with one’s spirituality when visiting in a sacred place and hearing about other beliefs. When we were in Hawaii our local guide led us quietly through the grounds of Hindu Temple in his own neighborhood. We were not allowed inside the temple, as they were have services that that time. However, we learned so much about their rituals and their way of life through our guide. Upon leaving, there was a peace and calmness that I had never experienced before. Thank you again for another wonderful article.

Carol, I am so pleased this resonated with you. Thank you for your thoughtful reflections. I, too, enjoy learning about the spiritual beliefs of the destinations I visit. You raise an important point, which is that guides really enhance any tourism experience of a sacred site because they can share the history and context that we can’t know intuitively.

thank you for this very important information i appreciate it for my re class on these topics

thank you for the information, it was very useful for my re lesson on these topics.

I am so pleased you found this article helpful Noah!

Hi, I am grieving the recent loss of my husband of 52 years. Unexpectedly, and not fully understanding the why, I have book a trip to Sicily, and especially Palermo, where my husband visited in 1966 while serving in the US Navy. It was one of many ports of call for them. I’d like to hear more about secular pilgrimages as they relate to the passing of loved ones. Thank you, Linda

Linda, my condolences on the loss of your husband. 52 years is a very long time and I am sure you are feeling his absence acutely. What a meaningful way to connect with his past by making your trip to Sicily. I myself took a trip to the Dingle Peninsula to scatter my mother’s ashes. It was not a request she made and her people were not from Dingle but further north. But she and I visited there and had a particularly good time with many laughs and nice moments of connection. I was called to do it, and I am so glad I listened to my intuition. I hope your trip is as memorable and moving a mine was!

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What is the Hajj pilgrimage and what does it mean for Muslims?

Water mist is sprayed on Muslim pilgrims as they walk towards the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Pakistani pilgrim Mubarak Ali Shah leads pilgrims as they pray outside the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Muslim pilgrims pray around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims hold umbrellas as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Muslim pilgrims pray in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic structure at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Pilgrims walk beside pigeons outside the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

A general view of the Grand Mosque is seen through the fence of the Clock Tower during the Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims hold umbrellas as they circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Policemen stand alert at the Mina tent camp a head of the Hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Tents for Muslim pilgrims fill the Mina tent camp a head of the Hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Muslim pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Water mist is sprayed on Muslim pilgrims as they pray on the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Muslim pilgrims pray outside Namira Mosque in Arafat, on the second day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Muslim pilgrims walk to pray outside Namira Mosque in Arafat, on the second day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam’s five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

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MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Over 1.8 million Muslims are taking part in this week’s Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, as one of the world’s largest religious gatherings returns to capacity following years of coronavirus restrictions.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to undertake it at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. For the pilgrims , it is a profound spiritual experience that wipes away sins, brings them closer to God and highlights Muslim unity.

Pilgrims this week braved temperatures in excess of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) to perform their rituals in the open air.

For the Saudi royal family, which captured Mecca in the 1920s, organizing the pilgrimage is a major source of pride and legitimacy. Authorities have invested billions of dollars in modern infrastructure, but the Hajj has occasionally been marred by tragedy, as in 2015, when over 2,400 pilgrims died in a stampede .

Saudi authorities had expected some 2 million pilgrims, but official figures released Tuesday put attendance at around 1.8 million, considerably fewer than the nearly 2.5 million who came in 2019. The cost of the pilgrimage, combined with widespread economic woes, may have been a factor .

Here’s a look at the pilgrimage and its meaning.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE HAJJ PILGRIMAGE IN ISLAM?

The pilgrimage draws Muslims from around the world to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, where they walk in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad and retrace the journey of Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are known in the Christian and Jewish traditions.

As related in the Quran, Ibrahim is called upon to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of faith, but God stays his hand at the last moment. Ibrahim and Ismail later are said to have built the Kaaba together. In the Christian and Jewish traditions, Abraham nearly sacrifices his other son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah, which is associated with a major holy site in Jerusalem.

The Kaaba was a center for polytheistic worship among pagan Arabs until the arrival of Islam in the 7th century, when the Prophet Muhammad consecrated the site and inaugurated the Hajj.

Muslims do not worship the Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure covered in a black, gold-embroidered cloth, but view it as their most sacred place and a powerful symbol of unity and monotheism. No matter where they are in the world, Muslims face toward the Kaaba during their daily prayers.

The Hajj has been held every year since the time of the prophet, even through wars, plagues and other turmoil.

In the Middle Ages, Muslim rulers organized massive caravans with armed escorts that would depart from Cairo, Damascus and other cities. It was an arduous journey through deserts where Bedouin tribes carried out raids and demanded tribute. A notorious Bedouin raid in 1757 wiped out an entire Hajj caravan, killing thousands of pilgrims.

In 2020, amid worldwide coronavirus lockdowns, Saudi Arabia limited the pilgrimage to a few thousand citizens and local residents. This is the first year it is being held without COVID restrictions.

HOW DO MUSLIMS PREPARE FOR THE HAJJ?

Some pilgrims spend their whole lives saving up for the journey or wait years before getting a permit, which Saudi authorities distribute to countries based on a quota system. Travel agents offer packages catering to all income levels, and charities assist needy pilgrims.

Pilgrims begin by entering a state of spiritual purity known as “ihram.” Women forgo makeup and perfume and cover their hair, while men change into seamless terrycloth robes. The garments cannot contain any stitching, a rule intended to promote unity among rich and poor.

Pilgrims are forbidden from cutting their hair, trimming their nails or engaging in sexual intercourse while in the state of ihram. They are not supposed to argue or fight, but the heat, crowds and difficulty of the journey inevitably test people’s patience.

Many Muslims visit Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried and where he built the first mosque, before heading to Mecca.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE HAJJ?

The Hajj begins with Muslims circling the Kaaba in Mecca counter-clockwise seven times while reciting prayers. Then they walk between two hills in a reenactment of Hagar’s search for water for her son, Ismail, a story that occurs in different forms in Muslim, Christian and Jewish traditions.

All of this takes place inside Mecca’s Grand Mosque — the world’s largest — which encompasses the Kaaba and the two hills.

On Tuesday, pilgrims headed to Mount Arafat, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon. There, they stood in prayer throughout the day asking God for forgiveness of their sins in what many view as the spiritual high point of the pilgrimage .

Around sunset, pilgrims walked or took buses to an area called Muzdalifa, 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Arafat. They picked up pebbles to use in a symbolic stoning of the devil in the valley of Mina, where Muslims believe Ibrahim was tempted to ignore God’s command to sacrifice his son. The pilgrims stay for several nights in Mina in one of the largest tent camps in the world.

The pilgrimage ends with a final circling of the Kaaba and further casting of stones at Mina. Men often shave their heads and women clip a lock of hair, signaling renewal. Many will assume the title of “hajj” or “hajja” — a great honor, particularly in more traditional communities. Some paint murals on their homes with images of airplanes, ships and the Kaaba to commemorate the journey.

The final days of Hajj coincide with Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice , a joyous occasion celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate Ibrahim’s test of faith. During the three-day Eid, Muslims slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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Top 10 pilgrimage routes around the world

Not solely for the spiritual, pilgrimages are epic hiking routes that take in soul-stirring landscapes. Here are 10 of the best, from Ireland to Israel.

1. Abraham’s Path,   The Middle East This epic 1,243-mile route starts in Harran, Turkey, where God is said to have called upon Abraham to ‘go forth’, and rambles on through Egypt, Palestine, Israel and Jordan.  

2. Via Francigena , UK, France & Italy A 1,200-mile route connecting Canterbury to Rome via France, the Swiss Alps and the Italian Apennines, passing churches and shrines devoted to St Francis.  

3. Adam’s Peak , Sri Lanka In Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, this conical, 7,360ft-high peak is home to a footprint that’s said to belong to — faith depending — Adam, Buddha or Shiva.  

4. Caminho Português,   Portugal & Spain The wild Atlantic coast unravels before you on this uncrowded trail   from Lisbon (380 miles) or Porto (140 miles) to Santiago de Compostela.  

5. Mount Kailash , Tibet This three-day, 32-mile circuit of sacred 21,778ft Mount Kailash in Tibet is a holy ritual said to bring good fortune.

6. Lourdes,   France The 92-mile Piemont Route connects St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Lourdes , a holy pilgrimage site since 1858, when Bernadette Soubirous claimed to have witnessed 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary.  

7. St Magnus Way , Scotland The wide-open horizons, space and silence of Orkney’s coastline enthrall on t his 58-mile route honouring the island’s patron saint.  

8. Kumano Kodō , Japan This network of ancient trails dives into the remote, densely forested, shrine-topped mountains of the Kii Peninsula, Japan’s spiritual heartland.  

9. Via Coloniensis , Germany Grand abbeys and palaces punctuate this 152-mile trail, uniting the former Roman cities of Cologne and Trier, where fourth-century St Peter’s Cathedral is a highlight.

10. St Finbarr’s Way ,   Ireland Traversing three mountain ranges, this   22-mile pilgrimage begins at the Top of the Rock in Dromdaleague, County Cork, where sixth-century monk St Finbarr once preached.  

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What is Hajj? A step-by-step guide to the Muslim pilgrimage

Here’s how Muslims perform the rituals of Hajj every year, following an ancient example.

Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world gather annually in Mecca to perform Hajj – the sacred Muslim pilgrimage.

Hajj became obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim adult who has the financial means to do after Prophet Muhammad’s “farewell pilgrimage” in 632 AD.

Keep reading

A new hajj booking system leaves tour operators out in the cold, hajj to return to pre-covid numbers, saudi arabia officials say, israel discussing possible direct hajj flights to saudi arabia.

According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba – a black silk-clad stone structure at the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca – was built by the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael.

Every year, between two and three million people participate in the pilgrimage.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were only 10,000 pilgrims in 2020 . The following year saw 58,700 pilgrims, and last year’s numbers picked up again to one million.

Hajj is a spiritual, emotional and physical challenge that tests the patience and temperament of the pilgrim.

It occurs in Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, between the eighth and 13th days of the month.

This year, Hajj is taking place between June 26 and July 1. Here is a step-by-step guide to the rituals on each day:

Intent and ihram – The very first rite of Hajj is to make a pure intention and to enter ihram – a pilgrim’s sacred state – when crossing the outer boundaries of Mecca, called Miqat.

Entering ihram entails wearing plain garments – two unstitched pieces of cloth for men, or loose-fitting clothing for women – as well as following certain rules, such as not giving in to anger or engaging in sexual activity.

Pilgrims then perform tawaf, which means circling the Kaaba in an anticlockwise direction seven times, and sai, which refers to running between the Safa and Marwa hills.

Mina, the tent city – After that, the pilgrims travel by foot on pilgrim paths or take a bus for the 8km (five-mile) journey to Mina, a tent city just outside of Mecca.

The pilgrims spend the day in Mina, setting out the next morning at dawn. Most of the time in Mina is spent in prayer, supplications and remembering Allah (God).

A day on Arafat –  The Day of Arafat is considered one of the most important days, not just of Hajj, but of the Islamic calendar. After making the 15km (nine-mile) journey from Mina, pilgrims spend the day at Mount Mercy in reverent prayer.

This is known as wuquf – the act of standing before Allah from noon to sunset.

The site is particularly revered as the place where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon.

Around the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.

Heading to Muzdalifah – After sunset, it is time to move again, this time to Muzdalifah – a 11km (7-mile) trip – where the pilgrims will spend the night under the stars. Many also begin collecting 49 pebbles here for the next day’s rites, for which they will depart again just before sunrise.

Nahr and stoning the devil (rami) – The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah is Eid al-Adha, a day celebrated by Muslims around the world as the greater of the two Muslim holidays.

Leaving Muzdalifah, the pilgrims arrive back in Mina before dawn to perform the first rami, throwing seven pebbles at the largest of three columns known as Jamarat al-Aqaba.

This act is a symbolic stoning of the devil, based on historical tradition. Muslims believe that God told Abraham to sacrifice his son as proof of his faith.

It is believed that at this spot in Mina, the devil appeared and tried to dissuade Abraham from heeding the command. Abraham responded by throwing stones to scare him off.

Muslim pilgrims should also sacrifice an animal, known as nahr . Either a camel or lamb is suitable, and the meat should be distributed to the needy. Pilgrims can either buy sacrifice coupons/vouchers, which state that the sacrifice has been made on their behalf or perform their own sacrifice.

Days 4 and 5

The act of throwing stones is repeated for the next two days, pelting the three pillars using seven pebbles each in order by starting with: Jamarat al-Ula (the small pillar), then Jamarat al-Wusta (the second/middle pillar) and finally, Jamarat al-Aqaba (the third/large pillar).

Halq or taqsir – Upon completion of rami, the 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the men shave their heads (halq) or trim their hair (taqsir). Women can trim their hair by the length of a fingertip.

The farewell tawaf – After that, the pilgrims can remove their ihram clothes. Many will then proceed to Mecca to perform tawaf and sai again.

When that has been done, they return to their campsite in Mina, marking the completion of Hajj.

Many pilgrims also visit Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, before heading home. Medina is not part of the pilgrimage but is regarded as the site where Prophet Muhammad is buried along with his closest companions.

Your last-minute guide to Monday's total solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , offering millions a rare opportunity to see afternoon skies temporarily darken as the moon blocks the face of the sun.

Tune into NBC News NOW as Lester Holt hosts a two-hour special at 2 p.m. ET Monday from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The eclipse's path fortuitously cuts across Mexico, 15 U.S. states and a small part of eastern Canada. In all other states in the continental U.S., viewers will be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with the moon appearing to take a bite out of the sun and obscuring part of its light.

Here’s everything you need to know about the rare celestial event.

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. The moon passes between Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light and casting a shadow on Earth.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon fully obscures the sun, whereas a partial solar eclipse means it blocks just a portion of the sun’s face.

Solar eclipses occur only with the new moon. Because the moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted, the three bodies don’t always line up in a way that creates an eclipse.

“Imagine if the moon’s orbit were in the plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun — if that were the case, then every new moon, you’d have a total solar eclipse and every full moon, you’d have a lunar eclipse,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, told NBC News. “So, because things don’t always align, it lends to the rarity of the event and the specialness of the event.”

Where and when will the eclipse be visible?

This year’s eclipse will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental U.S. than other total solar eclipses have in the recent past.

NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within what’s known as the path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible. An additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path, according to the agency.

The path travels through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear.

After the eclipse crosses into Canada, it will pass over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, at the eastern end of Nova Scotia.

Those outside the path of totality can still take part in the astronomical event by viewing a partial solar eclipse — visible throughout all 48 states of the contiguous U.S. — or a NASA livestream.

The timing, including how long totality lasts, depends on the location, but some spots will see the moon fully cover the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.

Below is a list of timings for some cities along the path of totality, as  provided by NASA . A number of other resources, including NationalEclipse.com  and  TimeandDate.com , can also help people plan.

• Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 p.m. CT and totality at 1:40 p.m.
• Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 p.m. CT and totality at 1:51 p.m.
• Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. ET and totality at 3:13 p.m.
• Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. ET and totality at 3:18 p.m.
• Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET and totality at 3:27 p.m.

How to safely view a solar eclipse

It is never safe to gaze directly at the sun, even when it is partly or mostly covered by the moon. Special eclipse glasses or  pinhole projectors  are required to safely view solar eclipses and prevent eye damage. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in severe eye injury,  according to NASA .

Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses and specially made to enable wearers to look at the sun during these kinds of celestial events.

Sky-watchers should also never view any part of the sun through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses unless they have specific solar filters attached. Eclipse glasses should not be used with these devices, as they will not provide adequate protection.

However, during the few minutes of totality, when the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to look with the naked eye.

Beware of fake eclipse glasses. On legitimate pairs, the lenses should have a silver appearance on the front and be black on the inside. The manufacturer’s name and address should be clearly labeled, and they should not be torn or punctured. Check, as well, for the ISO logo and the code “IS 12312-2” printed on the inside.

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a homemade pinhole projector, which lets sunlight in through a small hole, focuses it and projects it onto a piece of paper, wall or other surface to create an image of the sun that is safe to look at. 

All you need is two pieces of white cardboard or plain white paper, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack. Cut a 1- to 2-inch square or rectangle out of the center of a piece of white paper or cardboard. Tape aluminum foil over that cut-out shape, then use a pin or thumbtack to poke a tiny hole in the foil.

During the eclipse, place a second piece of white paper or cardboard on the ground as a screen and hold the projector with the foil facing up and your back to the sun. Adjusting how far you hold the projector from the second piece of paper will alter the size of the image on the makeshift screen.

What to look for while viewing the total solar eclipse

For people along the path of totality, there are some fun milestones to keep track of as the total solar eclipse unfolds.

As the eclipse progresses and the sun gets thinner in the sky, it will start to get eerily dark, according to Tyson.

When the last beams of sunlight are about to become obscured, look out for the “diamond ring effect”: The sun’s atmosphere will appear as an illuminated halo, and the last light still visible will look like the diamond of a giant ring.

As the sunlight decreases even further, an effect known as Baily’s beads will be created by the moon’s rugged terrain. Tiny “beads” of light will be visible for only a few seconds around the dark moon, as the last bits of sunlight peer through the moon’s mountains and valleys.

When the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to remove eclipse glasses and look at the total solar eclipse with the naked eye.

Some lucky sky-watchers may even catch a glimpse of a comet .

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — nicknamed the “ devil comet ” because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns — is currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it swings through the inner solar system.

The comet can be seen in the early evenings by gazing toward the west-northwest horizon. During the eclipse, when skies darken during totality, it may be possible to see the comet near Jupiter, but its visibility will depend on whether it’s in the middle of an outburst and thus brighter than normal.

Most likely, all eyes will be on the alignment of the moon and sun.

“Most people won’t even notice,” Tyson said. “But if you know to look, it’s there.”

When is the next solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In 2027, a total solar eclipse will be visible in Spain and a swath of northern Africa.

The next total solar eclipse visible from North America will be in 2033, but only over Alaska. Then in 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, parts of Canada and Greenland.

The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. coast-to-coast in will occur in 2045. The path of totality for that eclipse will cut through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

Lucas Thompson is a content producer for the NBC News Climate Unit.

How strong is a 4.8 earthquake? Quake magnitudes explained.

The 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck New Jersey on Friday generated shaking that could be felt from Washington, D.C., to north of Boston.

About 55 earthquakes a day – 20,000 a year – are recorded by the National Earthquake Information Center . Most are tiny and barely noticed by people living where they happen. Click here to see the USDA shake map for the most recent earthquakes.

Worldwide, there are on average about 16 major earthquakes in any given year, 15 in the magnitude 7.0 range and one 8.0 or greater, according to records going back to 1900.

The United States typically has around 63 earthquakes between magnitude 5.0 and 5.9 each year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey , about five between 6.0 and 6.9 and fewer than one between 7.0 and 7.9.

A major 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan on Wednesday morning , killing 12 people and injuring over 1,000. The strongest earthquake there in a quarter century was followed by a series of aftershocks, reaching up to 6.4 magnitude.

More earthquakes are being recorded around the globe, but that doesn’t mean there are more earthquakes happening , according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Instead, it’s because there are more measurement devices, called seismometers, that record vibrations and they have been deployed in more places.

Earthquakes are a natural part of life on Earth, a geologically active planet with seven major tectonic plates. These are continent-size slabs of rock that glide over the planet’s mantle, constantly but very slowly reshaping Earth’s landscape.

What does magnitude mean in an earthquake?

Magnitude is a measurement of the strength of an earthquake . Officially it's called the moment magnitude scale . It's a logarithmic scale , meaning each number is 10 times as strong as the one before it. So a 5.2 earthquake is moderate, while a 6.2 is strong.

The magnitude and effect of an earthquake, according to Michigan Technological University :

• Below 2.5: Generally not felt
• 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage
• 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings
• 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage
• 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities

Intensity scales, measured in Roman numerals, are used to describe how strong the earthquake felt to people in the area.

According to the California Earthquake Authority , an intensity of I is typically felt only under especially favorable conditions. An intensity of IV, which leads to light shaking, is felt indoors by many, but not typically outdoors. It might awaken some people at night and lead to a sensation like a truck striking a building. A parked car would rock. Intensities VI and above would be strong, frightening and felt by all, with the damage increasing up to an X, where the shaking would be violent. Some well-built wooden structures would be destroyed and most masonry and frame structures along with their foundations would be ruined.

You might have heard the term " the Richter Scale " used to describe earthquakes, but it is no longer commonly used because it was only valid for certain earthquake frequencies and distance ranges.

Why does an earthquake's depth matter?

Magnitude measures how strong a quake is. That said, how much the ground shakes depends on an earthquake's intensity, which in turn depends on two things: how far away the actual site of the temblor was and the kind of soil it which it occurs.

This is why an earthquake's depth is often given. The epicenter of the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles in 1994 was in the San Fernando Valley, the point where the quake was strongest. But the hypocenter , the location where the quake actually occurred, was more than 11 miles underground. If it had been closer to the surface, the 6.7 magnitude quake would have been even more devastating.

The type of ground matters , too. Bedrock shakes least, sand and gravel as much as two times more, and mud and landfill as much as five times more. This was a major factor in why some areas of San Francisco suffered more than others in the Loma Prieta quake of 1989 .

Why real earthquakes aren't like in the movies

Though movies like " San Andreas" and "Earthquake" show entire coastlines dropping into the ocean, it's not going to happen.

According to the U.S. Geological Service, while a "mega-quake" with a magnitude of 10 or larger is "theoretically possible," it's very unlikely .

The magnitude of an earthquake depends in part on the length of the geological fault on which the quake occurs. Longer faults result in stronger earthquakes.

There are no known faults capable of generating a magnitude 10 or larger. The San Andreas fault of movie fame couldn't produce a quake larger than about 8.3 given its length, according to the USGS.

The largest earthquake in U.S. history was the 1964 Good Friday quake in Alaska , a 9.2 magnitude temblor that killed 131 people. It lasted four and a half minutes and ran along the Aleutian fault.

What's the chance of an aftershock?

Any time there's an earthquake, one concern is that it was merely a foreshock to a bigger quake that's coming.

Globally, the probability that one earthquake will be followed by a large earthquake within three days is somewhere just over 6%, according to the USGS .

That means whenever there's an earthquake, there's about a 94% chance that it wasn't a foreshock and there won't be any more quakes linked to it.

The numbers are a little different for California, which is very seismically active. There, about half of the biggest earthquakes were preceded by foreshocks, according to the USGS. But that means half were not.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know if any one quake is a foreshock.

Aftershocks  are defined as smaller earthquakes that happen in days after a larger quake. As the USGS puts it, they represent "minor readjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the mainshock."

The Busy Retiree

2024’s Top 15 Budget-Friendly Travel Destinations

Posted: March 7, 2024 | Last updated: March 7, 2024

Deciding on a budget-friendly travel adventure doesn’t mean compromising on the excitement of exploration. In 2024, several enchanting destinations offer incredible experiences without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, history buff, or beach lover, these affordable destinations promise a memorable journey. Let’s look into the cheapest places to travel in 2024, where your wallet can breathe a sigh of relief while you create lasting memories.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Known for its rich history and vibrant culture, Ho Chi Minh City is a budget traveler’s dream. Explore the bustling streets filled with delicious street food, visit historic landmarks like the War Remnants Museum, and take a boat trip through the iconic Mekong Delta.

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City offers a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. Wander through the historic center, marvel at ancient Aztec ruins in Teotihuacan, and savor authentic tacos at local markets. With affordable accommodations and many free cultural attractions, Mexico City is a top pick for budget-conscious travelers.

Sofia, Bulgaria

For a taste of Eastern European charm without the hefty price tag, Sofia is an excellent choice. Visit the stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, stroll through Vitosha Mountain, and indulge in budget-friendly local cuisine. The affordable public transportation and low-cost attractions make Sofia an ideal destination for those seeking an affordable European getaway.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Another gem in Vietnam, Hanoi boasts a unique blend of French colonial architecture and traditional Vietnamese culture. Explore the Old Quarter’s narrow streets, sample delicious pho at street stalls, and take a leisurely stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. Hanoi’s affordability extends to accommodations and local experiences, making it a top destination for budget travelers.

Quito, Ecuador

Nestled in the Andes, Quito offers a mix of history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, take a cable car ride up Pichincha Volcano, and discover the vibrant markets. Quito’s affordability makes it an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers looking to experience the charm of South America.

Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, charms visitors with its colorful neighborhoods, historic architecture, and scenic views. Enjoy affordable local cuisine, explore the iconic Belem Tower, and soak in the vibrant atmosphere of this coastal gem. Don’t miss the famous custard tarts, Pastéis de Nata, at a fraction of the cost compared to other European capitals.

Krakow, Poland

Steeped in history, Krakow offers a budget-friendly European escape. Wander through the picturesque Old Town, visit the Wawel Castle, and experience the lively atmosphere of the Kazimierz district—all at an affordable cost. Enjoy a ride in a traditional horse-drawn carriage through the charming streets of the Old Town.

Bucharest, Romania

Romania’s capital, Bucharest, is a blend of grand architecture and modern delights. Explore the Palace of the Parliament, stroll through Herastrau Park, and indulge in the city’s thriving nightlife without breaking your budget. Discover hidden gems in the city’s lively neighborhood of Lipscani, filled with trendy cafes and vintage shops.

Kathmandu, Nepal

For an adventurous yet budget-friendly trip, head to Kathmandu. Discover ancient temples in Durbar Square, trek the nearby Himalayas, and experience the rich cultural heritage of Nepal without straining your wallet. Dive into the local culture with a visit to the bustling Thamel district, known for its vibrant street markets.

Bogotá, Colombia

Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, is a vibrant city with a rich cultural scene. Explore the historic La Candelaria neighborhood, visit the Gold Museum, and take a cable car ride to Monserrate for panoramic views—all within a budget-friendly travel plan. Immerse yourself in the city’s artistic spirit by exploring the vibrant street art scene in La Candelaria.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Home to the iconic Angkor Wat, Siem Reap offers a unique blend of history and natural beauty. Explore ancient temples, discover the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake, and enjoy affordable street food in this enchanting Cambodian destination. Catch a breathtaking sunrise at Angkor Wat, a moment that won’t cost you a dime.

Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is known for its lively atmosphere and diverse cultural scene. Visit the historic Belgrade Fortress, stroll along the Danube River, and experience the city’s vibrant nightlife—all without breaking the bank. Join locals in a traditional kafana for live music and a taste of Serbia’s hospitality.

La Paz, Bolivia

Nestled in the Andes, La Paz captivates with its stunning landscapes and indigenous culture. Explore the Witches’ Market, take a cable car ride for panoramic views, and embrace the unique atmosphere of one of the world’s highest capitals. Challenge yourself with a stroll along the famous El Camino de la Muerte, the Death Road, for an adrenaline-pumping experience.

Manila, Philippines

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, offers a mix of history and modernity. Explore the historic Intramuros district, visit Rizal Park, and indulge in the diverse street food scene—all at an affordable cost. Attend a traditional Filipino cultural show to witness the country’s rich heritage come to life.

Accra, Ghana

Experience the vibrant culture of West Africa in Accra. Visit the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, explore Jamestown’s colonial architecture, and relax on the beautiful Labadi Beach, all while enjoying the affordability of this welcoming city. Join locals in a dance at Independence Arch during one of Accra’s lively festivals.

Traveling on a budget doesn’t mean sacrificing the joy of discovery. The cheapest places to travel in 2024 provide unique experiences, rich cultural encounters, and breathtaking landscapes—all without breaking the bank. From the lively streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the historic charm of Mexico City, these destinations offer budget-friendly adventures that will leave you with cherished memories for years to come. So, pack your bags, embrace the spirit of adventure, and explore the world affordably in 2024!

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