Pilgrimage: A Spiritual and Cultural History

Description

This book explores the phenomenon of Christian pilgrimage, pointing to its origins in the Exodus and wilderness experience of the Jews, the medieval heyday when millions of pilgrims spent months travelling across Europe, and the modern revival which has blurred the lines between pilgrimage and tourism and made places such as Iona, Taize and Santiago di Compostella the mecca for contemporary seekers and travellers. Lavishly illustrated, the book begins with the history and then covers pilgrimages in Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Norway, France, Spain, Italy, Bosnia-Herzogovina and Poland. "Pilgrimage" is as much about the experience, the travel and the way as it is about the places themselves. Providing a mixture of historical and factual information, and vivid personal experiences together with pilgrims' own accounts and prayers, Ian Bradley brings to life one of the most vibrant expressions of Christian spirituality.