Let's Go on Pilgrimage!

Pilgrimage plays an important part in many world religions. A pilgrimage is both a spiritual and a physical journey. Simply to make a journey to a placepupils understand the spiritual dimension of the work undertaken, however holy, is to go as a tourist, an anthropologist, or even as a voyeur. It is important that.
Pilgrimage plays an important part in many world religions. A pilgrimage is both a spiritual and a physical journey. Simply to make a journey to a place, however holy, is to go as a tourist, an anthropologist, or even as a voyeur. It is important that pupils understand the spiritual dimension of the work undertaken.

METHOD

(a) A Local Pilgrimage

At a local level you can undertake a pilgrimage to a nearby place of worship, such as your local parish church, or the church of a neighbouring village (perhaps a village from which pupils come to your school, but which is not the church closest to the school). Different groups of pupils can undertake tasks in preparation for the pilgrimage:

(1) Draw maps and write directions for the route to the church from each entry to the village which pilgrims might use.

(2) Make lists of possessions pilgrims will need to carry with them if they are walking to the church (assume the pilgrim is coming from e.g. London). How would they prepare for the journey? Don't forget the spiritual needs of the pilgrims too, e.g. a Bible, a book of prayers, a guide to the journey showing other important churches to visit.

(3) Research the story of the church. Why might the pilgrims be coming? Is there a special tomb or monument? What is the story of the village? Which saint is the church dedicated to? Write a story/guide card to put in the entrance of the church guiding the pilgrims to the monument/ window etc and telling them about it.

(4) Devise a service of thanksgiving to be used when the pilgrims reach the church.

(5) Make souvenir pilgrim badges (e.g. your saint's emblem) which can be given to pilgrims as a reminder of their pilgrimage

Make your pilgrimage!

(b) A Pilgrimage to Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral welcomes thousands of schoolchildren a year, but 2000 is especially designated as the year of school pilgrimages. Contact the Visitors' Officer on 01353-667735 to learn about the many different activities on offer.

(c) A World Faith Pilgrimage

Probable destinations for your pilgrimage would include:
Buddhism - Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinara, Kandy
Christianity - Holy Land, Rome, Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela, Walsingham,
Hinduism - Varanasi, the Ganges, Mathura, Orissa, Rameshvaram,
Islam - Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem,
Judaism - Western Wall, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem
Sikhism - Amritsar,

(1) Research the preparations a pilgrim will need to make before the journey. Is special clothing needed? What needs doing at home before you leave? Find out about the area, what will the climate be like? Can you find out the cost of the journey from England through a travel agent? Write a "To Do" list for the pilgrim.

(2) Find out as much as possible about the sights and sites pilgrims would see. Is there any video material available? Write a "Must See" (and why) list.

(3) Create a travel agent's window in the corner of the classroom "selling" the pilgrimage. Alternatively create a sales brochure.

(4) If this is an extended topic you could set up different areas of the classroom (or hall?) as the most important points on the pilgrimage route, illustrating what goes on there and why. Visitors could follow the route round in the same way as one can undertake Stations of the Cross in a Roman Catholic Church.

(5) Hear the sacred stories connected with the holy place. Write an appropriate prayer of thanksgiving a pilgrim could use when they reach their destination (including details which show why the place is important to a believer).

(6) Write a "Postcard Home" to the pilgrim's family. Create both sides of the card ( e.g. a map of the route with views or one large viewcard on the picture side. Remember the spiritual side of the pilgrimage should feature in the message!

POSSIBLE PITFALLS

Don't turn the pilgrimage into a geography lesson instead of RE - think spiritual development!

Beware of assuming that pilgrimage holds an equally important place in all religions. For example - for Muslims the Hajj is the fifth of the Five Pillars of Islam and therefore an important journey which every Muslim should make if he or she can. The Hindu's choice of pilgrimage destination will depend on the god or goddess to which they owe particular devotion (although the River Ganges is an important religious focus for most Hindus). Christians may wish to visit the Holy Land, but not all Christian visitors would necessarily think of such a visit as a pilgrimage, and places such as Lourdes are most likely to appeal to members of the Roman Catholic Church.

RESOURCES

Perhaps the best tip is to surf the Internet - try typing in the name of your pilgrimage venue and you could be more than surprised!

Evans Brothers Ltd have a series of books called "Holy Cities" which are really for KS3, but definitely useful for this exercise. So far the series includes Rome, Jerusalem, Varanasi, Mecca, Amritsar and Salt Lake City. The series is being reprinted at KS2 level (same pictures, different level of language) as "Alpha Books" titles. So far they have produced Jerusalem, Makkah and Rome.

Obviously books on the different faiths will contain materials on pilgrimages, also look out for titles such as Pilgrimages and Journeys by Katherine Prior. Wayland. ISBN 0750204222.

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