Pilgrimage & Celebrations

Pilgrimage and Celebrations

Christians often express their beliefs by celebrating special festivals, and some Christians travel to holy lands in pilgrimage. Christians believe that pilgrimages and festivals are opportunities to witness their faith, and can be occasions of spiritual renewal and the strengthening of faith.

Christmas and Easter

Two of the most important Christian festivals are Christmas and Easter.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus and Easter celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.
- These festivals recall the central beliefs of Christianity: the Incarnation and Jesus’ saving death and resurrection.

Holy places

Holy places for Christians include the Holy Land, Rome, Iona and Lourdes.

Pilgrimage

Some Christians travel to holy places associated with the Christian faith. This is called a pilgrimage.

Journey

Pilgrimage reminds Christians they are on a spiritual journey through life, one that will end with God in heaven.
Some Christians see pilgrimages as unnecessary: the important journey is the inner one

Pilgrimages to Lourdes

Lourdes is a town in southern France where Jesus’ mother Mary is said to have appeared and is a popular place for Catholic pilgrimage because Catholics often have a great devotion to Mary.
Pilgrimage to Lourdes often involves processions and special masses and prayers.
It is a place where sick people go on a pilgrimage because of a belief that the water of a spring in Lourdes has miraculous healing powers.

Pilgrimages to Iona

Iona is an island off the west coast of Scotland, and a place associated with the earliest days of Christianity in Britain, in particular with St Columba and his followers. These men established a monastery there in the 6th Century CE and travelled to spread Christianity throughout Scotland and the north of England.
There is a monastic community in Iona today, and the monastery welcomes pilgrims who come to pray and receive spiritual guidance.
Christians of all denominations travel to Iona because they believe they gain spiritual rewards in following the path of early Christian saints.

Pilgrimage in other faiths

Pilgrimage is also an important activity for people of other faiths.
Muslims travel to Mecca and other places associated with the Prophet Muhammad. This is called Hajj.
Many Hindus go on pilgrimage to the River Ganges because the river is believed to be the source of spiritual purification.

1Buddhism

2Christianity

2.1Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God

2.1.2The Problem of Evil

2.1.3Monotheism

2.1.4Creation

2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation

2.1.6The Trinity and Creation

2.1.7Afterlife

2.1.8Heaven and Hell

2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs

2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs

2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation

2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human

2.2.3The Crucifixion

2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal

2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension

2.2.6Sin

2.2.7Original Sin

2.2.8Punishment

2.2.9The Means of Salvation

2.2.10Achieving Salvation

2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation

2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation

2.2.13Theories of Salvation

2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.3Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship

2.3.2Prayer

2.3.3Sacrament

2.3.4Baptism

2.3.5Other Sacraments

2.3.6Eucharist

2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations

2.3.8Christmas & Easter

2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals

2.4Community

2.4.1Local Community

2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

2.4.3Worldwide Church

2.4.4Reconciliation

2.4.5Persecution

2.4.6Caring for Those in Need

2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community

2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

3Catholicism (Christianity)

4Islam

5Judaism

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