Pilgrimage, a global ritual embraced by all faiths, is one of the most enduring traits in our human story. In this compelling history Peter Stanford reflects on the reasons people have walked along the same sacred paths across the ages. How do the experiences of the first pilgrims to Jerusalem, Mecca and Santiago de Compostela compare to the millions of people who embark upon life-changing physical and spiritual journeys today? And why do we still feel compelled to walk, stop and think about our lives? Pilgrimage explores sacred landscapes across the world, the 88 temples on the island of Shikoku in Japan, to the monolithic rock-cut churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia and the riverbanks of the Kumbh Mela in India. These journeys are to places of healing and reflection, but also to sites of danger and even violence, at crossroads where different political and religious tensions meet. While pilgrimage is viewed as an escape from the everyday to refocus the mind and soul, struggles for power and social upheaval have always had an impact on the way pilgrims experience their own personal journey. Peter Stanford guides us through the history of pilgrimage, its meanings and experiences today, as a new generation seeking solace, clarity and wonder follow in the footsteps of travellers from the past.

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Subtopic
World HistoryIndex
HistoryTable of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- About the Author
- Other Titles of Interest
- Contents
- Introduction The New Geography of Spiritual Power
- 1. Santiago de Compostela: The Camino
- 2. Jerusalem: The Promised Land
- Plate Section One
- 3. Rome: Seeing is Believing
- 4. Mecca: A World Apart
- 5. Lalibela: Unearthing a Mystery
- 6. Lourdes, Medjugorje and the Marian Shrines: Mary and the Miracles
- 7. The North Wales Pilgrim’s Way: Celtic Revival
- 8. Kumbh Mela: The World’s Largest Pilgrimage
- 9. The Buddha Trail: The Peripatetic Pilgrim
- 10. Shikoku: 88 Temples in the Footsteps of the Great Master
- 11. North America: Optimistic Hiking
- Plate Section Two
- 12. Machu Picchu: Power Places
- Epilogue To Arrive Where We Started
- Notes
- Further Reading
- Acknowledgments
- Picture Credits
- Index
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access Pilgrimage by Peter Stanford in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & World History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.