Where:
Breakfast Point Admin building, 2-4 Magnolia Drive, Breakfast Point.
When:
11:00am – 1:00pm
People make pilgrimages for all sorts of reasons:
Some go on religious tours to strengthen their faith,
– or embark on a physical journey allowing time for personal reflection or healing,
– there are those that embrace a challenge for that euphoric sense of personal achievement,
– and those who revel in the wonderment and awe found in significant historic sites or cultural experiences.
We will be discussing questions like:
What is a pilgrimage?
Who can be a pilgrim?
Why embark on a pilgrimage?
What does it involve?
Where are some pilgrimage destinations?
Come along and chat with Paul Barnes who has walked the well-known Camino de Santiago – The Way of St James. Hear about his experiences and what was involved.
We will be considering a few religious pilgrimage destinations starting with Israel where the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions each have their origin. Israel is unique as home of historic sites that witnessed the most profound events found within the religious texts of three major religions.
We then turn to neighbouring Petra and find out how this lost city was re-discovered by a pilgrim who tricked his guide. Learn about the connection between the Nabataean princess of Petra and John the Baptist.
But not all pilgrimages are undertaken for religious reasons. On a more light-hearted note, we look at St John’s Wood in London which has two sites of significant cultural interest:
- LORDS – the home of cricket, and
- The recording studio that produced an iconic album from a famous pop group, with a very well-known crossing nearby.
So, whatever the reason, pilgrimages are a very popular form of taking a break from the normal hum drum of life while connecting with people on the same journey.