Pilgrimages

A pilgrimage is a journey that pilgrims make to a place that is considered holy. To Catholics, a pilgrimage is more than just traveling to historic sites and viewing religious relics. It is a journey with a deeper and more spiritual meaning.

The word pilgrim comes from the Latin word “peregrinum” which conveys the idea of wandering over a distance. A pilgrimage is not purposeless wandering. It is a journey with a higher purpose and that purpose is to honor God.

One of the earliest use of the word can be found in works of Saint Augustine of Hippo. In his text, “Peregrinatio,” he described a Christian spiritual journey as a self-imposed exile of the pilgrim in which he searched for God’s truth