Pilgrimage: The Sacred Journey to Holy Places

Pilgrimage—the deliberate journey to sacred places for religious purposes—stands as one of humanity’s most ancient and enduring practices. Across the Abrahamic traditions, pilgrimage represents far more than physical travel; it embodies spiritual aspiration, communal identity, ritual obligation, and transformative encounter with the divine. From the ancient Israelites ascending to Jerusalem three times yearly, to medieval Christians traversing Europe to reach Santiago de Compostela or the Holy Land, to millions of Muslims annually circling the Kaaba in Mecca, pilgrimage has shaped religious consciousness and practice for millennia.

The very act of pilgrimage disrupts ordinary life, requiring believers to leave familiar surroundings, endure hardship, invest resources, and focus entirely on spiritual purposes. The Hebrew term aliyah (“going up”) captures both the literal ascent to Jerusalem’s elevation and the spiritual elevation pilgrimage produces. The Arabic hajj derives from a root meaning “to set out, to head for a place,” emphasizing journey and intention. In each tradition, the physical journey mirrors and facilitates an interior spiritual journey—pilgrims travel outwardly toward holy places while journeying inwardly toward deeper devotion.

Yet pilgrimage also raises profound questions. What makes certain places sacred? Does God inhabit specific locations more than others? How does physical presence at holy sites affect spiritual life? What is the relationship between outer journey and inner transformation? The three Abrahamic faiths answer these questions differently while sharing fundamental convictions: certain places bear unique significance in salvation history, communal journey strengthens individual faith, and the difficulties of pilgrimage themselves contribute to spiritual formation.

Biblical and Historical Foundations

Sacred Places in the Patriarchal Narratives

The biblical narrative establishes pilgrimage’s foundations through the patriarchs’ journeys to places where God revealed Himself. Abraham built altars at Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and at Hebron—sites that became pilgrimage destinations for his descendants (Genesis 12:6-8, 13:18). Jacob’s dream at Bethel led him to declare, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17). He erected a stone pillar and vowed to return, establishing the pattern of sacred sites marked by divine encounter.

Jacob’s wrestling with God at Peniel (Genesis 32:22-32), Moses’ encounter at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-6), and later revelations at Sinai established specific locations as uniquely charged with divine presence. These were not merely commemorative markers but places where heaven and earth seemed to touch, where the boundary between sacred and profane thinned, where encounter with God became especially accessible.

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals

The Torah institutionalized pilgrimage through the commandment of the three annual festivals when all Israelite males were required to “appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16). These were Passover/Unleavened Bread (commemorating the Exodus), Shavuot/Weeks (celebrating first fruits and later associated with giving the Torah), and Sukkot/Tabernacles (remembering wilderness wandering and celebrating harvest).

“Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you” (Deuteronomy 16:16-17). This requirement meant hundreds of thousands traveling to Jerusalem three times annually—an extraordinary logistical undertaking that created powerful communal solidarity and economic impact.

The Songs of Ascent

The fifteen “Songs of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134) preserve the pilgrimage liturgy sung by travelers ascending to Jerusalem. These psalms capture the full emotional range of pilgrimage: longing (“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’”), trust (“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?”), community (“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity”), and blessing (“May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth”).

Psalm 84 particularly expresses pilgrim devotion: “How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD… Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked” (Psalm 84:1-2, 10). The psalmist describes pilgrims whose “hearts are set on pilgrimage” as finding blessing even in difficult journey: “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs” (Psalm 84:5-6).

Jerusalem and the Temple

Solomon’s construction of the First Temple (c. 960 BCE) established Jerusalem as the definitive pilgrimage destination. At the temple’s dedication, Solomon acknowledged the theological tension: “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). Yet he affirmed the temple’s unique role as the place where God’s name would dwell, where prayers would be heard, where sacrifices would be offered.

The temple became the heart of Jewish identity and worship. Pilgrimage festivals brought the nation together, reinforcing covenant relationship, redistributing wealth, teaching the Law to new generations, and manifesting Israel’s unity before God. The destruction of the First Temple (586 BCE) and later the Second Temple (70 CE) devastated Jewish practice, yet pilgrimage hope remained: “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it” (Isaiah 2:2).

Post-Exilic Restoration

The return from Babylonian exile saw renewed commitment to pilgrimage. Ezra and Nehemiah led groups back to Jerusalem to restore temple worship (Ezra 1-6). The Feast of Tabernacles was reinstituted with great joy (Nehemiah 8:13-18). During the Second Temple period, pilgrimage intensified—Josephus reports that sometimes over 250,000 pilgrims would crowd into Jerusalem for major festivals, creating both religious fervor and political tension.

The Mishnah later codified detailed pilgrimage regulations: when to arrive, required sacrifices, temple procedures, accommodations in Jerusalem. Even after the Second Temple’s destruction in 70 CE, rabbinic literature preserved pilgrimage memory and anticipated future restoration.

Pilgrimage in Jewish Tradition

The Commandment of Aliyah

Jewish law establishes pilgrimage (aliyah la-regel, “going up by foot”) as a positive commandment obligating adult males to appear at the Temple during the three pilgrimage festivals. Though this obligation cannot be fulfilled after the Temple’s destruction, the commandment remains part of Torah study and shapes Jewish consciousness. Every Passover Seder concludes with “Next year in Jerusalem!”—maintaining pilgrimage hope across millennia.

The term aliyah carries profound significance beyond pilgrimage. It describes going up to read Torah in synagogue, immigrating to Israel (“making aliyah”), and spiritual elevation. All these uses connect to the fundamental image of ascending to Jerusalem’s physical height and spiritual center.

Pilgrimage to the Western Wall

After the Second Temple’s destruction (70 CE), the Western Wall (Kotel) of the Temple Mount became Judaism’s holiest accessible site. For nearly two millennia, Jews have made pilgrimage to this remnant to pray, often placing written prayers in its cracks. The Wall embodies both devastating loss (the destroyed Temple) and enduring hope (the surviving portion, divine presence that has never departed).

Visiting the Wall, especially during pilgrimage festivals, connects contemporary Jews with centuries of ancestors who stood at the same stones. The practice demonstrates continuity despite catastrophe—though the Temple is gone, the place retains sanctity, pilgrimage continues, and hope for restoration persists.

Pilgrimage to Ancestral Tombs

Jewish tradition includes pilgrimage to tombs of biblical figures and revered rabbis, particularly in Israel. Rachel’s Tomb near Bethlehem, the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron (burial site of the patriarchs and matriarchs), and numerous rabbis’ graves throughout Israel and the diaspora attract pilgrims seeking connection to ancestors and spiritual merit.

These pilgrimages often involve prayer, Torah study, and petitions for intercession. While some authorities question whether this borders on forbidden practices, the custom persists across communities. Visiting graves of the righteous (tzaddikim) is understood as connecting to their spiritual legacy and drawing inspiration from their devotion.

Pilgrimage to Israel

For diaspora Jews, visiting Israel itself constitutes pilgrimage. Kissing the ground upon arrival, visiting biblical sites, walking where ancestors walked, seeing the land promised to Abraham creates profound spiritual experience. Even secular Jews often describe visiting Israel as deeply moving, connecting them to history, peoplehood, and identity in ways ordinary tourism cannot.

The modern State of Israel has facilitated pilgrimage through improved infrastructure, archaeological excavations revealing biblical sites, and programs like Birthright offering free trips to young diaspora Jews. These efforts recognize pilgrimage’s role in strengthening Jewish identity and connection to the Land.

Liturgical Pilgrimage

Even when unable to travel physically, Jews engage in liturgical pilgrimage through prayers oriented toward Jerusalem. Traditional Jewish prayer requires facing Jerusalem (from outside Israel) or the Temple Mount (from within Israel). The Amidah includes petitions for Jerusalem’s restoration, gathering of exiles, and rebuilding the Temple. This prayer-pilgrimage maintains connection to the holy city across geographic distance.

The High Holy Days and pilgrimage festivals are observed everywhere, but with conscious awareness that full observance requires presence in Jerusalem. This creates productive tension—celebrating festivals where one lives while acknowledging incompleteness without the Temple, maintaining current religious life while hoping for restoration.

Pilgrimage in Christian Tradition

Jesus as Pilgrim

The Gospels portray Jesus as an observant Jew who made regular pilgrimages to Jerusalem for festivals. Luke records that Jesus’ parents “went to Jerusalem every year at the Festival of the Passover” and brought the twelve-year-old Jesus with them (Luke 2:41-42). John’s Gospel repeatedly mentions Jesus attending various festivals in Jerusalem (John 2:13, 5:1, 7:2-10), demonstrating His participation in this central Jewish practice.

Yet Jesus also relativized physical pilgrimage. To the Samaritan woman who asked whether worship should occur at Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem, Jesus responded: “Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-23). This tension—Jesus honoring pilgrimage while transcending location-based worship—shaped Christian pilgrimage theology.

Early Christian Practice

The earliest Christians, predominantly Jewish, continued Jerusalem Temple pilgrimage (Acts 2:46, 3:1). Peter and John were going to the Temple for prayer when they healed a lame man (Acts 3:1-10). Paul made pilgrimage to Jerusalem multiple times, even taking a Nazirite vow and participating in Temple purification rites (Acts 21:17-26).

However, the Temple’s destruction in 70 CE and Christianity’s spread among Gentiles gradually shifted practice. The author of Hebrews spiritualized pilgrimage: “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22). Christians were “foreigners and strangers on earth,” looking for “a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:13-16). Physical pilgrimage became less central as spiritual pilgrimage through life toward the heavenly city gained emphasis.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Despite theological ambivalence about sacred places, Christians began making pilgrimage to sites associated with Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, made pilgrimage to Palestine around 326-328 CE, reportedly discovering the True Cross and establishing churches at holy sites. Her journey inaugurated centuries of Christian Holy Land pilgrimage.

Byzantine and medieval Christians traveled dangerous routes to visit Bethlehem (Jesus’ birth), Nazareth (His childhood), the Sea of Galilee (His ministry), the Via Dolorosa (His path to crucifixion), the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (His death and resurrection), and the Mount of Olives (His ascension). Pilgrims sought to walk where Jesus walked, to make Scripture tangible, to encounter Christ through physical proximity to events of His life.

Medieval European Pilgrimage

Medieval Christianity developed extensive pilgrimage networks throughout Europe. Santiago de Compostela in Spain (tomb of St. James), Canterbury in England (Thomas Becket’s shrine), and Rome (tombs of Peter and Paul, numerous relics) attracted millions of pilgrims. Pilgrimage routes became infrastructure for cultural exchange, economic activity, and spiritual formation.

Pilgrims wore distinctive clothing (scallop shells for Santiago, crossed keys for Rome), traveled in groups for safety, stayed in hospices established by religious orders, and collected badges proving they had reached their destination. The journey itself became spiritually significant—hardship, time for prayer and reflection, separation from ordinary life, and communal experience with fellow pilgrims.

Pilgrimage Theology

Thomas Aquinas and other medieval theologians developed sophisticated pilgrimage theology. Pilgrimage was understood as:

• Penance for sin (often undertaken as assigned penance)
• Seeking healing or answered prayer at sites associated with miracles
• Venerating relics of saints as tangible connection to holy lives
• Imitating Christ’s journey to Jerusalem and His suffering
• Symbolizing life’s journey toward the heavenly Jerusalem

The Protestant Reformation challenged pilgrimage practices, particularly veneration of relics and notions that physical travel earned spiritual merit. Reformers emphasized that God is accessible everywhere through faith in Christ, not through travel to special locations. Yet pilgrimage never disappeared entirely from Protestant practice and has seen revival in recent decades.

Modern Pilgrimage

Contemporary Christian pilgrimage includes both traditional destinations (Holy Land, Rome, Santiago de Compostela) and newer sites (Lourdes, Fatima, Taizé). Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians increasingly make pilgrimage for spiritual renewal, historical education, ecumenical encounter, and deepened faith.

Many view pilgrimage less as earning merit and more as formative practice—physically enacting spiritual journey, creating space for encounter with God away from daily routine, experiencing solidarity with historical pilgrims, and gaining fresh perspective on faith through embodied experience.

Pilgrimage in Islamic Tradition

Hajj: The Fifth Pillar

In Islam, hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) stands as one of the five pillars of faith, obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it at least once in their lifetime. “And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass” (Quran 22:27). This commandment has made Mecca the focal point of Muslim devotion for fourteen centuries.

The hajj must be performed during specific days of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah (the 8th through 12th). The pilgrimage unites Muslims from every nation, ethnicity, language, and social class in identical white garments (ihram), performing identical rituals, proclaiming the same words—a profound embodiment of the ummah’s (global Muslim community’s) unity and equality before Allah.

The Rituals of Hajj

Hajj consists of precisely choreographed rituals performed over several days:

Ihram: Pilgrims enter consecrated state by donning simple white garments (two seamless cloths for men, modest clothing for women), abandoning normal clothing, perfume, and certain behaviors. This state symbolizes purity, equality, and focus on spiritual purposes.

Tawaf: Circling the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise, reciting prayers and supplications. The Kaaba, a cube-shaped building, is understood as the most sacred site on earth, established by Abraham and Ishmael (Quran 2:125-127).

Sa’i: Walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa, commemorating Hagar’s desperate search for water for her son Ishmael. This ritual honors a woman’s faith and Allah’s provision (the spring of Zamzam that miraculously appeared).

Standing at Arafat: On the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, all pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat from noon until sunset in prayer and supplication. This is considered the pinnacle of hajj. The Prophet Muhammad delivered his Farewell Sermon here. The gathering anticipates the Day of Judgment when all humanity will stand before Allah.

Stoning the Pillars: At Mina, pilgrims throw stones at three pillars representing Satan’s temptation, symbolizing rejection of evil. This commemorates Abraham’s rejection of Satan’s temptations to disobey Allah’s command to sacrifice his son.

Sacrifice: On Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), pilgrims sacrifice an animal, commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. The meat is distributed to the poor.

Completion: Final tawaf around the Kaaba before returning home.

Umrah: The Lesser Pilgrimage

Umrah can be performed at any time of year and involves fewer rituals than hajj (primarily tawaf and sa’i). While not obligatory, umrah is highly meritorious. Many pilgrims perform umrah before or after hajj, and millions visit Mecca for umrah throughout the year.

Spiritual Significance

Hajj represents complete submission to Allah, total focus on worship, purification from sin, and renewal of faith. The Prophet Muhammad taught: “Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not utter any obscene speech or do any evil deed, will go back (free from sin) as his mother bore him” (Sahih al-Bukhari). This promise of spiritual cleansing makes hajj profoundly significant for Muslims worldwide.

The experience of hajj—joining millions in worship, performing rituals Abraham performed, standing in humility before Allah at Arafat, sacrificing in obedience like Abraham—transforms pilgrims’ understanding of their place in the global ummah and their relationship with Allah. Many report hajj as the most spiritually powerful experience of their lives.

Pilgrimage to Medina

While not part of hajj requirements, most pilgrims also visit Medina to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque (al-Masjid an-Nabawi), which houses Muhammad’s tomb. The Prophet said: “One prayer in my mosque is better than one thousand prayers elsewhere, except the Sacred Mosque [in Mecca]” (Sahih al-Bukhari). Visiting the Prophet’s mosque, offering greetings to Muhammad, and connecting with early Islamic history deepens pilgrims’ faith.

Ziyarah: Visiting Holy Sites

Muslims also practice ziyarah (visitation) to sites associated with prophets, family members of Muhammad, and revered scholars. Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque hold special significance as the site of Muhammad’s Night Journey. Shi’a Muslims particularly practice ziyarah to shrines of Ali and Hussein in Iraq. These visits, while not obligatory like hajj, strengthen devotion and connection to Islamic heritage.

Modern Hajj

The Saudi government manages hajj logistics for over two million annual pilgrims, providing infrastructure, health services, crowd management, and safety measures. Modern transportation allows Muslims worldwide to fulfill the hajj obligation, creating an unprecedented annual gathering. Yet this also creates challenges—crowd crushes have caused deaths, commercialization threatens spiritual focus, and political conflicts sometimes disrupt access.

Despite challenges, hajj remains one of the world’s largest religious gatherings and most significant spiritual experiences for Muslims, embodying Islam’s global reach and timeless rituals connecting contemporary believers with Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael, and Muhammad.

Comparative Themes

Sacred Geography

All three traditions affirm that certain places bear unique spiritual significance, though they differ on which places and why. Jerusalem is sacred to all three—Judaism’s Temple Mount, Christianity’s sites of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Islam’s Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Mecca is Islam’s holiest site, connected through Abraham and Ishmael. Hebron houses the Cave of Machpelah, revered by all three as burial place of Abraham.

This shared sacred geography creates both profound connection and intractable conflict. Places that multiple traditions claim as uniquely holy become contested space. Yet shared reverence also offers potential for mutual understanding—recognition that others’ devotion to holy places runs as deep as one’s own.

Journey as Spiritual Formation

Across traditions, the journey itself—not merely arrival—carries spiritual significance. The hardship of travel, time for prayer and reflection, separation from ordinary life, encounter with fellow pilgrims, and anticipation of reaching the destination all contribute to transformation. Pilgrimage physically enacts the spiritual journey of faith—leaving the familiar, trusting God through difficulty, moving toward holy encounter.

The Songs of Ascents, medieval Christian pilgrimage accounts, and Islamic hajj narratives all testify that pilgrimage changes pilgrims. They return with renewed devotion, broader perspective, deeper community connection, and tangible experience of faith that strengthens commitment.

Community and Equality

Pilgrimage creates powerful experiences of community. Jewish pilgrimage festivals brought all Israel together three times annually, reinforcing national and covenant identity. Christian pilgrimage connected believers across Europe through shared routes and destinations. Hajj manifests the global ummah’s unity—millions from every nation worship together in identical garments, performing identical rituals.

Pilgrimage also emphasizes equality. At hajj, rich and poor wear the same simple clothing; social distinctions disappear in communal worship. Jewish pilgrimage law required everyone to bring offerings “in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you”—acknowledging different capacities while requiring universal participation. Christian pilgrimage threw together people of all classes in shared journey.

Physical and Spiritual Journey

All three traditions navigate the relationship between outer physical journey and inner spiritual transformation. Is the location itself spiritually powerful, or is the journey primarily symbolic? Does God dwell more at the Kaaba, Temple Mount, or Church of the Holy Sepulcher than elsewhere?

Jewish, Christian, and Muslim theologians have answered differently. Some emphasize that God fills all creation equally but has chosen specific locations for special revelation or commanded worship. Others view pilgrimage as primarily formative practice—the location matters because of what happened there and what it represents, not because God is spatially confined there. Most traditions hold these in tension: affirming both God’s universal presence and certain places’ unique significance.

Modern Challenges

Access and Conflict

Many pilgrimage sites lie in contested or dangerous areas. Jerusalem’s holy sites are controlled by different religious and political authorities, creating access restrictions and tensions. Political conflicts in the Middle East have sometimes prevented pilgrims from reaching holy sites. This raises painful questions about how sacred geography intersects with political reality.

The very holiness that makes places pilgrimage destinations also makes them flashpoints for conflict when multiple groups claim them. How can shared reverence become basis for peace rather than competition? How can pilgrims from different traditions visit sacred sites with mutual respect?

Commercialization

Modern pilgrimage faces commercialization challenges. Hotels, tour operators, souvenir vendors, and tour guides create economies around holy sites. This can reduce profound spiritual experience to religious tourism, where pilgrims consume experiences rather than undergo transformation. Mecca’s dramatic development—air-conditioned malls within view of the Kaaba, luxury hotels—troubles many Muslims who see commerce overwhelming worship.

Yet pilgrimage has always involved economic dimensions. Medieval hospices, modern transportation, food and lodging all require financial resources. The challenge is maintaining pilgrimage’s spiritual integrity while providing necessary infrastructure.

Virtual Pilgrimage

Digital technology now offers virtual pilgrimage—360-degree tours of holy sites, livestreaming from the Kaaba, virtual reality experiences of Jerusalem. For those unable to travel physically due to health, finances, or political barriers, these offer some connection to pilgrimage experience. Yet can virtual presence substitute for physical journey? Is the embodied experience of actual travel essential to pilgrimage’s formative power?

Most traditions maintain that physical pilgrimage, when possible, remains distinctly valuable. The difficulty, investment, physical presence, and embodied experience cannot be fully replicated virtually. Yet virtual options democratize access and provide alternatives when physical travel is impossible.

Environmental Impact

Millions traveling annually to pilgrimage sites creates significant environmental impact—carbon emissions from air travel, waste generation, strain on local ecosystems and water resources. This raises ethical questions: Does pilgrimage’s spiritual value justify environmental costs? How can pilgrimage practices become more sustainable?

Some suggest reducing frequency, offsetting carbon emissions, supporting local environmental conservation, and balancing pilgrimage with environmental stewardship. The challenge is honoring religious obligations while caring for creation.

Significance

Pilgrimage endures across millennia because it addresses deep human needs for sacred encounter, communal belonging, tangible connection to faith traditions, and embodied spiritual practice. In increasingly digital, abstracted, and individualistic cultures, pilgrimage offers physical journey, communal experience, historical connection, and location-specific devotion.

The three Abrahamic traditions agree that certain places matter spiritually—not because God is confined to locations, but because salvation history unfolded in specific places, because God chose to reveal Himself at particular sites, because communal memory anchors to geographic locations. Jerusalem matters because the Temple stood there, because Jesus died and rose there, because Muhammad ascended from there. Mecca matters because Abraham and Ishmael built the Kaaba there, because Muhammad established Islam there. These are not interchangeable locations but places where heaven touched earth in unique ways.

Pilgrimage also reminds us that faith is not merely intellectual assent but embodied practice. The journey—with its costs, hardships, anticipations, and joys—shapes pilgrims in ways that armchair theology cannot. Walking where ancestors walked, praying where prophets prayed, worshiping where millions have worshiped creates connection across time and space. The body’s participation—tired feet, awe-struck eyes, voice joined in communal prayer—engages the whole person in ways that purely cognitive faith cannot.

Most profoundly, pilgrimage enacts the fundamental spiritual truth that we are journeying people. Jews journeyed from slavery to freedom, wandered forty years toward the promised land, walked from exile back to Jerusalem. Christians understand earthly life as pilgrimage toward the heavenly Jerusalem. Muslims see life as journey toward the Day of Judgment. Pilgrimage physically embodies this spiritual reality—we are not home yet, we are traveling toward promised destination, the journey itself forms us for arrival.

Whether ascending to Jerusalem singing the Songs of Ascent, traversing Europe toward Santiago de Compostela, or circling the Kaaba with millions of fellow Muslims, pilgrims testify that the journey matters, that sacred places bear witness to God’s action in history, that traveling together strengthens faith community, and that sometimes we must leave home to discover what home truly means. “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1)—this ancient pilgrim joy still calls believers from every tradition to sacred journey.