Taking a spiritual pilgrimage is a part of almost every Catholic’s dream. Roman Catholic or not, taking a Catholic pilgrimage in Europe by walking the Camino de Santiago or walking the San Vili Path are life-changing experiences everyone should do in their lives. If you are a Catholic or Christian considering a pilgrimage in Europe, here are two of the best Catholic pilgrimages in Europe. Combine these with a visit to some of the beautiful Cathedrals in Europe or visiting a monastery, such as Grandchamp in Switzerland, and you can have the trip of a lifetime. Here are 2 of Europe’s must-see Catholic pilgrimage routes and pilgrimage sites.
LOURDES, FRANCE
Contributed by Sobha of Just Go Places
Lourdes is one of the most important Roman Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. On average six million people visit Lourdes on pilgrimage every year. Sick people are often brought in groups to visit the Shrine. Tourists may arrive individually and in organised groups. This town in southwest France is famous because the faithful believe that the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant girl, Bernadette Sobiros, in a grotto in Lourdes a total of 18 times. In this grotto, the Virgin Mary proclaimed her Immaculate Conception to Bernadette. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (that Mary was born without sin) was only proclaimed recently by the church. When Bernadette told her priest about the Immaculate Conception he was shocked because there was no way a peasant girl would have known about this doctrine. The Virgin Mary also told Bernadette to dig near the grotto and a fountain appeared. The spring water from the fountain is supposed to have curative properties.
In Lourdes, you can visit the home of Bernadette. You can also visit The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes which covers about 130 acres and has 22 places of worship. There is a traditional upper and lower basilica as well as a modern basilica which can hold 25,000 worshippers. You stand in line to visit the grotto where Mary appeared to Bernadette and can touch the spring water. Next door to the grotto are pools in which the faithful can be submerged into the holy spring water. Lourdes, itself, has turned into a tourist town to accommodate the vast number of people who visit. The nearest international airport is Toulouse which is a two hour drive to Lourdes. You can also easily reach Lourdes by train from Paris and find plenty of comfortable accommodations from “pilgrim” class to luxury.
ASSISI, ITALY
Contributed by Tom of Travel Past
50 One of the most important Catholic pilgrimages in Europe is a pilgrimage to Assisi, the hometown of Saint Francis. Before you start ticking off your list of things to see on your visit to Assisi it would serve you well to take the time to learn just a little about the two saints, Francis and Clare, that make this Umbrian town the destination that it is. First, of course, is Saint Francis, the patron saint of Italy, and known here by his Italian name, San Francesco. To say he changed the Church, and with it the history of Western philosophy is probably not overstating his influence. Francis lived from the late 12th to the early 13th Centuries. He was the son of a prosperous silk merchant who renounced his father’s wealth and took the vow of poverty.
His first task, as a result of a vision he had, was to restore ruined chapels in the vicinity of Assisi. Among them was the so-called Portiuncula which became the home of the Friars Minor, the first religious order founded by Francis. Soon after forming his order, Francis was approached by a noblewoman, Clare of Assisi, who wished to follow him. She was prohibited by her father from doing so, but she escaped his castle one night and came to Francis, who gave her a simple habit like his own. A female complement to the Franciscan Minor Friars was established and eventually took the name the Poor Clares. Both saints have basilicas in Assisi, where you can venerate the saints as well as view extraordinary frescoes by early Italian Renaissance artists.
• Culled from www.sacredwanderings.com
