It could be my imagination, but I think pilgrims and therefore pilgrimages are indeed having a moment!
And I am talking here of a buzz beyond the Camino de Santiago. That pilgrim path and its websites and general social media are steadily buzzing away. And never more so than in the spring with people planning, packing, worrying and just ready to set off for their trek to Santiago de Compostela in North West Spain. No, I am talking about Beyond Camino!
Last week the Franciscan priest Richard Rohr in his daily posts from the Centre for Action and Contemplation in New Mexico, devoted the whole week to the theme of pilgrimages. His ongoing message for all folks, Christians and others, is to spend time quietly, as in contemplation, to be with the spirit within and without.
So pilgrims, in the right frame of mind (or just ditch the frame of mind and walk,) are given a powerful and wonderful gift.
And then, I have just subscribed to a newsletter called The Idler, which I think is from the UK, but international in its reach and participants. Today I have news that these folks are planning a pub meet (albeit online) with a US academic Professor Marion Turner who has written a biography of Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath. How brilliant is that, why don’t I have ideas like that!? An extract from her book is available and I loved that too.
Especially as part of it echoed a short passage in my book Pardon My Camino that speculates that in the Middle Ages, in Chaucer’s time, going on a pilgrimage was about as close as you came to being a tourist! Professor Turner focuses on women as pilgrims. These women who travelled and did not stay home were regarded with a certain suspicion. She points out that they travelled boldly and far on pilgrimages. The wife of Bath had been three times to Jerusalem, to Rome and Santiago de Compostela as well as other destinations! Wow and no modern gear or transport available.
And from there, that led me to the website of Guy Hayward, a lovely sounding and looking fellow. He is working to revive ancient British pilgrims’ ways (as well as other really interesting projects).
Well of course with my Camino novel newly launched, I applaud all this pilgrimage talk. And I heave a big nostalgic sigh as this time last year, I was getting all geared up for my trip to Spain to walk the Camino Aragonés and to be a volunteer at a hostel in the Spanish Pyrenees! So many dear and cherished memories. No Camino plans for me this year, well at least so far. Who knows? Maybe next year!