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Dec 29th, 2019
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Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I thought it might be interesting to start a thread about interesting religious pilgrimages you have made either here, or in Western or Eastern Europe and Russia.
I guess my most memorable pilgrimages are:
1. to Rome, the soul of all Christendom; and to the special spiritual motherland called the Vatican. It is such a special place, that even an Orthodox can feel it! 
2. to the great former Church of the Haghia Sophia, in my Eastern spiritual motherland of Constantinople.
3. to the island of Tinos in Greece, well known for the miracles of our blessed Lady, the Mother of God. The famous miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is in the Church of the 'Panayia', or 'All holy One'. The beauty of the island is that you step off the boat in the small harbor, all you immediately notice that there is one central, wide, long street heading uphill to the church. There are the inevitable shops selling religious wares all the way up...some of which are quite nice, actually. If you get hungry after your pilgrimage to reverence the icon and pray, which can be quite a hike, there are some nice, small, traditional tavernas at the base of the central street. I understand that on the 15th of August, there is pilgrimage chaos there, as crowds of people make their way to the large Church at the top of the hill...many on their knees. Priests are always available in the beautiful church courtyard complex to hear confessions.
4. to the monastery founded by St. Nektarios, where he lived out his last days, and where he is buried, on the Greek island of Aegina. From the minute one steps off the boat in the small harbor, one realizes that he/she is on a special sanctified and reverend island...where tourist shops have not degraded themselves to selling and promoting sexual filth like on the more touristy islands of Greece.
5. to the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Nektarios in Roscoe, NY...one of the monasteries founded in the U.S. by the Elder Ephraim of the Holy Mountain of Athos. The landscape in the mountains goes on and on, and the rugged land has been worked and refined with paths, plantings and buildings by the industrious young monks. The solitude there makes for a wonderful retreat from the noise, the cares, the vanities, and the burdens of everyday life. If you make it there at mealtime, you are welcome to eat the meals cooked by the monks, which are always innovative and delicious...but since these monasteries operate according to the Athonite rule, there is no talking at meal time, and men and women need to sit apart at seperate tables. A dress code of long skirts and head scarves is also mandatory for women.
Alice
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3. to the island of Tinos in Greece, well known for the miracles of our blessed Lady, the Mother of God. The famous miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is in the Church of the 'Panayia', or 'All holy One'.
Dear Alice,
Near the Church is an RCC monastery, or so I've heard. Oddly enough, wherever our Theotokos is highly venerated, there is a close relationship to the Catholic Church. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the Church on the island of Tinos, was originally a Catholic Church. Of course it might not have been. 
I do know that my mother's parish in Greece, 'Panaghia Erithiani', that is dedicated to our Theotokos, was originally a Catholic Church. The style is certainly 'western' and French, and seems to date from the late 1700's. Before that it was a Catholic monastery.
Zenovia
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Dear Alice and Zenovia,
My most memorable pilgramages were:
1. Visiting the Vatican, and then attending the Papal Blessing at Castel Gandolfo, the summer home of the Pope, back in 1985. What an awesome setting! The castle is perched on the top of an extinct volcano.
2. Visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, outside Mexico City, Mexico, back in 1972. I still remember the awe of witnessing the icon made by the hands of the Theotokos. There has to have been over 500 youngsters easily all dressed in white dresses and black suits making their first communion.
3. Visiting the DOM, the small cathederal in Wurzburg Germany, home to the final resting place of Holy Saint Kiliani, St. Totnan, and St. Coloman; in 1978 and 1990. The cathederal was built over the spot of their martyrdom.
4. Visiting the cathederal in Naples Italy for the Feast of San Genaro in 1985. What a spectacle that was!
5. Visiting the Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, in Tarpon Springs Florida. What an absolutely beautiful and peaceful place. Saturday vespers are a special treat!
There are many more places I wish to visit before my time ends. Constantinople and Jerusalem are tops on the list.
In Christ,
Michael
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I haven't gone anywhere besides a few local famous spots that are close to where I may be (e.g. the Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico, the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Alabama).
However, I would someday like to go to an eastern monastery. Since I'm eastern Catholic, I'd like to visit Holy Ressurection Monastery in CA. I've also thought about visiting some of the Greek Orthodox monasteries.
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Oh Lord although I desired to blot out
With my tears the handwriting of my many sins
And for the rest of my life to please thee through sincere repentance;
Yet doth the enemy lead me astray as he wareth
Against my soul with his cunning.
Oh Lord before I utterly perish do thou save me!
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Alice, what a good topic !  And what marvelous places you and others have visited ! My "pilgrimages" have been much more local. Some days, it is a "pilgrimage" just to get myself to say my daily prayers. But, Jesus rewards me with His grace and peace when I do so. This website and a Eucharistic Adoration website [ savior.org] are useful online pilgrimages for helping me to pray. Physically, I have visited a local Orthodox monastery several times. This has been a significant factor in drawing me near to the Eastern Church and, eventually, Orthodoxy. It is St. Gregory Palamas Greek Orthodox Monastery [ sgpm.goarch.org], which is near Ashland, Ohio (which is about 50 miles southwest of Cleveland, Ohio). The monastic and spiritual life there is the real thing. It is well worth visiting. One day, I would like to be in Jerusalem on Easter for the miracle of the Holy Fire [ holyfire.org]. That would be a powerful pilgrimage. -- John
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Physically, I have visited a local Orthodox monastery several times. This has been a significant factor in drawing me near to the Eastern Church and, eventually, Orthodoxy. It is St. Gregory Palamas Greek Orthodox Monastery [ sgpm.goarch.org], which is near Ashland, Ohio (which is about 50 miles southwest of Cleveland, Ohio). The monastic and spiritual life there is the real thing. It is well worth visiting. Wow! I have been wanting to go there for quite some time. I will hopefully make it this spring or summer!
Last edited by Recluse; 02/13/07 11:16 AM.
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Great posts. Please keep them coming! If God wills it in my lifetime, I would still like to go to the Holy Land, and to Russia. I would especially love to go to St. Petersburg. I know, that with all the churches there, it would be a pilgrimage and vacation wrapped up in one. I failed to mention an interesting pilgrimage my husband made, quite by accident. He was in Bruges, Belgium once, and he heard that the relic of the 'Holy Blood' was in the Cathedral there. So he went to see it. Much to their credit, you had to worship at Mass *first* before they would bring it out for veneration. www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/bruges-basilica-of-holy-blood.htm [ sacred-destinations.com] In Christ, Alice
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Here's a couple of my more memorable ones:
Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland (icon thought to be painted by St. Luke) as well as the American shrine of the same name in Doylestown, PA.
Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor in Westminister Abbey in London.
Site of the martyrdom and former site of the tomb of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral in England.
Holy Resurection Monastery in California (for the feast of the Dormition)
John
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OK - my turn  Fatima [ a long time ago ] Lisieux, Alencon Paris Nevers And of course Lourdes - several times [ next trip after Pascha ]
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OK - my turn Fatima [ a long time ago ] Lisieux, Alencon Paris Nevers And of course Lourdes - several times [ next trip after Pascha ] Dear Anhelyna, We have enjoyed reading your posts about Lourdes. Could you share a little about Fatima? Thanks! In Christ, Alice
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I was at the Nicula Monastery in Romania for the Dormition in 2005. Estimates on the number of pilgrims ranged from 150,000 to 200,000.
Dave
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Dear Alice,
When I was a student, I went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and to the monasteries of Palestine. I have been to Istanbul (Constantinople) and to Ephesus. On another occasion, I was able to visit Patmos for a memorable Pascha. I find a pilgrimage is often better than a retreat.
This year, if God allows, I hope to visit the Ukraine, and go to the Kiev Caves Monastery during Great Week.
Does anyone know of an english translation of the paterikon of the Kiev Caves Monastery?
the unworthy,
Elias
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Dear Hieromonk Elias, Thanks for your post! After reading it I remembered that many years ago I too had also gone to the Virgin Mary's house in Ephesus (where I met the very nice RC priest who was the caretaker) and that I had also gone to Patmos. I think the reason I forgot is because both of these places were short visits arranged by the small cruise I was on, so I didn't think of them as deliberate pilgrimages. Ofcourse they are very holy places, and I am glad that I was able to go to venerate them. Didn't you love the wooded setting which the Virgin Mary's house was in? I pray that you will be able to visit the Kievan Caves of Ukraine, so that you can come back and share the experience with us. Asking for your holy blessing and prayers, Alice
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I have been on pilgrimage to Israel three times and to Rome once.
CDL
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Dear Dan,
I understand that a pilgrimage to the Holy sites of Israel is an awesome spiritual experience beyond description.
Regards,
Alice
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