Pilgrimage Tourism
Presentation at the conference held in Agrinio on Pilgrimage and Alternative Tourism, it took place in the "set" of the Pithari Estate on Lake Trichonida on July 5th 2024 and was organized by the Association of Hoteliers of Aetoloakarnania.
Presentation at the conference held in Agrinio on Pilgrimage and Alternative Tourism, it took place in the "set" of the Pithari Estate on Lake Trichonida on July 5th 2024 and was organized by the Association of Hoteliers of Aetoloakarnania.
By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou
Because the wise Antisthenes writes "the beginning of education is the examination of terms" I will start by defining what "tourism" means. The English word "tourism" means to move from place to place mainly for recreational reasons. From this movement, the term "tourism" was created.
This term was also given to the movement of people and groups for religious reasons and thus the travelers were called "tourists". The term "religious tourism" was used "for the first time in 1937 by the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations (UN) in order to describe those who emigrated to foreign places for a period of more than 24 hours."
The first travelers/tourists were the Christians, who traveled to various ecclesiastical sites, but mainly to the Holy Land, to venerate the places where Christ lived, was crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended and where the first Christian Church also lived, as well as the monastic centers where Saints lived, to ask them about various issues that occupied them. Various texts that have survived, such as the Gerontikon, the Evergetinos, etc. are characteristic of this mentality.
Those who moved about were also described as emigrants, because they came from the municipalities, as well as travelers, because they traveled in the then difficult conditions. The so-called Pilgrimage of Egeria from the West is well-known, describing a nun of the 5th century, who visited the Holy Land and wrote her impressions of the tour to her Eldress.
We also find these movements in other religions for similar purposes.
Today, other better definitions have been proposed, which reflect reality more. It is considered that instead of religious tourism, a better definition is the expression "pilgrimage tour", which indicates a movement and tour from place to place, not for the sake of entertainment, but for the sake of pilgrimage. Also, the term "pilgrimage theoria" is mainly used for Jerusalem.
Today, as has been observed, general tourism "constitutes a multinational and multidimensional industry, an important element of the social, cultural, political and economic reality of our time." It is a tourism industry that employs one out of every nine inhabitants of the country and generates a lot of profits, over three trillion euros. Within this multi-national and multi-dimensional industry, religious tourism is also included, which becomes an occasion for the enrichment of many factors. It is established that approximately 200 million people circulate for religious reasons and the global turnover amounts to 15 billion euros.
It is understandable that the pilgrimage tour is not an easy act, because it carries many risks, when it is not properly organized. It can benefit and harm pilgrims. When we talk about a pilgrimage tour, we mainly mean three things: first, those who organize such excursions/tours, second, the program of the tours and third, the places that host the pilgrims.
The Church is particularly interested in these three factors, we also have a Synodical Office of Pilgrimage Tours, because it should not see the person as an individual unit, nor as an object to be exploited, but as a person who is interested in dealing with loneliness or to satisfy other internal searches.
Nafpaktia, as is known, is a place that combines beauty and tradition, culture and modern life. Because I have visited Zagorochoria and Pelion, I feel that the mountainous Nafpaktia is something between these two, which is why it is an area with great natural wealth and beauty.
At the same time, it has a very long cultural and ecclesiastical tradition. After all, the Church, like religion, is the center of culture, according to Max Weber. I believe that religious tourism in Nafpaktia should combine three elements: the monuments, the modern ecclesiastical life and the timeless tradition.
Many wonderful art monuments have been preserved to this day, such as the Monastery of Ampelakiotissa, which was founded in the 15th century, the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Bomboko, which was rebuilt in the 17th century, and the Panagia Panaxiotissa in Gavrolimni, which is a work of art of the 11th century, and many other preserved or ruined monastic centers, such as Saint Demetrios in Kryonerio, the Panagia of Kavadiotissa, the Holy Savior in Chrysovo, the Panagia of Philotheou in Neokastro, etc. An important monastic center is the Cave of Saint Nicholas in Varasova, which is a rare form of Reclusion where there is preserved elements of life from the 9th to the 18th century and the entire monastic and ascetic complex of Varasova.
Beyond this, the pilgrimage tours must have contact with the ecclesiastical ceremonies that take place at these monuments, that is, Divine Liturgies at their festivals, sacred Paraklesis at the miraculous pilgrimages that are held, vigils, etc. This takes place especially at the Monastery of Ampelakiotissa. Also, at least once a year there is a solemn Divine Liturgy in the Cave of Saint Nicholas in Varasova with a lot of people. I rejoice every year when I go up to the cave and step into spaces watered with ascetic struggles and sweats. Of course, special attention should be given to this place, that it should be made accessible and restoration work should begin.
Even the so-called religious tourism includes the participation in cultural activities organized by cultural associations during the summer months during the festivals of the Sacred Temples. Only that they should be careful not to alter the character of their religious events and not to create environmental pollution, even noise pollution.
However, everyone should be more active in developing and activating this new phenomenon, the so-called pilgrimage tour or religious tourism. It should be upgraded ecclesiastically and culturally and for this I congratulate the present Congress.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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