The Power of Pilgrimage

1. The Power of Pilgrimage Monday, February 19, 2001

2. The structure of pilgrimage, 1: sacred places • Natural openings to or living places for spirits • mountains, caves, wells, etc. • Places where deities have communicated with humans • miracles, locations of sacred objects, martyrdoms, places of messages

3. Review of rites of passage • Separation • Liminality • Return or re-aggregation

4. Structure of pilgrimage, 2: movement through space • Separation • emotional power of separation from community life • purification rites • Liminality • ordeals • communitas • Re-aggregation • retracing steps • de-purification • re-incorporation

5. Aparecida do Norte • The sacred object • the 17th century discovery by 3 fishermen • the miracle • The miraculous powers of the object • promessas

6. Aparecida do Norte: the pilgrimage • Separation • purification: fasting, abstinence; leaving jewelry; confession • Liminality • ordeal: little sleep • communitas • re-aggregation • feast upon return • special mass and report to church

7. Pilgrimage to Mecca • One of 5 pillars of Islam • The sanctity of the destination: Kaba and plain of Arafat

8. Structure of pilgrimage to Mecca • Separation • bodily practices • Liminality • ordeal • communitas (Malcolm X; the tawaf) • Re-aggregation • sacrifice of lamb • return: shaving of heads; feasts