People have likely made pilgrimages as part of their religious seeking or devotion since the beginning of homo sapiens. Making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was an important part of Jewish life, especially on Passover - as well as other High Holy days. Some have speculated that the early Christian movement appropriated the use of the labyrinth as a substitute for those who were unable to travel or in times when travel was unsafe.

The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of St. James, was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the late Middle Ages.

We, Sherry and I, have travelled parts of two of the Camino routes - from Le Mont-Saint-Michel to Bordeaux and from Lyon, France (from which the first Pilgrimage was made) all the way to Santiago, Spain.

This time we will travel, with Peter Sills - someone well known to most St. Paul’s folks - from Arles, France all the way to Santiago, Spain and then on to what is called “the end of the world.” I will post an image of the map our route will follow this time in my next blog - which I will write on the long plane ride from Houston to Arles - with multiple stops.

Some of you may remember that a couple of years ago, we took a pilgrimage trip with Peter, the St. Nicholas Pilgrimage. That was in Italy. The trip we are taking this year will be Peter’s 25th pilgrimage to lead and his last one.

What I am most looking forward to experiencing and sharing with you are the sacred spaces we will be visiting. We will have opportunities to celebrate some sort of liturgy up to three times a day. We will be in Santiago for Pilgrim Sunday at the end of July.

I will miss being at St. Paul’s at the beginning of Dr. Jeff McDonald’s ministry.

I hope you will join us on this pilgrimage.

Much love,

Bill Kerley