Reply To: Pilgrimage Churches

[Kaitlyn]

The Pilgrimage held many purposes and meanings. It may have been a way to declare gratitude since doomsday had not occurred, and/or to ensure salvation if doomsday were to come. A pilgrimage may been taken to purify the soul or produce healing benefits. Or for an everyday person to see the world, or mingle with people from different social classes. Criminals would even take pilgrimages for repentance. In the peoples journey to visit these sacred places they could grow weary, with this in mind church created images to encourage the weary travelers. The Last Judgement is very often depicted. The churches also designed the architecture in such a way to make it easier and more subtle for the pilgrims to walk through the church without disturbing mass. Its actually very interesting the design tactics they used to accommodate the travelers.