Religious Pilgrimage Research Articles

Constructing with ruins. José Ignacio Linazasoro: buildings for marginalised places in Madrid

Spain’s large cities have long suffered from decay and crime in the central areas, and the impoverishment and depopulation of smaller towns located in the crown. Madrid is such an example. The Lavapiés neighbourhood was a site of rampant unauthorised building practices. Formerly a shelter for sub-Saharan migrants, it is now among the best known to the tourist masses, which, however, mask its delinquency and social deterioration. Instead, the rural hamlet of Valdemaqueda has shrunk to its current number of six hundred inhabitants. Its economy is limited to religious pilgrimages, thus risking the disappearance of the local community. José Ignacio Linazasoro (1947), a Spanish architect living and working in Madrid and winner of the International Brick Award and of the Piranesi Prix de Rome, took on the task of ‘healing’ the Lavapiés neighbourhood and the Valdemaqueda hamlet through the integrated construction of two ruins with strong civic value.

Religious Pilgrimage as a Tourist Attraction: The Case of Adriatic Maritime Pilgrimages in Nin and Perast

Religious Pilgrimage as a Tourist Attraction: The Case of Adriatic Maritime Pilgrimages in Nin and Perast

Social branding for health promotion against non-communicable diseases in Maharashtra, India

Introduction: The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major challenge for countries, regardless of their level of development. Social branding is an emerging approach to health promotion for NCD prevention. In this paper, the process of social branding is documented as a case study to help researchers develop similar kinds of interventions in the settings in which they work. Methods: The process of developing a social brand is documented through conversations with the project team, observations in the field, interaction with community local members, and information gathered through photographs, videos and newspaper clippings. Results: The social brand focused upon in this study was named the Aarogyachi Vaari (Health Pilgrimage) inspired by the Pandrapur Wari, a religious pilgrimage undertaken in the state of Maharashtra, India. Various stakeholders from self-help groups, panchayat raj institutions and schools from the local village collaborated successfully to implement the health event in a manner similar to the way in which diverse religious groups come together for the Pandrapur Wari religious pilgrimage. The Aarogyachi Vaari took the form of a strategically planned health event consisting of various health promotion stalls, many developed by local villagers themselves. The organisation of the event was aided by resource mobilisation within the local community. Discussion: Social branding can be an effective tool for health promotion in community settings. Studying people’s cultural preferences and what makes them feel connected and excited can lay the foundations for the creation of a social brand that reflects their choices and helps them take up healthy behaviours on their own. It is possible to mobilise a community for health through social branding that is culturally relevant and connected to the interests and priorities of local people.

Dapatkah Harga dan Kualitas Pelayanan Berdampak Terhadap Minat Konsumen Pada Biro Perjalanan Haji dan Umroh?

This scientific article investigates the impact of price and quality of service on consumer interest in Hajj and Umrah travel agencies. The study aims to understand the factors that influence consumers' decision-making process when selecting travel agencies for their religious pilgrimages hajj and umrah. The research employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of potential pilgrims a hajj and umrah in PT. X. Statistical analysis techniques, including regression analysis, are employed to examine the relationships between price, quality of service, and consumer interest. The findings reveal that both price and quality of service significantly influence consumer interest in Hajj and Umrah travel agencies. Specifically, affordable pricing and superior service quality emerge as key drivers for consumers' selection of travel agencies. The study provides valuable insights for travel agencies to enhance their competitive advantage and attract more customers by strategically managing pricing strategies and improving service quality. Moreover, it contributes to the existing body of knowledge on consumer behavior within the context of religious tourism, particularly for the Hajj and Umrah market segment. Further research avenues are proposed to deepen the understanding of consumer preferences and behavior in this domain

Religious Pilgrimages in South Africa: A Catalyst for Sustainable Tourism and Local Economic Development

Sustainable tourism and local economic development as a mechanism for religious pilgrimages in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This is particularly pertinent for religious pilgrimages in KZN province which boosts historical landmarks and pilgrimage destinations. Pilgrimage tourism and several other forms of tourism related to it have significant affinities to the tenets of sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the complications that could arise from religious pilgrimages' potential as a form of travel that, once implemented, would be beneficial for sustainable tourism and local economic development (LED). This paper further intends to assess the pilgrimage destinations to be viewed as a mechanism for local economic development. A quantitative research design was employed, as the nature of this research necessitates the use of numerical data and descriptive statistics to draw conclusions. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect data from 410 respondents selected using a convenience sampling technique from different pilgrimage destinations in KZN, South Africa. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted using IBM’s SPSS version 28 software. The pilgrims and local communities’ perceptions of socio-economic contribution indicate that the availability of tourism facilities might be perceived as a socio-economic contributor to pilgrimage destinations. The findings further reveal that African religious pilgrimages can be sustainable and be a local economic development catalyst in KwaZulu-Natal. The study recommends that the South African National Christian Forum (SANCF), in collaboration with the South African government (national and provincial), develop an operational plan to provide business education, entrepreneurial skills, and relevant support to local communities surrounding religious pilgrimages or religious destinations, to empower them to contribute to the development of the local economy. This will assist to reduce South Africa's high unemployment rate, particularly in less developed regions.

SERVICES QUALITY IN RELIGIOUS TOURISM WITH REFERENCE TO NAVAGRAHA TEMPLES IN THANJAVUR DISTRICT

This research delves into the realm of Religious Tourism Service Quality, specifically focusing on the Navagraha Temples in the culturally rich Thanjavur District. As the oldest form of tourism, religious pilgrimage has witnessed substantial growth in recent years. The study employs the World Tourism Organization's standards to assess safety, hygiene, accessibility, transparency, authenticity, and harmony in the context of these temples. Using a structured questionnaire and statistical analysis, the research unveils pilgrims' perceptions of service quality across various dimensions and establishes correlations with overall satisfaction. The findings provide valuable insights for practitioners, temple management, and policymakers in enhancing the religious tourism experience in this region.

Creating Atmosphere and Meaning through Singing on the Religious Pilgrimage from Sali to Piškera

The Catholic pilgrimage from Sali (island of Dugi Otok, Croatia) to the island of Piškera is embedded in the historical connections between these two locations, as Piškera was inhabited by fishermen from Sali for nearly three centuries. While sailing through the archipelago that no longer belongs to them, the pilgrims from Sali sing. During Mass, they perform a sung liturgy rooted in polyphonic folk singing; after Mass, the singing usually continues up until they depart. In this article, I argue that this community embodies its presence in the archipelago and creates a certain atmosphere through singing, while simultaneously inscribing meaning into the pilgrimage itself.

Transformasi Pondok Pesantren Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Kabupaten Labuhanbatu Selatan Tahun 1992-2021

This research aims to determine the transformation of the Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Islamic boarding school. The research used is a historical research method through heuristic stages of collecting historical sources by means of interviews and archives in the form of Islamic boarding school founding deeds, verification (criticism of data), interpretation and historiography. In this research, the author uses a historical approach. As for the theory, the author uses Aguste Comte's social theory. The aim of this research is to find out the history of the establishment of the Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Islamic Boarding School, South Labuhanbatu Regency in 1992-2021 and the development of the Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Islamic Boarding School in 1992-2021. The results of this research concluded that the New Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Islamic Boarding School was founded in 1992 by Sheikh Abdullah Efendi. Before the establishment of the Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Islamic Boarding School, it was only a religious pilgrimage and study carried out for the people of Sosopan village and its surroundings. The Dar Al-Maarif Basilam Baru Islamic Boarding School has developed from various aspects which include the development of facilities and infrastructure, the development of students, the development of work programs. Developments in terms of prayer rooms used for student activities. The development of santri students, which was initially only dozens of santri, has now reached a thousand santri. Dar Al-Maarif Islamic Boarding School has progressed in its development due to several factors that influence it, namely the role of the founder of the Islamic boarding school, family, support from the surrounding community and the infrastructure it has. Meanwhile, the inhibiting factors are the behavior of the students, management cadre formation, and the Islamic boarding school's financial resources.

In Awe of the Holy City: Mecca in the Eyes of Five Medieval Travellers

This paper elaborates and analyses the situation of Mecca between the 11th to 16th centuries based on travel accounts of five medieval travellers: Ibn Khusraw (1004–1072), Ibn Jubayr (1145–1217), Ibn Battuta (1304–1369), Ma Huan (1380–1460) and di Varthema (1470–1512). Moreover, by thoroughly consulting primary sources scored by above-mentioned travellers and other relevant secondary sources, this study aims to ascertain the importance of Mecca, in the given period, in the eye of Muslims and non-Muslim travellers. As the holiest city in Islam, which is also associated with Muslim religious pilgrimages, Mecca has a long and intriguing history throughout the ages. Furthermore, more often than not, during the medieval period, the pilgrimages to Mecca, which are usually conducted during the Islamic month of Dzulhijjah, were haunted by challenges and dangers posed by natural and social environments in and around Mecca, thus made the journey experiences of above-mentioned travellers all the more challenging, precious and memorable. However, at the end of the day, their hardships paid off and their praises proclaimed since they found themselves drenched in joy and in awe of the beauty and greatness of the Holy City. This research uses historical methodology, focusing on primary texts written by the five pilgrims mentioned above. This study provides a more comprehensive picture of the condition of the Holy City of Mecca in the era under study.

APPLICATION OF NETNOGRAPHY METHODS IN THE STUDY OF MUSLIM PILGRIMS AND VISITORS TO THE HOLY PLACES OF THE REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN

The number of pilgrims and visitors to the holy places of the Republic of Bashkortostan increases every year. New objects of worship are being built in the region every year and old ones are being improved. This article is devoted to the study of pilgrimage in Bashkiria at the present stage.
 
 The purpose of the article is to analyze the reasons for the increase in the number of pilgrims and the existing trends of religious tourism in Bashkiria.
 
 Materials and methods. Within the framework of the study, the materials of the field expedition were used, which were achieved through such methods as questionnaire, survey and overt observation. The methods of cyberethnography were also applied: the analysis of the Internet community, whose actors participate in events organized at the holy sites of the Southern Urals, was carried out.
 
 Scientific novelty. This work is the first to study a sharp increase in pilgrimage in Bashkiria after 2019. In addition, the author applied overt observation in the expedition, which was last carried out by ethnographers on these monuments in 2010. Currently, foreign and domestic scientists are actively implementing the method of cyberethnography in the study of modern trends, the author of the article for the first time uses the method of cyberethnography in the study of religious pilgrimage in the Republic of Bashkortostan.
 
 Study results. During the expedition, a survey of tourists, guides and pilgrims was conducted at the mausoleum of Kuseynbek and Tura Khan in Chishminsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and at the Ilchigulovo-IV burial mound (sacred mountain Narystau) in Miyakinsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, a questionnaire was also compiled for a group of tourists from Ufa and an analysis of pilgrims by gender and age using cyberethnography methods was carried out. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the flow of pilgrims and tourists to the holy places of the region increases annually.
 
 Conclusions. The most active visitors to the holy places are the Muslims associated with Sufi brotherhoods. Most of the Muslims’ holy places are organized on the site of archaeological sites of the XIV–XV centuries. According to demographic characteristics, tourists are mostly middle-aged and elderly women, which shows the need to improve the infrastructure for leisure and walking.

Caves, Karst Features and Speleological Heritage in Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

Chapada Diamantina is among the best known and most visited landscapes in Brazil. Located in the state of Bahia, Northeast region of the country, it is characterized by mountains and plateaus that developed on Proterozoic sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. Much of its territory is covered by carbonate and siliciclastic rocks, where relevant karst systems develop, marked by the occurrence of sinking streams, sinkholes, and caves with a great diversity of morphologies, speleothems, subterranean fauna, and paleontological and archaeological records. Relevant carbonate systems occur in Iraquara, such as the Lapa Doce, Torrinha, and Pratinha caves, which represent important tourist attractions. Also in these rocks, stand out the Brejões Cave, with a 106-m high entrance, and the Toca da Boa Vista, the largest cave in South America, extending across 114 km. Cultural manifestations are present in the prehistoric cave paintings at Santa Marta Shelter and recent religious pilgrimages at Mangabeiras Cave, in Ituaçu. In turn, siliciclastic karst systems are mainly in Serra do Sincorá. The Lapão and Castelo caves have expressive speleogens and speleothems, as well as the Torras Cave, in the Igatu region, ranked as the second largest in Brazil considering siliciclastic rocks.

Domestic religious pilgrimage in Ethiopia: Validating Ethiopian orthodox Tewahido church monasteries sacredness through the name of Jerusalem and its significance

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christians have a long history of pilgrimage. The Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims' journey to Jerusalem, in particular, was very well known and ancient. However, when Jerusalem was under the control of Muslim leaders, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christian pilgrims used domestic pilgrimage as an alternative to the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The fall of Jerusalem at the hands of Muslim leaders and the recurrent problems of pilgrims while they travelled to the sacred places of Jerusalem were the turning points for the proliferation of holy places in Ethiopia. King Lalibela was a man of great inspiration regarding domestic pilgrimage (the journey to sacred places in Ethiopia). The domestic pilgrimage, initiated by King Lalibela to replace Jerusalem in Ethiopia, reached its climax in medieval Ethiopian history. This study explores how the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) validated and authenticated Ethiopian monasteries and other holy places' sacredness by the name of Jerusalem to develop and encourage domestic pilgrimage. It also shows the significance or implications of domestic pilgrimage in building good social values such as peaceful coexistence, kindness, compassion, and social harmony among diverse communities. By taking Debre-Libanos Monastery (DLM) and Gishen Debre Kerbe (GDK) as the litmus tests, this study shows that religious promises (Qalikidanoch) written in hagiographies and other writings of the EOTC are the main ways for validating and authenticating Ethiopian monasteries sacredness. The religious promises promote and sanctify monasteries and other pilgrims' destinations. It initiates pilgrims to enter the seven-day prayer (Subae) and celebrate the saints’ feasts. The practices and various experiences in the monasteries make pilgrims humble and kind, as well as teach them to develop the values of social harmony and peaceful coexistence. Apart from tourism attractions, therefore, these monasteries have a great possibility of significance for realizing good social values such as national unity, kindness, tolerance, social harmony, and peaceful coexistence. Thus, domestic pilgrimage should be encouraged, as Ethiopia is in the throes of ethnic divisions and the destructive effects ethnicization.

Modeling and analysis of customer journey enablers: A case study of religious pilgrimage

Customer journey theory has been discussed in service and management-related fields, but in the context of tourism, there is a lack of research on customer journeys and their enablers. Such research work is challenging, mainly because the customer journey involves the subjectivity of customers' experience and is influenced by multiple factors. Therefore, this study proposes a deduction analysis of an interpretive structural model (ISM) to construct a correlation analysis of customer journey enablers by collecting data on tourists’ actual experiences of pilgrimage. The importance of customer journey enablers is evaluated through the analytic network process (ANP), and the characteristics of the driving power and dependence power of the enablers are classified. This research analyzes the content of religious pilgrimages, establishes 12 enablers for customer journeys, such as “quality of life”, “local security”, “social stability”, and “local friendship”, and develops four customer journey paths through ISM. The important differences in journey path enablers are analyzed by the ANP and cross-impact matrix multiplication (MICMAC) under the influence of different ISM-level contents of each customer journey path. It is hoped that the discussion of the enablers of customer journey paths in religious pilgrimages can enhance tourists' understanding of religious pilgrimages and provide a management framework for tourism departments to help tourists enjoy the experience of local religion, humanities, and the natural environment.

Communicating the Crusading Activity of the Kings of Navarre in the 14th and 15th Centuries

The mediaeval historiographical memory of the Crusades in the Kingdom of Navarre is unique precisely because two of its monarchs, the Counts of Champagne—Theobald I and II—actively participated in the Crusader campaigns during 1239–1241 and in 1270, respectively. Despite the importance of the Crusades which, starting from the early twelfth century, also encompassed the connection of this kingdom with Jerusalem’s paradigms of the warrior and religious pilgrimage, it can be asserted that there are scarcely any traces of narrative communication in Navarre about the Crusades, either politically or ideologically. This paper analyses the question of documentation and communication about the Crusades from the study of the chronicles of the Kingdom of Navarre in the Late Middle Ages. The purpose is to identify the characteristics and keys of the texts, dissimilar to the welcoming impact of the Crusades in Hispanic and European political, cultural and religious spheres.

"Indian Lady Tourists Killed at Jericho": Tourism, Pilgrimage and South-South relations in Interwar Palestine

In press coverage of the 1927 earthquake in Palestine, frequent mention is made of the deaths of three women at the Winter Palace Hotel in Jericho. That the three were from British-occupied India apparently rendered them unusual enough to be noted by a journalist, whose observation was reproduced around the world. This article draws on newspapers, official documents and secondary literatures on the hajj, tourism and the British Empire to consider the history of South Asian travellers to Palestine and relationships between colonialism and travel in the interwar period.
 One of the three women was Lady Abdul Rauf, the wife of a retired High Court judge and veteran Indian Muslim nationalist campaigner, Sir Syed Abdul Rauf. The couple had departed Bombay in April 1927 for the hajj to Mecca and Medina, but extended their trip to include Jericho. This was not unusual; the Indian Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem attests to a long history of Indian visitors to Palestine. This paper, however, locates the ill-fated presence of Lady Abdul Rauf and her companions in the changing nature of Indian travel in the region, as religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem combined with politics and tourism, and as changing infrastructures of capitalism and colonialism shifted how Indian visitors experienced Palestine.

Dakwah Komunitas Honda Club Indonesia dalam Perspektif Teori Identitas Sosial di Mojokerto

This study reveals the da'wah of the Honda Club Indonesia (HCI) community in Mojokerto, which originally focused on motorcycle activities into a da'wah forum that provides benefits to the wider community. Through the application of social identity theory, the HCI Mojokerto community has succeeded in developing itself as a medium for da'wah and increasing the knowledge and understanding of members and the surrounding community. This research uses a qualitative approach with data collection methods through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation of HCI Mojokerto community activities. The results showed that this community was able to utilize a common hobby, namely motorcycles, as a basis for providing da'wah value in every activity carried out. The HCI Mojokerto community actively carries out religious preaching-oriented activities, such as silaturahmi, social services, and religious pilgrimages. Through these activities, community members get to know each other, increase religious understanding, and strengthen social values. In addition, this community plays a role in empowering its members and the surrounding community through opportunities for self-development and contributions to social activities. The Honda Club Indonesia (HCI) community in Mojokerto being a forum for da'wah and community empowerment is a good example of the application of social identity theory. With a focus on da'wah and empowerment, the HCI Mojokerto community makes a positive contribution to strengthening religious and social values in the surrounding environment.

Frontal Asymmetry in Pilgrims

Individuals with religious or spiritual problems experience depressive and anxiety symptoms, together with changes in cognitive style and coping. These problems are associated with altered frontal asymmetry (left greater than right) during the processing of religious stimuli. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of pilgrimage on frontal asymmetry. The participants were 50 individuals experiencing religious or spiritual problems according to DSM-5 criteria. Some 25 of them participated in a two-week religious pilgrimage, and 25 matched volunteers went on non-religious holidays. We recorded resting-state EEG at baseline and after a religious phase (reading a sacred text and listening to music) (NEUVO–CURRY 8X-system, 256-channel). The frontal asymmetry index was calculated for 1 min epochs by subtracting the left electrode sites’ logarithmically transformed alpha frequency from homologous right leads (F4-F3, F8-F7). Anxiety, depressive symptoms, and rumination were assessed using self-report scales. Psychological and EEG assessments were performed before and after the pilgrimage or holiday. The results revealed that individuals experienced less anxiety, depression, and rumination following the pilgrimage. There was a significant reduction in frontal asymmetry during the processing of religious stimuli in pilgrims. We found no similar changes in volunteers who went on a non-religious holiday. These results indicate that frontal asymmetry and negative emotionality are ameliorated during a pilgrimage in individuals with religious or spiritual problems.

Religious costly signal induces more trustworthiness than secular costly signal: A study of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

AbstractResearch suggests that costly displays of commitment increase trust and cooperation. In five studies (total n > 1,700), we investigated whether costly behaviours are more effective in promoting trust when integrated within a religious rather than secular context using the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela as a costly display of commitment. First, we show that pilgrims base their pilgrim identity on physical effort (Studies 1A and 1B). Next, in three pre‐registered experiments (Studies 2–4) with the Spanish population, we compared the trustworthiness of people posting on Facebook about their participation in a religious pilgrimage and a secular pilgrimage/hike with various control posts. The results showed that pilgrims/hikers are perceived as more trustworthy than non‐pilgrims and that long‐distance pilgrims are perceived as more trustworthy than short‐distance pilgrims. Moreover, these effects are stronger when the pilgrimage is framed in a religious context compared to a secular context. Our research highlights the key role of religion in the costly signalling of commitment.

Pietro Della Valle: Christian pilgrimage, antiquarianism and cosmopolitanism in the age of the Baroque

The Roman aristocrat Pietro Della Valle, who defined himself as a pilgrim and as a citizen of the world, can stand as a paradigmatic case of the emergence of the modern curious traveller out of a religious tradition of pilgrimage. Della Valle did indeed travel to the Holy Land as a pious Catholic, in the second decade of the seventeenth century. However, his pilgrimage was from the start conditioned by antiquarian and romantic concerns, and he eventually extended his journey beyond Ottoman lands towards Persia and India. This article will elucidate how the pilgrim fashioned and transformed himself around a multi-faceted idea of travel in his letters at different stages of his journey, and as a member of a learned academy upon his return to Italy. Looking back at his visit to the Holy Land as part of a project of aristocratic self-fashioning, it will argue that the transformation of a religious pilgrimage into a complex experience involving religious and political schemes, scientific erudition and love did not open a chasm between piety and worldly learning, but instead widened the scope of curiosity in more exotic and cosmopolitan directions. The case of Della Valle exemplifies how early modern European Christian identities, in this respect often at odds with late antique and early medieval antecedents, were frequently built around the idea that religion and knowledge of the world were largely complementary, in a manner that facilitated new attitudes of cultural accommodation that placed increasing emphasis on the universality of learned civility over strictly religious experiences.

Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan

Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) play a crucial role in promoting stability and trust between India and Pakistan. This article, therefore, examines the different domains of CBMs, including political, military, economic, people-to-people, and nuclear, and highlights their significance in reducing tensions and fostering cooperation. Various examples of CBMs, such as hotlines between military authorities, cultural exchanges, economic cooperation, and religious pilgrimages, are explored to showcase their positive impact on communication and understanding. The paper also discusses the prospects and recommendations for CBMs, emphasizing sustained dialogue, economic cooperation, strengthened military CBMs, and exploring non-traditional security dimensions. By prioritizing CBMs, India and Pakistan can create a more stable and peaceful environment, paving the way for conflict resolution and long-term peace in the region. It is important to note that the study is completely based on secondary data; no primary research or data collection was conducted for this specific study.