What is an Orthodox pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place made as an act of prayer and repentance. The Orthodox Church does not teach that God is more present in one place than another, since Christ promised to be with those gathered in his name wherever they are. Yet from the earliest centuries Christians have travelled to the places of Christ's life, to the tombs of martyrs and to the cells of holy monks, because the faith is not an idea only but a history of real places and persons.
The Scriptures give the pattern. The Psalms of Ascent were sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem (Psalm 120, numbered 121 in the Hebrew Bible listen in the Audio Bible), and the Psalmist longs for the courts of the Lord (Psalm 83, which is 84 in the Hebrew numbering listen in the Audio Bible). The letter to the Hebrews calls the saints strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13 listen in the Audio Bible), and Peter urges Christians to live as such (1 Peter 2:11 listen in the Audio Bible). The road to Emmaus, on which two disciples walked with the risen Lord without knowing him (Luke 24:13 listen in the Audio Bible), is a good image of what a pilgrimage should be: a walk in which Christ is met in the Scriptures and the breaking of bread.
The Church has also warned against making pilgrimage an idol. Gregory of Nyssa, in the fourth century, wrote that a change of place does not bring a person nearer to God, and that the inner life is what counts. The point of the journey is therefore not tourism or collecting experiences. It is repentance, thanksgiving and prayer, practised in a place where prayer has been offered for centuries. A pilgrim returns to the ordinary life of the parish and the home, changed if God wills, but not rescued from it.
Where do Orthodox Christians go on pilgrimage?
Jerusalem, with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, comes first, and many Orthodox Christians try to visit it at least once. Mount Sinai and its monastery of St Catherine, founded in the sixth century, is another ancient goal. Mount Athos, the monastic peninsula in northern Greece, and the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora are the best-known destinations in Greece, and Orthodox pilgrims also travel to relics of saints in Italy, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania and Georgia.
In Russia the great places are Sergiev Posad, Valaam and Pskov-Caves. The Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra, about 70 km north-east of Moscow, was founded by St Sergius of Radonezh in the fourteenth century (the date is given as 1337 in most accounts) and its ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1993. Valaam is an island monastery in Lake Ladoga. The Pskov-Caves Monastery, whose first cave church of the Dormition dates to 1473, was never closed, even during the Soviet period; its story is told in the history of the Pskov-Caves Monastery.
Pilgrimage is not only for the famous sites. A local monastery or the grave of a holy person near you can be a goal.
How do I prepare for a pilgrimage?
Begin with a conversation with your priest and ask for his blessing. Most pilgrims confess before they travel, and many receive Communion before leaving or on arrival. If this is new to you, read why Orthodox Christians confess first. Non-Orthodox visitors are welcome at most monasteries, but they cannot receive Communion, and they should say so openly rather than join the line.
Fasting is usually kept in the days before a pilgrimage, according to your priest's advice, and the monastery table will almost always be fasting food in any case. The fuller picture of the discipline is in why Orthodox Christians fast. If you have medical conditions, mention them to the priest and to the guest master on arrival, and do not make heroic efforts.
Pack lightly. You will need modest clothing, a head covering for women, good walking shoes, a small bag, a prayer book or the Psalter, and any medication. Bring cash in the local currency, since many monasteries do not take cards. Take the names of your relatives for the commemoration list. Avoid heavy luggage, strong perfume and expensive-looking clothes.
How should I dress and behave at a monastery?
Dress is modest and loose. Women generally wear long skirts and covered shoulders and a scarf on the head, and men wear long trousers and shirts with sleeves, and take off caps in church. Many monasteries state their rules at the gate, and some lend scarves and skirts. A monastery is a house of prayer and a home, so quiet voices and quiet phones are expected.
Take part in the services, which usually begin early in the morning and may last several hours. Stand where the monks or the guide indicate, and follow the others in standing and bowing; nobody expects you to know everything. Men and women stand on opposite sides in many churches. Do not walk across the church during the Gospel reading or the Eucharistic prayer, and do not photograph a service. To understand what you hear, see the guide to the Liturgy, and for the Scriptures that are read, the Audio Bible is a good preparation.
Photography is usually allowed outdoors, not inside the churches or in monks' living areas, and always with permission. Do not press monks with personal questions. Receive a blessing from a priest or a monk as you would receive the greeting of a host.
What happens if I stay overnight?
Many monasteries have a guest house where pilgrims may stay for a night or a few days. You will be asked to register and to give your passport or contact details, and a guest master assigns your bed and explains the daily rhythm. There is generally no fixed price; guests leave an offering according to their means, and a donation box or an office handles it. Men and women are lodged separately, and spouses are separated in many places.
Guests are commonly asked to share in a small task, such as washing dishes, weeding, or helping in the kitchen. This is called an obedience, and it is a gentle taste of the monastic life; the idea is explained further in what monastic obedience means. Accept the task cheerfully, and do not argue about the arrangements. Meals are taken in silence, usually with a reading.
The days follow the cycle of services, and the first night may feel very short, since Matins can begin before dawn. Treat the schedule as part of the pilgrimage and do not skip the services for sightseeing. Before you leave, thank the guest master, ask for any blessing you need and leave your offering; it is customary to leave the room clean.
Mount Athos: men only, and by permit
Mount Athos is a self-governing monastic republic within Greece, where women are not permitted to enter, a rule known as the avaton that has held for many centuries. Only adult men and boys accompanied by their fathers may visit. Women pilgrims traditionally honour the Holy Mountain from the sea, and many go to women's monasteries elsewhere in Greece and in Russia.
Visitors need a permit called the diamonitirion, which is issued through the Athos Pilgrims' Bureau in Thessaloniki, with a branch at the port of Ouranoupoli. According to one published guide for pilgrims, the Bureau issues ten permits a day to non-Orthodox visitors and a hundred a day to Orthodox visitors, and a permit normally covers four days. Book months ahead, since the numbers are limited, and check the current rules with the Bureau. Monasteries do not charge for lodging but accept donations.
A visit means walking between monasteries, attending long services and keeping silence, and the monks expect visitors to conduct themselves as guests of a house of prayer. A first-time pilgrim should go with a friend who has been before, and listen more than speak.
Pilgrimage from Singapore: where to go and what to do
From Singapore the nearest great places are in Asia itself. The Orthodox Church in Japan was founded by St Nicholas of Japan, who arrived at Hakodate in 1861, and the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo, called Nikolai-do, was completed in 1891. Hong Kong is the seat of the Orthodox Metropolis of Hong Kong and South East Asia under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and there are Orthodox communities in Korea and other Asian countries. Contact a parish before you go, as services are held on particular days.
A pilgrimage to Russia, Greece, the Holy Land or the Balkans takes more planning, and many people in Singapore make it a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Go with a group or a priest if you can, and check visa and travel advisories. A modest trip with a stay at one monastery may suit you better than a crowded tour.
If you cannot travel, you can still keep a pilgrim's discipline at home. Come to the services of your own parish and see the church calendar for the feasts, and pray at home using a simple Orthodox rule of prayer. A pilgrimage is, in the end, one form of the same journey that every Christian makes toward the Kingdom of God.
