8 pilgrimage sites around the world
An exhibition now on show in Cologne until April 9, 2017, "Pilgrimage: Longing for Bliss?" presents different pilgrimage sites from all over the world.
Santiago de Compostela
Altogether, the different paths of the epic Saint James pilgrimage route add up to some 42,000 kilometers (over 26,000 miles). The ultimate stop is the burial place of the Apostle Saint James the Great, located in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (picture). As legend has it, the apostle was executed in Jerusalem after unsuccessfully trying to evangelize Spain.
Sinakara
Most pilgrims who go to Sinakara in Peru wear dancers' costumes like the one shown here. There are up to 100 different dances, and which one is chosen depends on the origin of the pilgrim. The ritual is completed with a playful fight. The traditions surrounding this pilgrimage have been listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Jerusalem
There is hardly any other place on Earth that's been so contested over the centuries as Jerusalem. Jews, Christians and Muslims all consider it their Holy City. The three monotheistic religions share common roots in the figure of Abraham, who recognized the uniqueness of God. Christians believe that Jesus was buried in the Holy Sepulchre (picture) after being crucified.
Mecca
All Muslims are called upon to participate in the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in their lifetime. Various rituals, like walking around the Kaaba seven times and touching it (picture) take place over the course of five days. The Prophet Mohamed was born in Mecca, and that's also where the Holy Quran is said to have been revealed to him.
Karbala
Each year, an astonishing 30 million Shiite pilgrims visit the tomb of Mohamed's grandson, Hussein, in the Holy City of Karbala in Iraq, southwest of Baghdad. There, they touch his shrine or the silver grids in the mausoleum and other sacred places. The blessing obtained in this way is believed to help cure diseases.
Touba
Pilgrimages are a logistical miracle. They only work out thanks to the support of numerous volunteers receiving the pilgrims with open arms. That's also the case in the city of Touba, in Senegal. As there is no hotel there, people welcome the pilgrims in their homes. This gesture is seen as an act of love for the pilgrims who visit the mosque and the mausoleum of Sheikh Amadou Bamba.
Shikoku
The Shikoku pilgrimage is a bit like that of Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrims travel on the Japanese island wearing white clothes and carrying a book they fill with stamps of the temples they visit. For 1,200 years, pilgrims have been following the traces of the monk Kobo Daishi in order to find inner peace. Nowadays, tourists do the pilgrimage to try to escape the chores of daily life.
Mexico City
Each year during the month of December, six to eight million Catholics travel to Mexico City for three days in order to venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe in the basilica of the same name. The pilgrimage includes popular festivities with parades, costumes, dances and songs, as well as the sale of devotional objects. Quite a few of these Virgin Mary pictures have however been made in China.