Spiritual, Cultural or Interior Conversion Thread

[Robert E. Spenger]

I went to Fatima (emphasis on the first syllable) as a side trip on the way
from Lisboa to Santiago. It meant about 17 km from Batalha to Fatima and
another 20 km or more from Fatima to Leiria. It would have been only 11 km
to go directly from Batalha to Leiria, but it was well worth the extra
travel to include Fatima. Later, as I went further north I saw, and
occasionally met, many pilgrims heading south to Fatima. They were planning
to be there on May 13 (Ibelieve) which is the first of several special days
there. I may be wrong, but I think that the special days occur each month
for several months. In Portugal, there is far more interest in the Fatima
pilgrimage than there is in the Santiago pilgrimage. There are political
and economic factors involved here, but the pilgrims themselves are not
concerned much about that. There are many differences between the two and
there is no point in making comparisons. Each is worth doing for its own
sake. Others have recommended going to Lourdes as a pilgrimage. I don't
know any details on that.

Patty Sheneman wrote:

> I myself was wondering if any of you have taken other pilgrimages, and
> if so, which ones and did you have  a favorite, etc. I not only want to
> do the camino, but lourdes, jeruselum, the walk in Japan to the temples.
> I traveled to Europe decades ago, and am finally in a position to start
> traveling very modestly----but find I don't want to do any but some kind
> of pilgrimage---not a month long camino per se, but even if I travel to
> another country and see the main "tourist' sites, to then turn away from
> that and finish my trip in the quiet renewing way only a long walk can
> give.
> thanks.
>
> Medicine Woman