[Gocamino] Festival Aims to Popularize Pilgrimages - Rome

[Sil]

ROME, DEC. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Pilgrimages are neither a thing of the
past, nor something just for tour groups of elderly, and the first Journeys
of the Spirit Festival is aiming to change people's perception of religious
pilgrimages.
The "Josp Fest," with the theme "Sing and Walk" is set for Jan. 15-18 in
Rome. It is being organized by the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, the Vatican
institution whose mission it is to evangelize through pastoral tourism and
the ministry of pilgrimage. Festival organizers are expecting some 40,000
participants and 150 presenters.
Festival-goers will hear about historical pilgrimage itineraries to Rome,
Santiago de Compostela and Jerusalem.
They will also learn about the most popular pilgrimage sites today:
Guadalupe (10 million pilgrims a year); Lourdes (9 million); St. Peter's (7
million); Santiago de Compostela (6 million) and Jerusalem (3 million).
The festival was presented Tuesday in a press conference by Monsignor Libero
Andreatta, vice president of the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi. The attitude of
the pilgrim, he said, should be "spiritual reflection and confrontation with
the spirit. It becomes a great adventure."
In the festival, he said, "products won't be sold; it's experiences that are
being offered."

Journeys of the Spirit Festival: http://www.jospfest.com/index.php?lang=en

-- 
Sil
http://amawalker.blogspot.com/
www.vfpilgrims.blogspot.com