In Christianity, a pilgrimage is a journey made to a special holy place as an act of faith. Christians go on pilgrimage to grow closer to God, to pray, to ask for help or healing, or to give thanks. It is not just a physical journey, but also a spiritual one. Christian pilgrimage has a long history, going back to the early centuries of the Church. Many Christians travel to places that are important in the life of Jesus, the saints, or in the history of the Church.
Pilgrimages can be made alone or with others. Some may walk long distances, while others travel by bus or plane. What matters most is the spiritual meaning of the journey. For many Christians, pilgrimage is a time to reflect, to pray, and to deepen their relationship with God.
We recognise human life as a pilgrimage journey. It begins when we are born. It ends when we die. Christians believe that when we become a follower of Jesus the journey of life that ends in death becomes a holy pilgrimage that leads to life. Christian believe that when we follow Jesus and walk his way, we become pilgrims.
We want students at Abbey Grange to have a sense of that pilgrimage journey as they travel through their time here at school. For this reason, students are invited to take part in three pilgrimage journeys at different times during their journey through school.
Our first pilgrimage takes place at the end of year 7 for all students.
We walk to two local churches and worship together at Kirkstall Abbey.
We use this as an opportunity to reflect on the first year of our journey together at Abbey Grange.
The second pilgrimage is to Durham and then to Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in Northumberland in northern England.
This pilgrimage follows in the footsteps of the northern saints – St. Cuthbert and St. Aidan – and gives our students an opportunity to learn about the history of Christianity in England.
The final pilgrimage is for sixth-form students and goes to northern Spain to complete the final 120km of the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James).
This provides our students with the opportunity to reflect on their time with us at Abbey Grange and to look forward to their futures.
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5)
