The Pilgrim’s Progress: Why did pilgrimage flourish in the middle ages?

It’s difficult to truly imagine the sheer scale of importance religion played in the middle ages, the way it permeated society as a fundamental part of life is staggering. This was a world where churches where the centres of their communities, both literally and figuratively, standing as the single most important institution. Everyone, from the gentry to peasant, used the church and its teachings as a guiding force from cradle to grave. The horrifying alternative to a less than honest Christian life would greet them every time they entered their local parish. ‘Doom paintings’ adorned church walls, illustrating graphic depictions of ‘The end of days’, they knew that the second coming of Christ would see the wicked cast into hell whilst the righteous would join God in heaven. The fear for ones immortal soul drove people to practice frequent prayer and take the religious rites. But one aspect of elevating the Spiritual experience and cleansing the soul stood above the rest in grandeur and commitment: Pilgrimage.

As early as the 4th century, Church leaders and notable Christian figures such as Saint Jerome would preach the values of Pilgrimage as a way of spiritual cleansing and bringing the traveler closer to God. These early Christian pilgrims would visit Jerusalem and sites that played pivotal roles in the life of Jesus, returning to write accounts of their personal experiences. We also see the development of road-maps specifically documenting the movements of Pilgrims and shrines being erected at these various locations. Gradually pilgrimage was gaining a more visible presence in the Christian world. However, it would reach whole new heights as the Christian faith began to make a deeper impact on Europe. In the first few hundreds of years in which Christianity would bleed into Europe, it would have limited success, many would be Christian in name but not fully by nature. Traces of older more visible pagan beliefs where still very deep set in the minds of people, the would be attracted to the aspects of Christianity that felt more familiar to them, one particularly attractive feature they would latch onto was the veneration of Saints. The Saints provided a more worldly relatable model for them to hold in high regard. To an extent, it also mirrored the affection they felt for the legendary figures of legends from a not to distant past, born as human as any of man but elevating themselves though bravery and devotion. It was though the model Saints that people saw their path to salvation. By the 11th century the Saint’s dominated the face for Christian pilgrimage, allowing European cities to greatly increase their importance in the Christian world. The importance of Rome in particular can not be understated, being the location of the tombs of many early Christian Martyrs that had already been made prominent by Constantine. The basilicas dedicated to Saint Peter and Paul had already been brought hundreds to Rome as did the many other churches that celebrated the lives and miracles of the saints. However, Rome was far from alone, shrines to local saints became extremely popular all over Europe. In England, he Shrine of Thomas Beckett in Canterbury, received 200,000 visitors a year by the 14th Century and gained £900 a year in revenue, part of these numbers where made up of foreign dignitaries.

Digital reconstruction of the shrine of Thomas Becket, Credit: https://www.medievalists.net/2020/07/beckets-shrine-recreated-digitally/

It is one thing to recognise the growth of pilgrims, it’s another to consider the motives of those who undertook such journeys. There is no clear-cut answer to this, the mass appeal of pilgrimage naturally is generated from many factors. The incentive push from religious figures was instrumental in swaying those who otherwise may not have considered undertaking a pilgrimage, especially when it was applied as a form of penance. Once a penance was assigned to a person, they were bound to the task or they could risk any reputation they may have as a good morally concerned Christians. They may well be tasked with simply visiting a local abbey or Shrine within close proximity. However, in general, the scale of a pilgrimage preformed for penance would depend on the sin committed, it was not at all uncommon for English pilgrims to undertake a pilgrimage to French Locations in order to gain absolution. A strong case can be made that pilgrimage to Canterbury as a means of penance was started by Henry II himself in 1174, travelling to pay his respects Thomas Becket and present gifts to the shrine to atone for his part in Becket’s death. By the 13th Century, Judicial pilgrimage became part of the criminal justice system. Meaning those charged with certain crimes would perform an assigned pilgrimage or risk prison. Crimes that may warrant a Judicial Pilgrimage included heresy and murder. To further add to the sense of punishment and alert any one who met them along the road, criminals also wore specialised symbols. A Heretic, for example would wear two yellow crosses (One on their chest and one on their pack) whilst a murderer would be forced to wear a noose around their neck or the weapon they used to kill. Upon their return, they would be forced to provide signed proof that they had visited their assigned destination.
Localised pilgrimage could also account for those seeking a cure for illness via divine intervention. Faith healing in particular became distinctly tied to specific locations and ritualistic actions, in England, the Shrine of Saint Cuthbert and his relics in Durham received huge volumes of sick visitors for the means of healing. Meanwhile, the Shrine to Lady Walsingham in Norfolk was famed for having a jar of the Virgin Mary’s breast milk that allegedly could cure stomach pains and headaches by simple touch. In mainland Europe, Egotism (An illness that was the result of long-term ergot poisoning), was so deeply associated with the healing powers of Saint Anthony that it became popularly called ‘Saint Anthony’s fire.’ During outbreaks, hundreds made the journey to his shrine in Grenoble, France. Unfortunately this particular type of Pilgrimage would lead to many illnesses spreading at a faster rate, some historians even site it as a contributing factor to the spread of leprosy and the Black Death in the earliest years of the pandemic.
Illness and death also played another role in developing the types of pilgrimage. As pilgrimage grew in popularity we can find and increased presence of it being requested in wills. Someone who died could request surviving family member or friend to carry out a pilgrimage on behalf of them and their soul, a postmortem pilgrimage, if you will. These pilgrimages often included a hefty donation being made to the chosen shrine and common among the elite classes. ‘Richard Suttone of Oxborough’ for example requested that “a gold coin to be bestowed on St Thomas of Canterbury the archbishop, that is a "crowne," or 3s 4d in its place, and a pilgrim to go on pilgrimage in my name to St Mary of Walsingham, St Edith of Eagle (Acle?) in Lincolnshire, St John of Bridlington and St John of Beverley; all these to be carried out faithfully by William Suttone, my attorney, and the money paid and laid out by him with the counsel of Richard the Hermit”(1451)
In some cases these wills used pilgrimage on the behalf of the deceased as a condition for inheritance. Such was the case for Isabell Turnour, in her 1440 will she left her daughter a collection of clothes as jewellery. But her daughter, Catherine, would only receive these items "on condition that she go on pilgrimage to Walsingham for me, to fulfil my promise of old."

Woodcut of Pilgrims c.1490

Pilgrimage did not only stand to benefit those who carried it out for their own religious convictions, but it also served to benefit those who oversaw the shrines and worked within the church. The revenue generated by visitors to these shrines had a profound impact on the economic scope of the various religious houses that served as host. As a result, many locations found it necessary to constantly improve the conditions of their shrines and what they had to offer. For example, the popularity of St William of York’s shrine, located in York Minster, was renovated twice to make it grander and more spacious for the increased number of Pilgrims. A considerable chunk of the wealth came from donations and gifts presented at the shrines; even foreign political figures may donate sums to another countries shrine as a gesture of good will. However, other businesses would grow around the needs and desires of pilgrims. The sale of Pilgrim-Badges would be become popular, serving as commemoration and symbol of their devotion. This also helped increase attention to particular shrines, making various symbols attached to particular saints more recognisable. Typically based on a lead alloy and quickly reproduced in mass, you would easily find images of far off saints such as Santiago de Compostela proudly according the hats of returning pilgrims. Other forms of money making where considerably more practical. Weary travelers needed accommodation and it was the various religious houses themselves that capitalised on opportunity. Pilgrim inns began to spring up in many of the major destinations from the 11th century, offering shelter to pilgrims exclusively. This was an improvement from the years prior, as international visitors could cause greater cultural tensions. In the 9th Century a number of small villages (Borgos) popped up in Rome, wooden houses specifically for pilgrims and migrants. According to Roman citizens the English, Greek and Lombard residence caused regular fires and disharmony.

But let’s not limit our understanding of pilgrimage to a net positive. Pilgrims believed that they where protected by God when they undertook their vow of pilgrimage, however this didn’t spare thousands from the danger that was rampant on the various roads and trails. Pilgrims who first took to the sea to reach their destination would face the troubles of medieval seafaring which is best exemplified in the 15th Century poem “The Pilgrims Sea-Voyage and Sea-Sickness.”. Steps where put in place to minimise the potential risk, Pilgrims where only permitted to travel in licenced ships and in 1389 Pilgrims where only permitted to leave via Dover or Plymouth. Alas, many where still lost on their journey and more would leave the ships in poor health due to the conditions onboard the unsanitary ships. Once the pilgrims landed the dangers didn’t cease, pilgrims would be easily reconcilable form the routes they took and their pilgrims dress (Simple clothing, a staff and badges depending on the reason for their travel), which made them a prime target for robbers. This led to a rise in pilgrims coordinating their journeys though particular areas, especially woods or less populated areas. It was less likely to be attacked if you where in a group of course, but fundamentally preferred to carry out your pilgrimage as independently as possible. These pilgrims may well only be together for a few hours before going their separate ways. This group traveling and traveling in general brought the risk of becoming dangerously ill or catching a disease. As mentioned before, one of the reasons for undertaking a pilgrimage was to seek cures for their own conditions, which could be a recipe for disaster when you where visiting public shrines or staying in shared accommodation. Some illnesses where a direct result of the landscape, Rome for example, was a hot spot for malaria. The natural swampy lands made it a well-known breeding ground mosquitoes, making the illness a problem since antiquity. It was thought that the swamps themselves emitted a miasma that poisoned the air causing the illness, mal aria literally meaning ‘Bad air’ in Latin. This made Rome a city that was considered dirty, somewhere best to avoid in the summer altogether. Rather paradoxical considering its rise to popularity as a center of Christian Pilgrimage, yes? It boils down to the very ethos of Pilgrimage; it was designed to be a trial. A difficult, pious, and dangerous journey to demonstrate your faith and earn forgiveness. In the medieval mind, they would come out of Pilgrimage closer to god, their souls saved by their act of devotion.