American Pilgrimage: Sacred Journeys and Spiritual Destinations

Americans love to travel, many for vacation and pleasure. Others, however, travel to seek a connection with the spiritual in a particular place; they are on pilgrimage. Although America does not have the wealth of ancient and famous spiritual centers that you'll find in the Holy Land, Europe, or in some other parts of the world, the United States does have vital centers of pilgrimage---with a uniquely American flavor. In this book, readers will learn the ins and outs of these distinctively American places of spiritual meaning and purpose. Readers will discover everything from a traditional walking pilgrimage to a small adobe chapel in Chimayo, New Mexico, prayers offered at the Shrine of St. Jude in Chicago, jam-packed football stadiums at a Billy Graham Crusade (a pilgrimage that travels to you), Benedictine retreat centers, and other, more uniquely American places such as Graceland and San Juan Capistrano, California. This unique guide explores where, how, and why Americans set out to find the holy in the spiritual landscape that is their own backyard.