The Pilgrim: History, Meaning and Path
On this page, the Pilgrim Portal of Hope presents the History, Meaning and Path of the Pilgrim, showing above all a visible sign that, above the geographical routes, there is a deeper path being followed: that of the heart that seeks God.
🕊️ "In faith these all died, not receiving the promises, but looking at them from afar, and confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
(Hebrews 11, 13)
The Pilgrim: History, Meaning and Path
🕊️ “I know that I am a pilgrim on the earth.” (Psalm 119:19)
The word pilgrim has its roots in the Latin word peregrinus, which means “one who comes from abroad,” “one who crosses lands.” Originally, the term described anyone who was outside their homeland. Over time, however, it gained a more spiritual and symbolic meaning: that of someone who sets out on a journey out of faith, devotion, promise, or inner search. The word peregrino, an archaic form of Portuguese that is still used poetically, reinforces this sense of “passage” — of someone who crosses physical and spiritual boundaries toward a sacred destination.
The figure of the pilgrim has been present since ancient civilizations. In Greece, it was common to visit sanctuaries such as Delphi. In Judaism, the faithful went to Jerusalem on feast days. In Christianity, pilgrims emerged in force from the first centuries onwards, especially with visits to the Holy Land. However, it was in the Middle Ages that pilgrimage became consolidated as a universal act of faith. Places such as Santiago de Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem became sacred destinations for millions of believers seeking forgiveness, miracles or redemption.
In medieval Europe, the pilgrim was an emblematic figure. Recognizable by his cloak, staff, shell (in the case of Compostela) and broad hat, he traveled long distances, facing dangers, diseases and bad weather. But his gaze was fixed on something greater: God. The pilgrimage was, and still is, a symbol of human life itself — fleeting, full of obstacles, but guided by a transcendent goal.
In Brazil, the figure of the pilgrim gained prominence with Marian destinations such as Aparecida, which became one of the largest pilgrimage centers in the world. With the emergence of the Caminho da Fé in 2003, inspired by the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage experience became even stronger among Brazilian devotees, combining stunning landscapes, fraternal welcome and intense spiritual experience.
Today, the pilgrim is someone who, even in the midst of the modern and hurried world, chooses to walk on their own two feet, in silence, prayer and gratitude. Whether it is for faith, a promise, reflection or a rediscovery of oneself, the act of pilgrimage remains current and transformative. It invites us to leave our comfort zone, to listen more than we speak, to contemplate more than we consume. In times of superficiality, the pilgrim recovers the depth of walking with purpose.
Thus, the pilgrim continues to be, yesterday as today, a figure of spiritual resistance. A visible sign that, above the geographical routes, there is a deeper path being traveled: that of the heart that seeks God.
After all, in the phrase “Our life in this world is a pilgrimage. We walk with our eyes turned towards heaven”, Saint Augustine reminds us that the entire Christian existence is a journey, and that the destination is not here, but in God.