Talk:Way of St Andrews

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Hughlockhart (talk · contribs) This user has declared a connection. (see edit summary)

Section removed

I removed the following section because it should perhaps be part of another article on the subject of "Pilgrimage tradition in modern times" rather than being in this one. I say that because it is not directly about this particular pilgrimage, plus some of it has far too informal and personal a tone for an encyclopedia. Invertzoo (talk) 16:50, 29 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I removed it again today and left extensive notes on the editor's talk page. Invertzoo (talk) 21:52, 10 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]

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Pilgrimage tradition in modern times

Many people are surprised that pilgrimage endures and, indeed, flourishes today. Over 5 million people, including some very sick, make their way to Lourdes, a small town in the Pyrenees and the desert city of Mecca receives growing numbers - currently about 2 million a year - as air travel makes the journey possible for Muslims all over the world. These are traditional pilgrim sites, and their modern success and huge influx of visitors, sometimes disparaged as "Ryan Air pilgrims", are only made possible by cheap air travel. Few walk to Lourdes and even fewer follow in the footsteps of the famous explorer, Richard Burton, who spent 18 months by boat, camel and donkey on the dangerous pilgrimage journey to Medina and Mecca.

What is a modern pilgrim of the road? The pilgrims of yore - and here we must ignore the amusing but largely irrelevant satire of Chaucher's Canterbury Tales - were, after all, undertaking the journey of a lifetime, expensive and dangerous. They were genuinely religious and, while some were making the journey for purely spiritual reasons, many had an agenda, repentance for a serious sin, thanksgiving, or in the hope of a cure. Saints and their relics were associated with miracle cures and attracted particular sufferers. St Andrew was associated with ailments of the blood such as gout, and also with the throat and the prostate. But that was a faith of the past; few people now go on pilgrimage with such expectations.

Surveys of pilgrims to Santiago reveal that just over 50% are religious, but many are reluctant to advertise this and the rest have no particular faith or belief. What differentiates pilgrims from ordinary walkers or holiday makers? Outwardly, the look very similar, wearing the same clothes and footwear, carrying the same supplies and armed with credit card and mobile phone. Both need places to stay and food and drink. But then the differences start. The traveller who has booked a specific holiday through a tour company has certain expectations; he will expect the tour operators to honour the promises of the brochure, from a clean and comfortable room to evening entertainment and getting him back home safely. If any of these things fail to satisfy, the tour company can expect a demand for money back or even a lawyer's letter. Those, however, who call themselves pilgrims are advised to downgrade their everyday expectations; getting lost, sleeping rough, poor food, unsavoury companions, these are all part of the pilgrim experience. In return they are presented with the unusual and unfamiliar, and can be both astounded and grateful. In particular, pilgrims remember the kindness along the way - the offering of water, help finding accommodation, guidance and offers to help with the pack at the end of a long day. Certainly interviews with pilgrims at the journey's end reveal a more serene person. It appears the acceptance of adversity combined with gratitude makes the pilgrim experience so special and a tonic for modern man.

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Inline citations

The article has been improved quite a lot but currently has no inline citations. I am attempting to work with the new person who started the article to see if we can fix it up some more. Invertzoo (talk) 23:51, 29 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Reverting edits

I have carefully explained (on her talk page) to the person (a new editor) who started the article why basically simply changing the article back to the way it was originally (except for the blue links) is not the way to proceed here. Invertzoo (talk) 21:51, 10 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]