1.
Pilgrims Crossing Borders
By
Stein Thue
Presentation in Rome 17 October 2014

2.
Holy Sites
• Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world. Holy to Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. The ultimate site of pilgrimage.
• Rome, the Eternal City , the Centre of Christendom . Shrines of St Peter
and St. Paul. Seat of the Pope. A site of pilgrimage since the 4th century.
• Santiago de Compostela, more than 200,000 pilgrims travel to the shrine
of St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela each year from
points all over Europe and other parts of the world. The most visited
pilgrim shrine in Europe?
• Nidaros, a holy shrine in the far north. Norway’s national sanctuary, burial
church for St Olav. Important shrine in the middle ages. Known as ”the
Jerusalem of the North”.

3.
All roads lead to Rome
• 990: Archbishop Sigeric the Serious (950 - 994) made the pilgrimage to
Rome to receive his pallium.
• 1157: A guidebook for pilgrims was published by Níkulás Bergsson, the
abbot of a monastery in Northern Iceland. A description of the routes
from Northern Europe to Rome and Jerusalem.
• 1159: Archbishop of Nidaros Øystein Erlendsson travelled from Norway
to Rome to receive his pallium from the Pope; as did all the archbishops of
Norway before the reformation.
• 1236: Annales Stadenses and the Via Romea
Albert von Stade wrote a pilgrim guide based on his own journey from
Stade to Rome, mentioning the holy sites, the resting places and the
distances for each stage.

4.
Via Romea pilgrims in front of the St. Bartholomäus church in Ebeleben, Germany

5.
Our Itinerary
Our Route Departure dates 2015 Stages
Trondheim/Nidaros- Oslo 22 April - 23 May 31
Oslo - Larvik 23 May - 29 May 6
Larvik-Hirtshals 29/30 May Ferry, one day only
Hirtshals - Flensborg 30 May - 21 June 21
Flensborg - Hamburg/Stade 21 June - 2 July 10
Hamburg/Stade 2 - 3 July
Stade - Augsburg 3 July - 15 August 44
Augsburg 16 August Day of rest
Augsburg - Austrian Border 16 August - 25 August 9
Austrian Border - Brenner Pass 25 August - 28 August dates subject to change
Brenner Pass - Orvieto 29 August - 7 October 40
Orvieto - Rome 7 October - 14 October 7
Rome 14 -15 October Days of rest and celebration
The pilgrim way continues to
Jerusalem
Departure by plane from Rome to the
Holy Land 17 October.
Approximately 10 days from Nazareth
to Jerusalem.
Details will follow.

6.
Pilgrim Values
• Our walk is based on hospitality, tolerance, dialogue, solidarity,
human rights and peace
• We want to tie bonds and build friendship, to cross boundaries
literally and metaphorically.
• Relgious traditions can create hope, mutual respect and
reconciliation
• With such values we hope to include participants with diverse
backgrounds to meet, walk and talk together.
• Being a pilgrim means becoming a "stranger” to gain insight and
understanding.

7.
European Cultural Routes
“May the faith which has inspired pilgrims throughout
history, uniting them in a common aspiration and
transcending national differences and interests, inspire us
today, and young people in particular, to travel along
these routes in order to build a society founded on
tolerance, respect for others, freedom and solidarity ”
The Declaration that founded the Programme of Cultural Routes of
the Council of Europe.

8.
Pilgrims Creating Connections