Definition

Noun: 1. A journey to a sacred place: A pilgrimage is a journey, often a long one, made to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion or spiritual significance. 2. A journey to a place of special historical or emotional interest: By extension, it can refer to any meaningful journey to a location associated with a person, idea, or event that one deeply respects or admires.

Usage and Examples

• As a religious/spiritual journey:
  • Every year, millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
  • The ancient trail is used by pilgrims on their pilgrimage to the holy shrine.
• As a journey of personal significance:
  • Fans made a pilgrimage to the singer's hometown after his death.
  • Visiting the author's house felt like a literary pilgrimage.

Advanced Usage

• "To go on/ make a pilgrimage": This is the standard collocation for undertaking such a journey.
  • They saved for years to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
• Used metaphorically to describe a long, difficult, or searching process.
  • His career has been a long pilgrimage towards artistic truth.

Variants and Related Words

• Pilgrim (noun): A person who undertakes a pilgrimage.
  • The pilgrims gathered at the starting point of their journey.
• Pilgrimage (verb, less common): To make a pilgrimage.
  • They pilgrimaged to the site of the miracle.

Synonyms

• Hajj: Specifically refers to the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
• Crusade: Historically, a medieval military expedition to recover the Holy Land; can imply a vigorous campaign for a cause, but is not a direct synonym for a peaceful religious journey.
• Expedition: A journey for a specific purpose, but without the inherent religious or deeply personal connotation.

Idioms and Phrases

• "Pilgrimage of the heart": A metaphorical journey of deep emotional or spiritual reflection, not necessarily involving physical travel.
  • Reading her journals was a pilgrimage of the heart.

Noun

1. a journey to a sacred place