Packing for Your Pilgrimage

More reflections on spiritual journeys and the stuff we carry with us.

When pilgrims pack for their trip, they should leave a little room for gifts they get along the way.

Many pilgrims start out with way too much stuff.  One of your first spiritual lessons is how to shed what you brought but don't really need, to lighten the load.  (The Latin word for baggage, which you learn when reading about Caesar invading Gaul, the lists of what stuff the soldiers had to carry, is "impedimenta."). A common pilgrimage story is of the walker with a huge heavy pack who suffers sore knees or blisters or worse because of the weight, but just can't let go of any of their impedimenta and has to stop walking.

You can pick out pilgrims in France or Spain by their well-worn boots, their neat full packs, and a scallop shell medallion on their hat or pack or around their neck.  And if you go to an early church service you’ll see them at the "Pilgrim Mass" in the town cathedral on the morning of their departure.  At the end of the service the priest invites any pilgrims to come forward to receive a few gifts for the journey.

At various Pilgrim Masses I have attended the pilgrims were given a small loaf of bread, a little card with the medieval Pilgrim's Prayer on it, a set of rosary beads, a medallion, and a small booklet of the Gospel of Luke.  Nothing too big and heavy, all symbolic and inspiring.  But I've seen pilgrims after church looking at the little goodie bags and pondering what to keep, where to stuff it in their packs.  And wondering, perhaps, do I really need more stuff?

At the Pilgrim Mass in Le Puy, France that I attended this fall there were over 100 folks, mostly pilgrims, at the 7AM service.  I got there early, because I like to watch the church folks do set up, and I realized they do this service every morning, every day of the year.  An old preacher myself, I thought maybe that's what we all do, even if only once a week, we try to give pilgrims some inspiration and a few gifts as they set out for their week or life journey.

What must it be like to send pilgrims off every day of the year?  Do they just give the same sermon over and over?  The one I heard seemed addressed explicitly to the pilgrims, with encouragement for the journey.  As far as I could understand the French priest it seemed to be about the Prodigal Son, the errant child who wasted his inheritance but was welcomed home by his forgiving father.  For this progressive Protestant there seemed to be a few too many references to "nos peches," our sins, but at least there was an assurance that after a long hard journey they, like the son, would receive forgiveness and welcome home from their Heavenly Father.  I would have said more about God being a companion beside them on the road, rather than a reward at the end.  I think many of these young folks were seeking answers and assurance, not reminders of their failings.  (But who am I to judge?)

The mostly young people in attendance listened respectfully, maybe 2/3 of them took communion, and then they all gathered at the invitation of the priest around the statue of St. Jacques in his traditional pilgrim clothes for their gifts.  The priest was suddenly so much more animated and friendly than he had been during the sermon and Eucharist.  He assured everyone there were cards with the pilgrim prayer and gospels available in many languages and invited folks to raise their hands if they were from France, Spain, Germany (lots of hands), UK, and then asked folks to say where else they were from.  There was a warm sense of community.

After handing out the gifts he said, "Now, you can all go into this other room and get your passport stamped," and there was quite a rush to move there as they took out their special Camino St. Jacques passports.  These get stamped at "official" stops on the way and qualify you for entrance at some hostels and are simply a special record of all your stops. 

As they went out the door there were many mutual good wishes, "Bonne route!"  And off they went. 

(I was leaving the next day for my different pilgrimage around the Romanesque churches of the Brionnais, but I did take a little medallion and wore it on my walk, in solidarity with pilgrims around the world.)

Some thoughts about what gifts these pilgrims added to their packs in Le Puy.

-A message that was a little heavy, for me, on sin.  Such words did not lighten my load but made it heavier.  Do we preachers send our folks out feeling like they have more on their back or are lighter on their feet? 

-Some traditional prayers and spiritual tools like the rosary that were and are very light and energizing.  I'm not Catholic but knowing that pilgrims for over a thousand years of pilgrims have heard and spoken this prayer* adds a bounce to my step.

-Symbolic food for the journey, a small loaf of bread.  I served a church where on Sunday afternoon we went by the homes of first time visitors and gave them a small loaf of bread with a note of welcome and invitation to return.  I was reminded of that when I saw the young pilgrims look at this little round gift with some puzzlement and delight.  And the knowledge they could eat it right up and add no weight to the pack.

-The small gospel - I saw several pilgrims pondering the little book, almost weighing it in their hands, would they keep it for the whole route?  I like the gesture, especially for a church that has not traditionally encouraged folks to read the scriptures for themselves.  It's good travel reading.

-The medallion, like an ID tag, with the Virgin Mary on one side, and a sea shell on the other, traditional symbol of the pilgrim, you see shells icons also marking the route.  That's also light, and a good self-identification, like wearing the hat of your favorite team, a simple public way of saying something about yourself, inviting affirmations, "Go Giants," "Bonne Route!"

-A passport, also light, something all travelers need, a means of entree and a happy memory of stations passed, doors opened.

I always consider my packing successful if I return home having used or worn everything in my pack and having acquired just a small enough collection of souvenirs that I can still do carry on onto the plane.  I never check bags - too much hassles and too much temptation to take impedimenta.  I really only need to pack my medallion, passport and a heart light enough to carry both my hopes and my cares.  That's how I pack for my pilgrimage.

Copyright © 2016 Deborah Streeter

*Medieval Pilgrim Prayer

O God, who brought your servant Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans, protecting him in his wanderings, who guided the Hebrew people across the desert, we ask that you watch over us, your servants, as we walk in the love of your name to Santiago de Compostela.

Be for us our companion on the walk,
Our guide at the crossroads,
Our breath in our weariness,
Our protection in danger,
Our auberge on the Camino,
Our shade in the heat,
Our light in the darkness,
Our consolation in our discouragements,
And our strength in our intentions.

So that with your guidance we may arrive safe and sound at the end of the Road and enriched with grace and virtue we return safely to our homes filled with joy.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.