Pilgrimage Sites of Healing

From the Holy Land to Rome, Pilgrimages Sites to Heal the Body, Mind and Spirit are Many. While now is not the time to take these pilgrimages, you can start the journey from the safety and comfort of your home through prayer and study.

In the Ninth Chapter of the Gospel of John, we find one of the most famous healing miracles of Christ with the story of a blind man being sent to the Pools of Siloam to be healed (John 9, Verse 7: Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.) 

From the very beginning, the relationship between Christianity and healing was central to our faith. Of the nearly 40 documented miracles of Christ in the New Testament, more than half directly involve Christ performing a miraculous act of healing. It is only natural, therefore, that a place such as the Pools of Siloam in Jerusalem would become a major place of pilgrimage for Christian faithful, many of whom have suffered or are suffering from physical, mental, psychological and emotional illnesses.

It is important to stress that all major branches of the Christian faith place the utmost importance on belief, use and practice of scientific medicine and indeed, Christian churches have been at the forefront of the development of medicine and healthcare since the founding of the Christian faith. The Evangelist Luke was a physician, for example and many of the greatest saints of the Catholic and Orthodox Church were medical professionals, such as Saint Panteleimon, Saints Cosmas and Damian, and Saint Martin De Porres. Many more physicians are currently awaiting beatification by the Catholic Church. It is equally important to note that the caretakers of many shrines and Holy Places often stress that the every day miracles that occur are most often the spiritual strength and renewal that people find through prayer, attendance of services and partaking in the sacraments rather than physical healing.

That being said, the act of taking a pilgrimage to a place where miraculous healing has occurred, or where the relics of saints and other sacred items of the Church are kept is a time-honored practice within the Catholic faith.

Today, the Pools of Siloam can still be visited by pilgrims to Jerusalem in the Holy Land. Located along the start of the Via Dolorosa near Ecce Homo, the place of the Pools of Siloam is maintained by the Missionaries of Africa, better known as the White Fathers. While the pools no longer contain water, archaeological excavation allow for pilgrims to visit the different levels of the site as well as visit the beautiful Church of Saint Anne, built over the grotto believed to be the childhood home of Saint Anna, wife of Saint Joachim and mother to the Virgin Mary. This church is in of itself a wonder to behold, being one of the best remaining examples of Romanesque Crusader architecture and having excellent acoustics for Gregorian chant.

In Europe, shrines and places of pilgrimages are plentiful. Take, for example, the case of Lourdes in southern France. Long associated with miraculous healings, the 70th Healing was announced in Lourdes in 2018. In the shrine to the icon of the Mother of God of Czestochowa at Jasna Gora, Poland, entire walls of the structure are dedicated to crutches that have been left behind by those healed of their infirmities. Even in places of tourism not generally associated with contemporary pilgrimages, there are often “origin stories” such as the case with the famous and mystifying spring of Fosse Dionne in north central France in the department (an administrative district) of Yvonne, which inexplicably produces an incredible amount of fresh water on a daily basis. Legend holds that a 7th century monk by name of Saint John Reome both discovered the pool and also slew a serpent that was spreading a pestilence.

Important relics of the Church particularly significant for their history of healing and intercessions of illness dare also often used in rites of the Church. It is by no coincidence this past week that Pope Francis chose an icon of the Virgin Mary attributed to the hand of the Apostle entitled Salus Populi Romani – Protectress of the Roman People during his Urbi et Orbi (“to the city (Rome) and the world.”) blessing in March, as the icon is strongly associated with protection from misfortunes of all kind, including disease.

During these times when Christians are being called to protect themselves and others through minimal public movement, it is not time to be planning visits to places of pilgrimage. Instead, use this time to pray to Our Lady of Lourdes, the Evangelist Luke, the Archangel Raphael, angel of healing, and the many saints, and to learn and study more of these places of pilgrimage. Then, perhaps, when travel is both safe and possible once again, consider a pilgrimage to give thanks for good health, to pray for the renewal of health and strength of endurance for those who do not have such fortune, and for the continued intercession of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Saints in our daily lives.

Be Not Afraid!

Good Shepherd Travel offers pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, Ireland, and many other places. For more information on how to begin preparing for a pilgrimage in late 2020 or in 2021, contact Tony AbuAita at Tony@goodshepherdtravel.com. We will return to pilgrimage – and we hope to see you with us!