Transcript Conception of valuistic journey
Perspectives of religious tourism in Lithuania
Dr. Darius LIUTIKAS Kaunas, 2013 10 17
What is religious tourism?
Pilgrimage Religious Tourism tourism or Tourism •Cultural tourism •Heritage tourism •Religious tourism •…………….
Relationship between religious tourism and pilgrimage
Religious tourism as that type of tourism when participants are motivated either in part or exclusively for religious reasons.
We can distinguish three ways in relationship between pure pilgrimage and religious tourism.
1) pilgrimage is the same phenomenon as religious tourism (here the terms are used interchangeably, the conception of these phenomena is the same); 2) 3) pilgrimage is considered to be a special form or specific part of religious tourism; pilgrimage differs from religious tourism, which is considered to be an intermediate form between religious pilgrimage and secular tourism.
Conception of valuistic journeys
Valuistic journeys = traditional religious and modern secular
pilgrimage
Such journeys seek to express attitudes to values and outline the guidelines for the identity of their participants
Conception of valuistic journey (pilgrimage)
I
mportant features of the valuistic journey: clearly expressed geographical destination journey, which embodies a certain value; of the valuistic motives of the journey, internal attitudes impelling to carry out the journey; strongly expressed link between the journey and the identity of the traveller where the journey is an expression of personal identity or search for this identity; specific behaviour during the journey and at the destination point characterised by typical rites or models of behaviour.
Classification of journeys
Journeys Recreational and cognitive journeys Valuistic journeys
(religious pilgrimage, journeys of sport fans etc.)
Necessity and instrumental journeys
(business trips, travelling for medical treatment, visiting of friends and family, conferences etc.)
Types of valuistic journeys
Types of recreational and cognitive journeys
1.
Adventure tourism 2.
3.
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Resort tourism Cultural and heritage tourism Rural tourism Ecotourism Mountain tourism 7.
8.
Sex tourism Shopping tourism 9.
Sport tourism 10.
Religious tourism 11.
Political tourism
Main geographical objectives of pilgrimage and religious tourism
Sacred places: -Associated with the origin of religion and centers of religion; -Associated with the birth, life or death of the founders of religion, prophets or holy men; -Apparition places; -Graves of saints or prophets; -Relics, images and other miraculous cultural or natural objects; -Essential religious places (cult objects, specific objects, example Calvaries in Christianity); -Monasteries and living saints; -Important events of religious life (meeting the religious leader, the renewal days etc.).
Origin of Lithuanian Christian Pilgrimage
The origins of Christian pilgrimage in Lithuania date back to the XVI century. The main reason for this was the late christening of Lithuania and the slow establishment of Christianity.
The first organized pilgrimage journey was held by Jesuits from Vilnius to the miraculous image of the Mother of God and Child in Trakai in 1604.
to After 1608, Blessed Virgin apparition pilgrims started to flow Šiluva. A new Catholic church was built there in 1627.
The Samogitian Calvary was created between 1637 and 1642 by the initiative of Samogitian Bishop Jurgis Tiškevičius.
Vilnius (Verkių) Calvary was created between 1662 and 1669.
History of Lithuanian Pilgrimage
In the middle of the XIX century a unique sacred place was formed – the Hill of Crosses.
The XX century additionally marked the Lithuanian pilgrimage map with apparition places of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Such places as Gulb inėnai, Imbradas, Keturnaujiena, Skiemonys are not officially recognized by the Catholic Church but are very popular as pilgrimage destinations of folk religiosity.
During the soviet occupation various obstructions were implemented to prevent people from visiting sacred places, and a campaign of physical destruction of sacred places was embodied.
Classification types of Lithuanian Pilgrimage Places
Origin Natural places (springs); Cultural places (Churches); Object of adoration Virgin Mary, Christ, Saints, Spiritual authority; Circumstances of origin Natural-historical (cemeteries, tombs) Miraculous (apparition places, miraculous images and relics).
Catholic pilgrimage places in Lithuania
Pilgrim Route of John Paul II in Lithuania
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Established in August 2007 16 main Catholic pilgrimage places of Lithuania including the Hill of Crosses were joined:
Vilnius Cathedral Basilica. Chapel of St Casimir Gate of Dawn Chapel and St Teresa’s Church (Vilnius) Vilnius Calvary Trakai Church of the Visitation Kaunas Cathedral Basilica Christ’s Resurrection Church in Kaunas Pažaislis Church and Monastery Shrine of Šiluva Tytuvėnai Church and Monastery Šiauliai Cathedral Hill of Crosses Samogitian Calvary Shrine Marijampolė Basilica and Chapel in Lūginė Pivašiūnai Church of the Assumption Divine Mercy Shrine in Vilnius Krekenava Shrine
Places of the Pilgrim Route of Pope John Paul II
Possible Routes. St. Jacobs Churches
1) Punia 2) Alanta 3) Jonava 4) Kurtuvėnai 5) Žiežmariai 6) Švėkšna 7) Vilnius (Church of Sts. Jacob and Philip) 8) Joniškis (Molėtai region) 9) Suvainiškis (Rokiškis region) 10) Onuškis (Church of Sts. Jacob and Philip) 11) Rudiškės (Jonava district, Church of Sts. Jacob and Philip)
Needs of pilgrims
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basic needs
toilets, etc.); (food, drinking water, accommodation, -
cultural
(following the rituals and traditions, cognitive development, recreation, aesthetical satisfaction); -
social
(social security, communication with relatives, friends, neighbours); -
spiritual
asking for (spiritual renewal, expressing gratitude to Jesus, God’s grace, penance, etc.).
Needs of religious tourists
-
basic needs
toilets, etc.); (food, drinking water, accommodation, -
commodities
(goods, souvenirs, local food and drinks, attractive shows, new experience); -
cognitive
(cognitive development, recreation, aesthetical satisfaction); -
social
(social security, communication with co-travelers); -
spiritual
(spiritual renewal etc.).
Accessibility and duration of pilgrimage
Well accessible pilgrimage places
- the accessibility of Lithuanian pilgrimage places during the indulgence feast is mainly by car or coach. Local people reach the the place on foot or local transport in cities.
Lacks
- lack of infrastructure for parking places (cars are parked at the roadsides nearby villages), of accommodation (pilgrims can stay over the night mainly in private houses), of inside catering service (mainly you can eat at outside cafes and other places).
Duration of pilgrimage. Samogitian Calvary
- is usually one-day trip without staying overnight (need from 2 till 4 hours to overcome the Way of Cross, one additional hour is devoted for Holy Mass, and up to one or two hours pilgrims could spend in the market or in communication with friends, relatives or acquaintances.
Perspectives of religious tourism in Lithuania Strengths
1.
2.
A fair amount
of religious tourism and religious heritage places;
Some exceptional pilgrimage sites
(The Hill of Crosses)
3.
Attractive surroundings
of pilgrimage places in the cities (other architectural and historical heritage) or in the villages (scenic landscapes);
4.
5.
Route possibilities Visiting traditions
sacred places) .
(walking routes in countryside).
(indulgence feasts, traditions to go on foot to some
Limitations
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2.
Political
– unclear or very broad goals of Lithuanian tourism policy;
Country attraction
– fragmentized image of Lithuania as tourism country;
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Promotion
of religious tourism places is very marginal.
Lack of infrastructure
, entertainment and accommodation facilities at the religious tourism places
In Lithuanian Liutikas, D. (2009)
Piligrimystė. Vertybių ir tapatumo išraiškos kelionėse
, Vilnius: Lietuvos piligrimų bendrija.
In English Liutikas, D.
Experiences Behaviour
.
In: of Valuistic Journeys: Motivation and Sharpley, R., Stone,
Contemporary
Ph.
(2012) (eds),
Tourist Experience: Concepts and Consequences
, (pp.
38 56). New York: Routledge.