Pilgrimage and Medicine: History and Health Issues for Pilgrims
Kathy Mariani, MD, MPH, University of Vermont
The word pilgrimage comes from two Latin words: per ager, which means “to go through the field,” and peragrinum, which means “one from foreign parts.” 1 A pilgrim is someone who travels through foreign fields. The term “pilgrimage” elicits a stereotypical image of medieval religious practices or masses of people descending on Mecca. Unlike Mecca, which requires pilgrims be of Islam faith, many other sites host a combination of spiritual seekers of various faiths, as well as tourists. Although our society has decreasing numbers of people identifying with formal religion, pilgrimage across the globe is at an all-time high, including numbers from the Unites States.2 More people are exploring personal experience of spirituality, creating a culture in which pilgrimage takes on broader meaning and continues to draw people of all ages, religions, and continents. 3
This presentation provides a literature review of health issues, past and present, of major global pilgrimage sites. We will primarily focus on four sites with significant health and resource challenges. These include Mecca, Saudi Arabia; 4Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha; Camino De Santiago, Spain; and Char Dham Yatra in India. All have seen a surge in numbers of pilgrims in the past 10 years, except during 2020 due to the pandemic. Some sites, such as Lumbini, have strategic plans in place to meet the needs of the 1.5 million pilgrims a year. 5Other sites have one toilet for thousands. 6 Each potential site has unique medical issues and challenges, but some issues are common to all. 7
We will explore both physical and emotional concerns that impact pilgrims and how primary care providers can help them prepare. Health and travel educational resources specific to the pilgrimage site should be readily available and not solely dependent on traditional travel medicine resources.
References:
Uncategorized References
1. Arnold P. TOP 10 RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGES. 2014.
2. Statistics. Oficina Del Catedral de Santiago;2022.https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/statistics/.
3. Collins-Kreiner N. Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article. Tourism Review. 2020; 75(1): 145-148.
4. Aldossari M, Aljoudi A, Celentano D. Health issues in the Hajj pilgrimage: a literature review. East Mediterr Health J. 2019; 25 (10): 744-753.
5. Rai HD. Buddhism and tourism: A study of Lumbini, Nepal. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Education. 2020;10:22-52.
6. Apollo M, Wengel Y, Schänzel H, Musa G. Hinduism, ecological conservation, and public health: What are the health hazards for religious tourists at Hindu temples? Religions. 2020;11(8):416.
7. Felkai P. Medical Problems of Way of St. James Pilgrimage. Journal of Religion and Health. 2019;58(2):566-571.
This presentation provides a literature review of health issues, past and present, of major global pilgrimage sites. We will primarily focus on four sites with significant health and resource challenges. These include Mecca, Saudi Arabia; 4Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha; Camino De Santiago, Spain; and Char Dham Yatra in India. All have seen a surge in numbers of pilgrims in the past 10 years, except during 2020 due to the pandemic. Some sites, such as Lumbini, have strategic plans in place to meet the needs of the 1.5 million pilgrims a year. 5Other sites have one toilet for thousands. 6 Each potential site has unique medical issues and challenges, but some issues are common to all. 7
We will explore both physical and emotional concerns that impact pilgrims and how primary care providers can help them prepare. Health and travel educational resources specific to the pilgrimage site should be readily available and not solely dependent on traditional travel medicine resources.
References:
Uncategorized References
1. Arnold P. TOP 10 RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGES. 2014.
2. Statistics. Oficina Del Catedral de Santiago;2022.https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/statistics/.
3. Collins-Kreiner N. Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article. Tourism Review. 2020; 75(1): 145-148.
4. Aldossari M, Aljoudi A, Celentano D. Health issues in the Hajj pilgrimage: a literature review. East Mediterr Health J. 2019; 25 (10): 744-753.
5. Rai HD. Buddhism and tourism: A study of Lumbini, Nepal. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Education. 2020;10:22-52.
6. Apollo M, Wengel Y, Schänzel H, Musa G. Hinduism, ecological conservation, and public health: What are the health hazards for religious tourists at Hindu temples? Religions. 2020;11(8):416.
7. Felkai P. Medical Problems of Way of St. James Pilgrimage. Journal of Religion and Health. 2019;58(2):566-571.