Pilgrimage tours to Israel is far from a new phenomenon, although it is becoming increasingly popular not only among Russians, but also among Europeans. Religious tourism has become widespread since communications between different states have become much easier with the advent of cheap flights. However, this phenomenon has a long history and its own traditions.
Pilgrimage tours to Israel. History
Already in the first century after the death of Christ, all the places, one way or another connected with his life and death, began to acquire special glory among the first Christians. It is known that the mother of the first Christian emperor of Byzantium, Elena, who later received the title of Equal-to-the-Apostles, traveled to Jerusalem with the intention of finding relics associated with Christ.
This journey can be considered a type of pilgrimage tours to Israel, which was then called Palestine and was under the rule of the Roman emperors. At that time, Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena managed to discover the cave in which Jesus was buried, later called the Holy Sepulcher. A temple was erected on the site of the cave, which became one of the most important for Christians around the world.
Relics and Attractions
In the modern world, getting to Jerusalem has become much easier than in past centuries. For this, believers are offered Orthodox pilgrimage tours to Israel, always ready to receive guests, regardless of the purpose of their trip.
One of the most significant places is the Temple of the Resurrection. According to the Gospels that make up the New Testament, it was in this place that Jesus was crucified later and buried. In the same place, of course, he was resurrected.
Despite the fact that the temple complex and related events are significant for all branches of Christianity, the Jerusalem Patriarchate rules the temple, because the dignity of the Jerusalem patriarch is considered one of the oldest in Christian churches.
Russian pilgrims in Jerusalem
The first pilgrims from the Russian state went to Palestine immediately after the adoption of Christianity, and then this tradition did not fade even in the most difficult times.
From historical documents it is known that after Jerusalem came under the rule of Muslim rulers, travel there was significantly complicated, and after the fall of Constantinople in the fifteenth century they became much more dangerous.
Since traveling to the Holy Land was most often done on foot, they were full of dangers, and to reduce the risk, people gathered in groups called squads. Modern pilgrims also prefer to visit Christian shrines in groups, for this pilgrimage tours from Moscow to Israel are organized. The life of modern pilgrims is greatly simplified by affordable and convenient transport and organized support from travel agencies and charitable and religious organizations.
Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem
Organizations involved in helping pilgrims claim that almost half of those who come to Israel are pilgrims from Russia and Ukraine. This information indicates a rapid increase in the number of pilgrims, and now we can safely speak of the revival of the ancient tradition of pilgrimage tours from Moscow.
However, such a rapid growth in the popularity of pilgrimage creates some problems. According to the Interreligious Council of Russia, conceptual substitution very often occurs when people under the guise of pilgrimage provide ordinary tourist services, excursions with visits to historical monuments, without having to do preliminary spiritual preparation, which helps to make the most of spiritual travel.