Small Pilgrim Places Network
Breathing spaces on the pilgrim journey ...
Small Pilgrim Places are:
- Spaces for pondering, breathing, meditating, praying and ‘being’
- Small places, not those already on the map, well-known, or that draw crowds;
- Simple, quiet and unpretentious, with the presence of the Divine;
- Places of worship, gardens, ruins, open spaces, holy wells, etc.;
- Welcoming and inclusive.
The Small Pilgrim Places Network:
- Brings together people who support the ethos of SPPs through prayer and practical support;
- Encourages members to promote the key elements of SPPs - quiet prayer and meditation, hospitality, silence, space and simplicity not only in SPPs but also in their own personal situations;
- Is mutually supportive, encouraging the exchange of experiences, inspiration and practicalities.
Each place fulfils its purpose of making space, keeping silence, encouraging solitude, and providing simple focus points in its own way. They have a respected identity of their own, unique and singular - with their own history, character and atmosphere, communicating something of the ‘eternal now’, while also bringing the past into the present day and pointing towards the future. Some might describe them as holy or sacred. Celts sometimes described them as ‘thin’ places, others as liminal – ‘in-between’ ‘thresholds’ on the edge of mystery. They should have the potential to gently nudge tourists with glazed looks into becoming pilgrims with gently focused eyes.
Find your nearest Small Pilgrim Place ... or consider becoming one yourself!
