Faith Journeys

Today, we celebrate the life of St. Frances of Assisi. Due to his close association with animals and especially pets, many communities will be hosting a “blessing of the animals” this weekend.

Here at Faith Journeys, we love our furry (and sometimes not furry at all) friends and would love to share a little of what brings joy to us

our pets!

Pilgrimage is as old as humanity itself. There’s a natural pull in our hearts toward places where the sacred touches our everyday lives.

For centuries, believers have gathered in these "thin places"—spaces where wonder feels close and heaven feels near. At Faith Journeys, we lead trips to extraordinary sites around the globe, but a few foundational destinations are essential for anyone wanting to truly understand the roots of church history.

Where will your journey take you next? Explore our sacred pilgrimage locations today
https://myfaithjourneys.com/

Tucked away in the Calvados region of Normandy is the small town of Lisieux. This little site in the Northwest of France could be easily overlooked by visitors if it had not been for one person, St. Thérèse, sometimes called “The Little Flower of Jesus”.

The Shrine at the Basilica has become the second most visited pilgrimage site in France (second only to Lourdes). To understand its popularity, we need to know more about the saint it commemorates:

Thérèse Martin, the youngest of nine children, was born in Alencon, France, in 1873. Four of her siblings died at a young age; and the remaining five (all girls) eventually all became religious sisters. After the death of her mother, while Thérèse was only 4, she would spend most of her childhood struggling with illness, both physically and emotionally. Eventually, she was healed of her maladies, at the age of 11, by what has become known as “Our Lady of the Smile.” And at the age of 13, she experienced a profound conversion.

Thérèse felt a call to become a nun, but she was too young to enter the convent. She was told she would have to wait until she was 16 years old. However, she and her father appealed to the bishop, and not getting the desired response they wanted, made a plea directly and personally to the Pope (when they were on a pilgrimage to Rome).

Her persistence paid off and Thérèse was allowed to enter the Lisieux Carmel at the age of 15. She wrestled with her vocation and place in the Church. Finally, she came to realize that her “vocation is love.” The love of God was the energy source for the Church and of the human heart and longing.
As she came to these beliefs, Thérèse developed a simple spirituality, based on her childlike trust of and confidence in God. The spirituality of her “little way” was not about extraordinary things – but rather about doing the simple things of life well and with extraordinary love. She believed and taught that “everything is grace” – God’s face and presence could be experienced in every person and situation, if we just attend with love and expectancy.

She was canonized by the Church in 1925, when she would have been only 52 years old. In October 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, because of the impact and challenge her spirituality has had on the lives of so many of God’s children.

Today, you can visit the Basilica of Thérèse in Lisieux, France and spend a day or a few hours reflecting on the simplicity of St. Thérèse’s message. Even today, she can still teach us humility, gentleness, and to not be judgmental. God’s face can be seen everywhere and in all faces, if we only look for it.

Some pilgrimages happen every year.
Others come along only once in a decade.

In 2030, the village of Oberammergau, Germany, will once again welcome pilgrims from around the world for the renowned Passion Play, a tradition dating back nearly 400 years. What began as a vow made during a time of plague has become one of Christianity's most remarkable expressions of faith and community.

For many travelers, attending the Passion Play is a lifelong dream. The story of Christ's Passion is brought to life by the people of Oberammergau themselves, creating an experience that is both deeply moving and profoundly memorable.
But the Passion Play is only the beginning.

Many groups choose to combine Oberammergau with visits to the great churches of Germany, the historic sites of the Reformation, the shrines of Bavaria, or the stunning landscapes of Austria and Switzerland. The result is a pilgrimage that blends history, worship, culture, and fellowship into a truly unforgettable journey.
Although 2030 may seem far away, the most successful groups often begin planning years in advance. Demand for accommodations and tickets will be significant, and early planning provides the greatest flexibility and value.

Could Oberammergau 2030 be part of your community's future?
Faith Journeys is already helping groups explore the possibilities.

The pilgrims of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Little Rock, AR recently returned from a transformative journey across Ireland exploring the roots of Celtic Christianity. From the historic streets of Dublin to the sacred grounds of Clonmacnoise, Monasterboice, and Northern Ireland, the group stepped off the tourist track and onto the Way of St. Patrick. Walking together brought deep fellowship, quiet reflection, and a profound connection to the enduring legacy of the Celtic Church.

some beautiful photos from Epiphany Parish Seattle's Pilgrimage to Italy

Chag Sameach!

Tonight, at sundown, begins the Jewish festival of Sukkot (often called the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles). This seven
-day Jewish festival is one of the three biblically based pilgrimage holidays known as the shalosh regalim (in which the Hebrew people are commanded to perform a pilgrimage to the Temple).

Sukkot is a mixture of religious and agricultural festival that originally was considered a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. The hut-like structures that are constructed for use during the festival are a remembrance the structures the Hebrews lived in during their 40 years of travel through the wilderness, after being freed from Egypt. These dwellings, called “sukkah”, also represents the fragility of our earthly existence, and therefore Sukkot is a time to appreciate the shelter of our homes and our bodies.

Sukkot is celebrated by building a sukkah in which the family are required to eat and sleep in for seven days in Israel. The first day of the festival is considered a holy day in which most forms of work are forbidden. The people will also gather and utilize four items, based on four plants mentioned in the Bible (a citron, palm fronds, and leaves from both the myrtle and willow trees). These items should be held together and waved during the holiday, just as they were at the original Temple in Jerusalem.

Although some Christian denominations observe Sukkot, it is not common. There is, however, a general connection between the building of these shelters (or tabernacles) and the Feast of the Transfiguration, where Jesus’ disciples offer to build three dwellings for him, Elijah and Moses. Other academic view see the Festival of Sukkot as being a precursor to our modern Thanksgiving celebration. In any sense, Sukkot is a pre-messianic celebration of God’s dwelling with his people, which we, as Christians experience, in its fullness, through the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While summer draws the crowds, autumn brings a deeper, more reflective pace to a pilgrimage in the UK.

High-traffic trails like St Cuthbert’s Way, the Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury, or the ancient tracks of Cornwall quiet down, leaving behind a stillness that invites quiet contemplation.

As the leaves turn shades of russet and gold, the landscape feels grounded, historic, and wonderfully slow. Stopping at a cozy countryside pub or stepping into a quiet, stone-walled church after a morning on the trail offers a sense of warmth and sanctuary that you just don't get in July.

Autumn reminds us to slow down, harvest our thoughts, and embrace the changing seasons—both on the trail and off.

To our travelers, friends, and brothers and sisters in faith,

Israel has entered its most sacred, silent, and profound day of the year: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

For those who have walked the streets of Jerusalem with us, you know there is no experience quite like it on Earth. On Yom Kippur, the entire nation comes to a complete standstill. Highways empty, airwaves go quiet, and a deep, prayerful stillness settles over the Holy Land.

For Christians, observing this holy day through the lens of pilgrimage brings us back to the foundational roots of our faith. It points us to Leviticus 16, where God instructed His people to set aside a day for repentance, reconciliation, and reflection on His mercy. Walking where Jesus walked takes on an even deeper meaning when we honor and understand the biblical feasts and sacred traditions that shaped the land of scripture.

Today, as our Jewish friends fast, pray, and seek reconciliation, we join in prayer for: Forgiveness & Renewal, Peace for Jerusalem, and
Gratitude for the rich, biblical heritage that connects our shared story.

To all our Jewish friends in Israel, at home, and across the globe: Gmar Chatimah Tovah (May you be sealed in the Book of Life).