Holy Tourism

The Via Francigena (or the Frankish Way) was an important medieval road and ancient pilgrimage route that connected North-western Europe with Rome and the harbours to Jerusalem. Recently, some modern day pilgrims cycled their way along the Via Francigena from Canterbury, England, arriving at their final destination, Rome, on the 26^th August 2007. These pilgrims, a group of 27 cyclists, aged between 17 and 65 years, were welcomed by the Pope during the Angelus (his weekly public address):

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors… Among you I welcome the participants in the cycling pilgrimage from Canterbury Cathedral to Rome. You have cycled the traditional Via Francigena, following in the footsteps of so many men and women of faith on their way to the tombs of Peter and Paul. I pray that your visit will be a time of spiritual and ecumenical enrichment. May Christ keep you and your families in his love.

The group’s primary aim is to save the Canterbury cathedral, that is to raise funds to carry on much needed restoration works to prevent its otherwise inevitable further degradation. The Canterbury Cathedral’s history dates back to 597AD and was the scene for the brutal murder of Archbishop Thomas Beckett in 1170 as well as the destination for Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous pilgrimage in “Canterbury Tales”. Money raised will be distributed amongst the Save Canterbury Cathedral campaign and local and international charities.

The Via Francigena, built and maintained by local nobles, first came into written record in 990AD when Sigeric travelled from England to Rome to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by the Pope. During medieval times, it was heavily utilised, a testament to the importance of pilgrimages to the Holy sites of Christianity at that time. Pilgrims made the long journey mostly on foot as a form of penance, and would cover about 20 to 25 kilometres a day. Although referred to as a single “road”, Via Francigena actually encompassed a number of possible routes that have been altered by the course of time. Political turmoil, weather conditions and relative popularity of the shrines of saints along the way were all determining factors as to the pilgrim’s chosen path. Here in Lombardy, the Lombards paid for the maintenance and defence of the road to protect a profitable trading route linking the north of Italy to Rome.

The pilgrim’s simple uniform probably consisted of a pilgrim's staff, a long garment of rough texture and dark colour and a leather bag which hung at their waist and which they used for food and money. The long journey posed all sorts of perils, from bandits and difficult terrain to wild animals and disease, and one who set out to undertake such a pilgrimage had little chance of ever returning. Therefore, prior to departure, certain ritualistic preparations were carried out. The prospective pilgrim was required to settle all debts, prepare a will, receive their pilgrim costume from their local priest, ask forgiveness of anyone they may have offended and farewell everyone before leaving. If the pilgrim had not returned by their nominated day plus one hundred and one days, their will was carried out and possessions distributed.

And so the pilgrim set out on their long journey, most likely using the bell towers of the churches as points of reference. Aside from their obvious bell-ringing function, these bell towers were actually built with a second function in mind: to tower above the trees and be visible from great distances in order to signal to travellers the location of the next town, monastery, or a safe place to sleep for the night. Those fortunate enough to survive the return journey were required to present “souvenirs” as evidence of the places they had visited. The main centres of attraction were firstly Rome, the site of the martyrdom of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; Santiago de Compostela in Spain, chosen by the apostle Saint James as his resting place, and naturally Jerusalem in the Holy Land.

The Via Francigena and its pilgrims have always had the power to inspire. In 1966 a comedic film called L’armata Brancaleone (known as “For Love and Gold” or “The Incredible Army of Brancaleone” in English) was based on the pilgrimage, offering a non-traditional perspective of the medieval era, depicting the poor and the underdogs amidst ignorance and misery. The pilgrimage did not fade with the middle ages, however, as modern day pilgrims continue to be drawn to this rugged undertaking.

This latest group of weary two-wheeled pilgrims travelled Via Francigena from Canterbury, England crossing more than 1,900 kilometres (1,200 miles) in 16 days. The trek included the notorious Grand St. Bernard Pass, where it is not uncommon to have snow, even in the middle of August; a journey well-deserving of a papal welcome.

Ashleigh Burns