Pilgrimage: The Road To Rome | Pilgrimage With Simon Reeve | Timeline

for centuries pilgrimage was one of the greatest adventures epic journeys around the country you're going the wrong way this is the pilgrims way to Canterbury and across the world [Music] I'll be retracing the steps of our ancestors [Music] it's the spot where Jesus is [Music] exploring the hidden some people won't think this is quite like home then the darker side of pilgrimage what this gives a sense of is the scale of prostitution and discovering why so many modern pilgrims are taking to the road my journey has taken me from the north of England to Canterbury on this leg I'm travelling through France into northern Spain Switzerland and on to Rome Rome then I'll journey east into Turkey across the Mediterranean into the Holy Land to my final destination Jerusalem it's a gobsmacked it's a breathtaker away [Music] I was close to the coast in northern France for centuries pilgrims from the British Isles have arrived here on the mainland of Europe and begun epic tricks across the continent they went on arduous journeys in search of shrines and holy sites along world trodden paths I do love the simple act of walking much underrated now I'm just jumping off cars and go anywhere one foot in front of the other the rhythm scene emerges many British and European pilgrims were inspired by religious devotion but some were also looking for excitement romance and adventure in the 9th century priests were criticized for going on pilgrimage just to escape their duties in the 13th century a French Bishop complained people were going on pilgrimage out of mere curiosity and the love of novelty they weren't so unlike us the thrill of travelling in foreign lands still draws people to ancient pilgrim routes today I met up with Iain Broderick who's walked thousands of miles across the continent I've walked along this coast to Rome and Jerusalem you've walked to Jerusalem I have indeed my goodness that's I find that very inspiring yes surprising isn't it when you go on your epic walks are you going for reasons of piety and devotion or for adventure as well define pilgrimages is a very complicated thing it can be many things and the modern pilgrim isn't a purely devotional Christian pilgrim we walk with more intention of discovery a lot of people say that the pilgrimage mimics life it's difficult it's tiring and there are events that surprised us but the thing that I think surprises a lot of people is how they are on a pilgrimage and what happens to them there's absolutely no no hiding place on a pilgrimage if you're honest with you this cause you're alone with your thoughts and your and everything your emotions aspirations and hopes it's all there while you're walking it unfolds with you [Music] I found Ian and what he's done really inspiring I think most people if they'd heard there's someone who's walked to Jerusalem would think they're completely bonkers but of course the Ian's right traveling Overland on foot is by far the most exciting and interesting and unmemorable way to engage with a country in a landscape he has had experience and racked up memories the like of which most people can't even begin to imagine [Music] for 500 years up to the early 16th century are considered the Golden Age of pilgrimage in Europe in some years a fifth of the population of the continent was either on pilgrimage or directly involved in the industry of Inns and churches and hostels that sprung up around it as pilgrim numbers increased villages near popular shrines developed into towns pilgrimage helped to shape Europe I've reached the small town of Santa mayor which is probably one of the first places that British pilgrims coming to France would have arrived in it have headed for the Cathedral the town of Santa Mira is just 30 miles inland from the English Channel I followed in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims who would have marked their journeys with regular stops for prayers along the way [Music] [Music] boy the cathedral was built and added to between the 13th and 16th centuries it since survived the ravages of war and revolution and remains a fairly spectacular bit of Gothic architecture [Music] there is something more inspiring about cathedrals on a scale like this but cathedrals needed to make sure visitors kept coming a church like this will have really benefitted from advertising the potential and power of its relic now relic would be a bit of a saint or even a bit of cloth worn by a saint a church wanted to have one people believed him because if they believed in it then they would travel great distance to witness it to try and touch it and of course pilgrims meant money meant money for the upkeep of the church but also the wealth and prosperity of the community around it so relics had an enormous religious power but also an economic power as well the relic here is the tomb of Saint earthen boat a 7th century Irish monk who became the bishop of the area he spent much of his time travelling huge distances on foot helping the poor by the end of his life his devotion had left him unable to walk he became the patron saint of children who have difficulties in walking and pilgrims came here hoping for cures to my surprise they still do there's a prayer here it says pray for Angelababy he's 5 years old he's not well he has to have surgery soon on his legs I've got a two-year-old son he has shoes that are of a similar size to this I find it almost it is heartbreaking to see this and I know that if he had a problem there is nothing I would not do there would be no length I wouldn't go to know God I wouldn't pray to to try and get help for him I could almost sense the desperation that accompanies the placing of these shoes we cling to hope at difficult times I sense that's what a lot of these shoes signify speeding across France such a lovely way to travel map which shows modern and pilgrimage routes across Europe but they're all based on ancient roots and what I find really fascinating is just how they form an almost web across the continent the pilgrimage routes across Europe became our major routes and motorways today in Western Europe there are now believed to be more than six thousand pilgrimage sites they attract tens of millions of visitors every year helping to drive tourism and travel I was heading towards a Spanish town that by the early 12th century ranked alongside Rome and even Jerusalem as one of the holiest places on earth to get there pilgrims followed an ancient route known as the Camino it stretches over 500 miles starting in France it climbs over the Pyrenees winds through northern Spain and finishes in the holy city of Santiago de Compostela I arrived in the French border town of Saint Jean Pierre de port bustling with pilgrims preparing for their epic Trek along the Camino route to Santiago it's quite ironic really how a town like this now makes such a living off the new pilgrims who aren't just tourists I suppose they are adventure hikers in many respects travelling has never been easier but the Camino is still drawing people from across the world who want to make the journey by foot the old-fashioned way it also seems to attract a certain Hardy and determined type I bumped into Lorna Jean who as a child was caught in a house fire in her home I was trapped in have you had many operations oh yeah in the first nine months 272 they lost count after seven two operations that's the first night I do still have to have surgery I don't want to take the time out to be laid up the time outs of life yeah I don't let anything get in my way just look out here I come the Camino has become one of the most popular long-distance pilgrimage routes in the world nearly 200 thousand hikers and bikers completed the 500-mile route in 2012 alone a toy town drained Missy view the rest of the walk to Santiago de Compostela won't be a theme park ride it's arduous it's a tough walk we didn't have time for me to track the entire route which can take a month to six weeks but I was able to get a real sense of the journey which ultimately leads to a shrine dedicated to one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus in the ninth century a Spanish bishop made the rather surprising announcement that the remains of Saint James had been found in what's now Santiago de Compostela countless pilgrims have since walked this way when laying across the field here most medieval Christians believe their place in heaven would be secured if they embarked on journeys of endurance suffering and sacrifice [Music] look at the countryside here that you walked through it doesn't entirely strike me as penance [Music] by the 13th century around half a million pilgrims a year were walking to Santiago an astonishing figure when the entire population of Europe was little more than 70 million the economic benefits to communities along the route were enormous pilgrimage wasn't cheap there was food donations and places to stay to be paid for most travelers had to pay tolls well the pilgrims were supposed to be exempted it was a system that didn't always work as it was supposed to so sometimes merchants pretended to be Pilgrims and sometimes pilgrims were unlawfully charged when they should have been allowed to travel for free but there was a system even if sometimes it broke down this is the town of Santo Domingo de la calzada which developed to cater for pilgrims the cathedral adopted a local legend as a real miracle even today it encourages pilgrims in through the doors the eye is initially drawn to this incredible shrine our vision in gold but in reality most people come here to happy with here chickens this is a bit bonkers there is a long story behind this basically a young man was unjustly hung and even though his was still swinging with his head in the noose his parents realized he was still alive and they ran to see the local judge and said our son was what we hanged and he's still alive and the judge said nonces your son is no more alive than this roast chicken as I'm eating here at which point the chicken came back to life jumped up and walked around on the table it's not a story I really like actually because I tend to think of our ancestors as being not that dissimilar from us and perhaps being a bit wise and cynical as well but this story suggests they believed anything it's very relevant to pilgrimage and the spreading of stories it does suggest to me that however unbelievable a tale might be if it has strong religious tones to it then a Cathedral stick with it go with it and make of it as much as they can [Music] by the 16th century the Camino was in decline cause partly by outbreaks of disease and war and the rise of Protestant Christianity which was opposed to pilgrimage but in the last 30 years the Camino has been revived travelers have increased a hundredfold how much weight are you carrying on this I think maybe 15 with the water 15 kilograms yeah how much is Julie carrying I met an Australian couple Julie and Owen who are 10 days into their Camino it's a unique way to see a country the fact though that happens over a span of days it gives you a really different thing that worked on it it's amazing are you both people of faith no it's circular it's a bit of a self-discovery and a kind of a you know a relationship for exercise anyway I don't want to be too cheeky haha what do you mean okay you know you know you with somebody all day every day and often completely isolated okay and it's I guess when you reach you're a bit of a pain threshold you can get the just a little bit testy but that's when the patient's you needs to come in yes and just there okay so all right we're not on the schedule we can we can rest if we need to walk with someone and you really you learn a lot of that them and yourself for federal works [Music] walking the Camino is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other setting a target reaching the destination the simple act of walking for hours even days on end gives you something we don't often get in the 21st century a time to reflect both the most frightening thing for me about it is that you are left alone with your thoughts in many cases and personally I find that frightening it's not that I've got demons in my mind there's just so many things to think about so many life issue so many challenges I start to dwell on them we occupy ourselves so much now to try and perhaps avoid considering aspects of life like that we separate ourselves off from having to think about those sort of things and on a walk like this on a pilgrimage on a long walk you're confronted by them [Music] around half those walking the Camino and no longer religious pilgrims at least in the medieval sense of penance and suffering it seemed to me there often well-off adventurer hikers seeking an experience they'll remember forever many choose to stay overnight at one of the scores of pilgrim hostels along the route Wow that's where we're going there's a whole infrastructure along the Camino catering for the needs of modern travelers just as there was in medieval times hola this is the hostel of San Nicolas look at this place - bastard Jana it's run by a religious charity who provide weary pilgrims with a hearty meal and a very welcome bed for the night for wisdom Oh ghost or no ghost you can tell very nice to meet you hamplink is very big very little yeah well you have a good firm handshake that's what matters [Music] before dinner the hosts at this hostel gather everyone together to perform a religious ritual they're gonna wash our feet cleaning the smelly feet of two dozen hikers struck me as an act of extreme penitence by the hosts a number of degrees to level their muscles for those only with us here this council has gone forth they write those faces but a gift of containers forgot me innocent yet for me it was a rather humbling experience secures there was an intimate feel to the hostel that I really enjoyed it was a chance to share a meal and stories with fellow travelers and discover their reasons for walking the Camino Romina and Natalia had come all the way from South America can you tell us why you're doing this but so now you are you very religious person admitted of negative personal muscle eat well and is a big meditation so that you're working and you pull your head still remember your family you remember year I don't know or your life goes through your head all day because you're working and you're alone you think about lots of stuff you never did question before have you had moments why you've been walking when you've been thinking almost too much and the TA start it's very brave [Laughter] [Music] there's a real community along with me now that I hadn't expected and quite surprised to experience it you completely see the attraction I think it's a magnificent and completely memorable thing to do I've been blessed with a lot of travel experiences in recent years the last ten years particularly but I won't forget this I think that's why a lot of people are doing it as well it does provide you with experiences that you're going to remember though everybody else appears to be up nice long hard quietly oh by my standards anyway 7:30 leave up and left I think up there I follow them in path there are many different reasons to walk the Camino of time to think religious devotion or for many the sheer physical challenge of completing an epic journey but everyone shares the same goal the city of Santiago de Compostela home to the shrine of Saint James in the main square of the town pilgrims and walkers were arriving and celebrating the end of their Camino [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] for someone without faith like me the tale of house and James ended up here is frankly pretty unbelievable apparently James was beheaded in the Holy Land but stories say his remains were put into a cruelest stone boat that angels help transport to northern Spain scallop shells worn by pilgrims testify to one of the miracles that followed when horse and rider were saved from the sea and emerged covered in shells I met up with author Nancy Frey who guides pilgrims along the Camino she's also studied how the city of Santiago developed around some gems and how it's still defined by pilgrimage today so is Santiago then one of the best examples of a town or city that owes its entire existence to a holy shrine and to pilgrimage absolutely and what is remarkable is that it was competing with thousands of other sites and what is amazing is that it really rose to the surface of all of the other ones because James is said to be one of the Christ inner circle he's one of the most important apostles he's someone who's referred to at a key moments in the ministry of Christ and they had his whole body and that obviously helped to sustain Christianity in the in Spain didn't absolutely because it becomes an anchor point for this pilgrimage for Christianity in the whole Northwest and at the same time is telling the evolving story of Spain's history in the eighth century Spain was invaded by the Moors from North Africa and became predominantly Muslim for more than 700 years but a pocket of Christianity remained in the remote north and the area around what's now Santiago so it was rather convenient that the remains of Sint James were discovered here in the ninth century they became a rallying point for Christians trying to reclaim the country ironically James a fisherman who became an apostle was used in death to encourage Christian soldiers he became a lucky warrior mascot who said to appear at key battles against the Moors but today he's most often pictured as a humble pilgrim he hasn't all of these facets there's this important figure next to Christ as an apostle and then as this figure of movement of a journey discovery the spirituality and then of course used as a military figure and this is one of the reasons why I think it has been such a successful image because it is malleable you can change him and he has been changed and manipulated over time so is he really in there I don't think it really matters because people have been believing for more than a thousand years that he has there and it has the consequence the result of that has been the creation of this remarkable way and of the presence of millions of people over the last thousand years who have believed or who have come here to visit this place or to journey to have their own journey of discovery and here they are so it doesn't matter what the bones or not because it's here whether the remains of some James are here or not the cathedra to house his Legend took more than a hundred years to complete it was finally consecrated in the early 13th century it was designed to impress a job it still does today now that is a vision look at the life streaming down it looks ferial not of this world I think it's quite hard to imagine how a pilgrim who has tracked here would feel that sight but surely you would I feel as a person without faith I feel in the presence of something something holy [Music] thousands of walkers and cyclists were crammed into the cathedral for the Sunday Mass which for many marks the end of their journey there are even some local worshipers [Music] that's the bag to go around I can hear capito - private fortune [Music] the finale of the mass involves one of the world's largest incense burners [Music] the sorcerers [Laughter] I used to do this to fumigate with stench from the pilgrims new mast in the Cathedral now of course they stood it for religious reasons but it's part of the drama is part of the theater of the whole occasion this is what makes this such an event for people finishing their pilgrimage while these travelers celebrated the end of their journey the next part of my journey would take me to one of the most important pilgrimage routes through Europe the route between Britain and the holy city of Rome was first mapped in the 10th century pilgrims following it had to cross one of Europe's biggest obstacles the Alps we've come to an area where a 12th century abbot traveling from Iceland to Rome tells us that different pilgrimage routes from northern Europe to Italy all converged they would have been Scandinavians English francs French Flemish all coming through this area because this is snow just on the road here almost like a chunk of it has fallen off you can still just get parts but I know I might be able to go for much further and then it's gonna be time to walk most modern travelers now use a boring tunnel under the mountain but for thousands of years Pilgrims merchants and armies all cross the Alps at the great sand burners pass this must be as far as I can go the pass is 8,000 feet above sea level and conditions for crossing it are notoriously unpredictable there are numerous accounts of pilgrims crossing the Alps who lost their companions to avalanches or exposure the snow here can be 10 meters deep in winter and the temperature drops to minus 30 centigrade in the tenth century even an Archbishop of Canterbury froze to death here while making a pilgrimage to Rome even in summertime as it is now when the sky is blue it's still snowy up here imagine the conditions in winter people still cross them to provide shelter and safety for Pilgrims and travelers an 11th century monk founded a hostel at the top of the pass he wasn't bernhard the apostle of the alps there is just around the at the top come around a bend it's a hostel a refuge a monastery and a very welcome sight a medieval manuscript describes this place is one of the three columns built by God for the support of his poor people today the hostel is run by three canons and two sisters from the Augustin order who provide food and shelter for passing pilgrims lovely brother Raphael show me to my room for the night where are the toilets and the douche if you want anything you arrange the bail under somebody we are and service to your request thank you very much indeed sir I pray you I wish you a good thing yeah that's lovely of me [Music] to look after visitors the cannons have a small team working behind the scenes I offered to help out it's the first time I've ever served sync to anyone back in here yep Pascal has worked here for the last three years does it feel like you're continuing the spirit of some Barnard yes yes for sure it's really terrific here but sometimes and especially in summer we have people who come here with nothing somebody I remember last year and a guy who who came here with nothing and we didn't pay anything and we give classes everything it's not a problem we we really welcome everybody this is a very special special place to work isn't it which you get pilgrims coming to as well yes we got big wheels over more and more every year more and more comments yes they always say for spirituality you know just to work and just don't think about my job don't think about my life just to do other thing and don't think about anything get on the road yes diabete you haven't eaten enough you will call okay my aim is just not to break a plate [Music] this ancient Christian refuge hasn't closed its doors for a thousand years it's open to everyone no matter what their religion or philosophy to stretch out the muscles after the long climb up the mountain I joined other visitors at a yoga and meditation class just check in with your body what's your body doing how does it feel in your legs how do your shoulders feel these design students from the University of Utah are on a European pilgrimage visiting holy sites and places that inspired works of literature how was the the yoga for you oh I loved it I cried a little tell your truth did you yes I was being a baby for 19 year old Ricky it's his first experience of pilgrimage I actually I love walking hiking I've been athletic in the whole life sports and so I decided I have to do it was it the history there the promise of special experiences that drew you in I kind of spiritually I wanted to do it I gotta get some meaning in my life is that what this is gonna help you with you think I hope so I believe the majority of the students are Mormons they were being put to work around the hostel apparently so they can learn about the life of some Barnard and the value of service my goodness [Music] what are you doing you be careful do you think there is a deeper meaning is doing things like this or is it just learning to these things you don't necessarily want to do in a way we get to see kind of the monks perspective of service and maintaining the cleanliness of the church is a service for the monks we're repaying them for what they do for the pilgrims comes around good karma and all that good karma Yoga karma mormons i was surprised by this very modern mixing of cultures and religions in the hostile museum I talked to Alex one of the leaders of the group we come from a highly concentrated Mormon background where it's a bubble I mean it's a different world people are all of us our culture shocked when we go out into the world and see that not everybody is Mormon and everybody does the same things we do it's like to come to Switzerland to come to Switzerland is a big eye-opener because we're involved with a lot of things like we went to Mass yesterday 98% of the students that we have have never been to a Catholic Mass and so it's easy just to write that off as oh this is foreign to me and so this is useless but what we're trying to do is show the students that no this has the same amount of value to the people here as what we do back home do you feel like this is a part of a pilgrimage yes I do I think I don't know i define pilgrimage simply is a journey that an individual just feels like he or she needs to take a pilgrimage is not so much an escape in my opinion he's not for me a pilgrimage is a time for you to try to find a reality to the human condition that you may not have tapped into before in your life it's good it was time for me to head south to the center of Catholic Europe Italy [Music] really zipping around on this journey France Spain Switzerland I'm now driving through Italy across Italy in fact to a town on the eastern side of the country which has seen a massive boom in the number of people and visitors and pilgrims who've been heading there in recent years [Music] san giovanni rotondo was once a small sheep farming town it's now a booming pilgrimage destination [Music] the pilgrims are here because of Padre Pio an Italian friar who became famous for his miraculous powers and christ-like suffering Padre Pio died in 1968 San Giovanni reportedly now gets more than two million visitors every year this is a pilgrimage site unlike anything we've seen anywhere on this journey so far very modern ludicrously so to a certain degree firstly I go for old and old fashioned but this is this is very 20th and 21st century [Music] this Cathedral opened in 2004 and can hold up to eight thousand pilgrims reflecting the mass appeal of what many see as the cult of Padre Pio it's a mega church a proof of the old adage perhaps if you build it they will come [Music] followers of padre pio believed that he had the ability to read souls and appear in two places at once it's claimed he could miraculously cure people help the blind to see and even rose into the sky to protect this town from American bombers during the Second World War beneath the cathedral a 75 meter corridor is adorned from floor to ceiling with padre pio mosaics that promote his legend the gold has come from tons of jewelry donated by devoted pilgrims [Music] it's almost overwhelming to see all this imagery of him goodness me this is a drippy Oh answers the mail on this tide Patrick Patrick Patrick doing everything being everywhere ksama [Music] what as was one of the main things that's made padre pio so popular he had the stigmata a stigmata is when a person appears to develop identical wounds to those of Christ on the cross suffering crucifixion so blood seeping from hands just the same as those of Christ's [Music] the imagery here is completely mind-blowing and it's very much like an attempt to turn padre pio into not just a saint but somebody worthy of almost divine veneration somebody akin to Jesus this is unlike any other veneration of a Christian Saint I'm aware of anywhere in the world it's more extreme more intense and frankly more over-the-top an Italian historian has claimed Padre Pio kept his stigmata wounds open by using carbolic acid the Vatican was suspicious of Padre Pio two Pope's had him investigated and twice banned him from performing priestly duties but after he died they couldn't control his popular appeal and in 2002 he was given the highest honor possible bestowed by the Catholic Church a sainthood his body is now kept on display in a purpose-built crypt [Music] rarely in the history of Christianity has the cult of a saint expanded so rapidly and so powerfully as it has around Padre Pio after the Vatican this is claimed to be the second largest pilgrimage site in Europe [Music] [Laughter] [Music] that was unlike any Christian Church or building shrine or sanctuary I've been to anywhere in the world it's extraordinary how important Padre Pio's become he went from being a fairly small town friar to a figure of national importance and then global significance [Music] the adoration of saintly figures isn't unusual of course but here it's big business to help spread the word further there's a global media operation which bears his name Patrick Pio TV station transmits live from the Cathedral five times a day every day which is what you call a feed this is the mass yes and we're live live the channels watched around the world including across Asia in North and South America stephania is a producer at the station do you have any the viewing figures for how many people will be seeing the mass of the man and we have average Oh 300,000 people love every day 300 years yes and that's around the planet yes the TV station is run by monks the president's padre Mariana DeVito is it a little bit unusual for an order of monks to be involved in television or is it just the 21st century question O'Malley if rod-like his assembly dude Nell affords Dehradun jury image or no mere possibility person at rest of estimates universal purpose re la cosa piu bella there's no Amira videos his misogynist in your Easter non-contradiction Ishita tip over Todd yo begins the cast attack watch a movie frantic over religiosa go be so sure Dottie there is almost an industry around Padre Pio that nearly industry are forsenboys Azeroth said no-name kundrot Lilia del cool anon jealous candidates are Al me no here no miss candlelight [Music] coach loads of visitors arrived here daily in this poor region of Italy the town and its 30,000 residents earned more than a hundred million pounds a year from visiting pilgrims it's fascinating how the economy of a place like this can become dependent on but can exist in the first place because of pilgrimage I've seen it elsewhere on my journey but never quite so starkly we've got hotel here just on this street hotel here hotel hotel restaurant cafe restaurant cafe key all the way down this street there are now scores of hotels in this town which frankly if if the cult of padre pio wasn't here would probably deserve just a couple of guest houses the town actually has more than 120 hotels serving the 21st century pilgrim industry I went to want to meet the owner Franco who's lived all his life in San Giovanni and has seen the town transformed have your family always been hoteliers no Praveen down tradition Trina OG the la familia so no say-so Turek the cocaine Oasis jam of parallel there by the puke that's yeah well okay status will be economical the Padre Pio do you find it slightly astonishing but you have opened the hotel you've had great success and now the story of Pat repair spread so far everyone my pen sight or the echo tiara quill okay og Larry after the og gossip and service economy indicator Picasa to locally mother there you are African Australian American composer to T continuity every Madonna grande surprise I Franco employs over a hundred staff serving an increasing number of guests you see an Olympic sized swimming modern pilgrims who come here even for just a weekend often expect a certain level of luxury there is this line isn't there this sort of divide where people are called pilgrims or they called tourists but maybe the two are becoming one now and certainly in a place like this as Solomon deceiver a cambiado Pellegrino Univ Alton wall Alana machine a wallet to telecom Evita non cheap ul3 stock a McGarry L Pellegrino K and rebel in dario's pity in una una Casa kamasutra diva shin bandana far say Santana thank you [Music] I think what this town represents is the globalization of pilgrimage I think I'd have expected that in the 21st century people would be turning away from religious belief and pilgrimage to places like this but quite the opposite they've now got people come from around the world here and as long as they continue to come the locals here are going to keep raking in the money pilgrimage trips were the forerunner of the modern holiday even the word is ultimately derived from holy day European pilgrimage had been in decline but in recent decades as we've become wealthier with more spare time it's booming where soft is compared to hardly medieval pilgrims but we still have belief now many want to combine holiday and holy day a pilgrimage but with a swimming-pool an ancient pilgrimage route took me towards my final destination travelers from Britain and Northern Europe walk this way for centuries to get their first glimpse of the Eternal City flippin Eck look at that Rome this would have been the first chance that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims would have had to see this extraordinary city coming over the hill and there it is in front of you Vatican down there imagine coming here and really believing in your very core that your soul would benefit from this journey from arriving here you think what's wrapped up in that their history the culture the power the civilization the religion not just generations of it but century after century it's been one of the planet's great destinations [Music] and still today Rome pulls in the crowds like no other pilgrimage site in Europe [Music] people come to Rome now in their Millions for all sorts of reasons but what really drew people in the past pilgrims particularly was the incredible collection of relics that were housed here for hundreds of years Rome had the finest collection of relics in the world including the Ark of the Covenant the tablets of Moses and even apparently Jesus's foreskin and his umbilical cord it would have taken medieval pilgrims months to walk here from Britain they would have been exhausted but the city that awaited them had its disappointments many of the buildings were in ruins some of them were being quarried and mined for building material it would have a huge shock to pilgrims arriving here they've heard tales of this grand city the glory days of the Roman Empire were long passed [Music] a Tiber in those days as well wasn't pleasant flowing river that it is today in fact it was a bit of a mosquito infested swamp that was another great threat to pilgrims and travelers because of course mosquitoes often carry disease and Italy wasn't declared a malaria free until 1970 pilgrims who came here contracted it and speaking as somebody also managed to get it although in Africa can assure you it's about the most unpleasant thing you can go through in life [Music] despite all the threats and the challenges that face them on their long journey and even when they got to Rome pilgrims kept coming and they came for one thing in particular st. Peters in the Vatican is where the Apostle Peter was martyred crucified upside down this is the perfect time to be here it's quarter to 11:00 on a Sunday morning and people are gathering I've come to some peter's square at a time when pilgrims arrive in their thousands to be blessed by the Pope people have come here from all over the world I could see the flags of Brazil India over there Poland Argentina they're here for the Pope they're here for the Vatican and Rome of course is still the biggest pilgrimage destination in Europe traveling across the continent I'd seen the powerful effects holy places had on pilgrims but this was a much jolly a gathering we weren't seeing yet another bit of bone belonging to a saint he lived hundreds of years ago for Catholics in the square the living father of their church was about to appear it is astonishing how many people are here but this is an audience not a very private audience but one nonetheless with a man who's close to God but somebody who is a very big celebrity that I did leave it's very [Applause] he'll complement Adela prophecy doll quality Jesu I nearly mulatto from approaching Scott Alisha / - Tea Leoni in / da no elevator let's with the end of a journey that had taught me much about the history and beliefs of the continent I really feel I've come to understand how pilgrimage must help to define routes and towns and cities across Europe and how it continues to define them today [Applause] I'd learned that European pilgrimage has always been a challenge but a great opportunity for adventure and clearly for those who follow a pilgrims path it's about what they discover on the way and about themselves not just about racing for the journey's end because most of Nevada series but with helium it's very different [Applause] next time on the final leg of my travels I go from Turkey to the Holy Land I can't quite believe it the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and finish my journey in the city of Jerusalem he's utterly overwhelming [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Timeline - World History Documentaries

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Keywords: simon reeve, simon reeve documentary, channel 4 documentary, documentary history, history documentary, simon reeve mediterranean, full length documentaries, simon reeve russia, mediterranean with simon reeve, pilgrimage with simon reeve, simon reeves, timeline documentary, rome documentary, simon reeves documentary, simon reeve pilgrimage, pilgrimage simon reeve, pilgrimage the road to rome, full documentary, bbc documentary, documentary movies - topic

Id: a1B1rnyUxLA

Length: 58min 52sec (3532 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 14 2018