Page 166 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

pilgrimage 1467

Hindu pilgrims entering the
Shri Ranganath Temple
in Vrindavan, India.

Stalin admired Peter for “accelerating” Russia’s economic
and military development. Opinions are divided about
the “balance sheet” of his activities, however. Critics
question the heavy cost of his schemes, his use of force,
the dangers of excessive imitation, and the split he cre-
ated between a westernized elite and the peasant masses.
He remains a controversial figure in Russia today.
Lindsey Hughes

See also Russian-Soviet Empire

Further Reading
Anderson, M. S. (1995). Peter the Great. London: Longman.
Anisimov, E.V. (1993). Progress through coercion:The reforms of Peter the
Great. New York: M. E. Sharpe. people from scattered settlements both to celebrate the
Bushkovitch, P. (2001). Peter the Great: The struggle for power, 1671– gods and to engage in trade.The numerous shrines of the
1725. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Cracraft, J. (2003). The revolution of Peter the Great. Cambridge, MA: Hellenic (Greek) world illustrated a great variety of pos-
Harvard University Press. sible reasons to travel. The frieze (a sculptured or richly
Hughes, L.A. J. (1998). Russia in the age of Peter the Great. New Haven, ornamented band) of the famous Parthenon in Athens
CT: Yale University Press.
commemorates the Great Panathenaea, an event cele-
brated every four years and aimed at achieving a union
of all Athenians. Epidauros provided a place for the god
Pilgrimage Apollo and his son Asklepios to cure the sick. Delphi
delivered prophecies through the medium of a priestess.
he word pilgrimage is derived from the Latin words At Olympia the festival of Zeus was celebrated with
Tper (meaning “through”) and ager (meaning “field” sporting competitions every four years—an event echoed
or “land”). People usually think of pilgrimage as involv- in the contemporary games, which have taken on global
ing a journey—made either alone or in a group—to and significance in their revived form. Wealthier people in
from a sacred site. Pilgrims often perform rituals not only particular had the resources to travel, and pilgrimage also
at the sacred site itself, but also at the beginning and end provided one of the few opportunities for women to
of the journey. In addition, pilgrims may visit other holy travel outside their home cities. Roman patterns of pil-
places during the course of the journey. grimage were often modeled on Hellenic precedents,
Motivations for pilgrimage can include a desire for with numerous gods celebrated in shrines of greater or
divine healing, penance for a wrong committed, thanks lesser size, but with few written doctrines or rules being
for a prayer answered, fulfilment of a religious injunction, drawn upon.
or some combination of these motivations.The fact that
pilgrimage occurs, in some form, in so many societies Pilgrimage in the
makes studying this phenomenon fascinating but difficult. World Religions
Pilgrimage is performed in all of the great religions and
Pilgrimage in the is usually—unlike its position in the classical world—
Classical World provided with a justification and model in sacred texts.
No single word in Greek or Latin specifically described The degree to which pilgrimage is seen as obligatory
travel to a holy destination, but festivals brought together varies. Islam is the most prescriptive faith. Every Muslim