This study intends to analyse the several dimensions of pilgrimage routes, highlighting insights that may be interesting outcomes for researchers, policymakers, pilgrims and organisations related to the spaces covered by these ways. To achieve these aims, a systematic literature review based on bibliographic data was considered, as well as the assessment of historical records. The analysis of historical records, namely those from Roman times, is important to identify the origins of the routes and, in this way, better justify their itineraries. As main insights, it is worth mentioning the importance of the Ways of Santiago de Compostela for these contexts associated with the pilgrimage routes. This highlights that some of this knowledge may be considered as a benchmark to show the dimensions of other routes related to other pilgrimages, such as those related to the shrines of Mary, Our Lady.
Top1. Introduction
Pilgrimage ways are not often itineraries for the pilgrims’ comfort, because of the characteristics of these routes and the energy needed to follow them, nonetheless these roads are places to contact with the landscape that surrounds these ways and to reflect on human life (Mao & Liu, 2014; Ambrósio, 2020). Religious dimensions motivate pilgrims to travel the pilgrimage itineraries, but there are other motivations, such as those related to tourism, culture and contact with nature. From this perspective, pilgrimage ways have cultural, social, environmental and economic impacts (Martinho, 2022b). This is a kind of geotourism with relevant contributions to the different dimensions of sustainability. In these frameworks the catholic shrines of Mary, Our Lady, such as that of Nossa Senhora dos Milagres in Pindelo dos Milagres (São Pedro do Sul, Portugal), may bring relevant contributions for the pilgrimage phenomena (Martinho et al., 2017).
The historical records about the pilgrimage routes contain relevant insights about the history of these ways and the respective lived experiences which may be important supports to better understanding of their current dimensions (such as, about female pilgrimage) (Barlar, 2022), including the photographic archives (Brush, 2017). The contributions to the pilgrimage routes’ understanding are relevant (Valles, 2007), for a long time (Brush, 2018), about the diverse contexts (Christie, 2006) and from different perspectives (Corio, 2021).
The historical information about the Roman era is important to (re)design the routes followed by the pilgrims in our days. In fact, it is known that the pilgrims in past centuries used the Roman roads to achieve the holy spaces of their destination (Martinho & Nunes, 2020), including in Asia Minor (Ozturk, 2021). The infrastructures from the Roman Empire continue to be used for several centuries after this era (Dallai, 2004). The itineraries of the pilgrimage roads worldwide, over the times, were interrelated with the dynamics of the territories (Ehrlich, 2006). But also influenced the choices of the populations (Ehrlich, 2008), inspired artists (Espòsito, 2009), promoted allegorical representations (Heyman, 2013) and interconnected religious communities of different countries (Powers & Attreed, 2018).
The pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela motivates researchers, considering their dimensions (Urrutia-Aparicio et al., 2022). There are several ways of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela from the more diverse European points, including Polish (Mróz, 2021a), Portuguese and others. The interest in this sacred place increased significantly after the Xacobeo of 1993, due to its worldwide promotion (Fernández et al., 2013). The growth of the associated cultural tourism in northwestern Spain has had positive economic impacts for the crossed municipalities (Lois González & Somoza Medina, 2003).
Considering the frameworks described above, pilgrimage routes are, in fact, places of geodiversity, namely in terms of landscape, history, culture and heritage, which through adjusted strategies and plans can bring relevant added value to the populations crossed.