What is “The Way of St. Andrews” all about?
What is special about St. Andrews?
St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and the town, where his relics were kept, on the east coast of Fife overlooking the North Sea, was established as a pilgrimage site over 1000 years ago. Thousands of pilgrims made their way there every year until the Reformation. Now, St. Andrews is better known as the home of golf and the famous university where Prince William met Kate, but the ruins of the huge cathedral complex still dominate this spectacular seaside town and former royal burgh.
For more information please visit Historic Scotland.
Why revive a pilgrimage there?
The appetite for long distance walking/pilgrimage is growing and St Andrews has all the features which make a modern site of pilgrimage . You have probably heard of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrimage to this famous site in northern Spain was revived in the mid 20th century recently and, until Covid struck in 2020, was drawing over 300,000 pilgrims from all over the world.
Who goes on a pilgrimage?
According to recent statistics from Santiago de Compostela:
- Nearly 50% of pilgrims are under 30
- 93% make the journey on foot and 6% on bicycle.
- About 50% claim to belong to a religious denomination.
Motives for going on pilgrimage, of course, vary but they mostly seem to comprise a desire to discover something new. Many pilgrims come back year after year.
Why might I want to go on the pilgrimage?
It’s a great thing to do with friends or family or in a group, especially from school or as part of a youth organisation like the Scouts or Girl Guides. Or come on your own and make friends along the way.
Many other people go on pilgrimage for personal reasons; they are out of a job, they have lost someone they love or they just can’t see the way ahead. Or just to get away from 21st-century comforts and pressures for a bit. Also, sponsoring pilgrims is a great way of making money for charity.
Who can go on the pilgrimage?
It is absolutely clear that participating in this pilgrimage is open to all regardless of personal belief. You are not required to belong to the Roman Catholic Church or any denomination. All are welcome.
What are the Plans for 2021, and looking forward to 2022?
Sadly, Covid has had a significant impact on pilgrimage. We have now had a tentative but wary “All clear“ from the Scottish government. So, if you are planning to go on one of our pilgrim ways please consult the latest guidelines on https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/.
But we need your help. Please remind your friends that the pilgrimage activity is starting again in Scotland and this is where social media is so important. So, please sign up and tell your friends. And plan ahead to get out there, whether for a half-day pilgrimage or the full experience from Edinburgh, Iona or wherever to St Andrews, and share your experience with others. Great pictures and film clips always welcome.
In 2018 there was a GREAT celebration in St Andrews. This was the 700th anniversary of the consecration of the great cathedral in the presence of King Robert the Bruce. It started with a procession through the town followed by High Mass in the ruins of the Cathedral and we are hoping that this will become an annual event every July. Everyone is welcome to attend the celebration.
We also want to follow the example of other countries where pilgrimage is part of the school curriculum or encouraged as an extra-curricular activity which looks good on the CV. There are many programmes, like the John Muir Award, Caritas and Greenteam, which aim at getting students away from their Ipods and out, to discover new things about the world and themselves. These programmes fit perfectly with pilgrimage and we are conducting pilot schemes with various schools in Scotland.
Who are the organisers?
The organisers are all unpaid volunteers from the Diocese of Edinburgh and St Andrews.
We do, however, need volunteers throughout Scotland so please let us know if you would like to help in this great revival.