Roundtable organized by the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at the Pontifical Gregorian University
In the Autobiography, spanning 101 paragraphs, St. Ignatius refers to himself as a pilgrim more than 85 times. Pilgrim is someone who sets out in search of the will of God. Perhaps, Ignatius’ self-understanding derives from his radical love for his Master and Lord, who himself was a pilgrim: First, on a pilgrimage from heaven to earth by virtue of the mystery of incarnation and, second, his earthly life which was a pilgrimage. The Jubilee year, with its emphasis on the pilgrimage, is an occasion to reflect over the very identity of a Christian. Religious tourism and pilgrimage are two activities that resemble each other in appearance. But what defines the true identity of a Christian? Historically, how do various Christian traditions understand pilgrimage? What is the significance of a jubilee year for the contemporary Christian?
