Current Pilgrimage Routes

Abstract

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.