Abstract
This chapter focuses on the historical framework of pilgrimage, and considers the systemization of religious practice and pilgrimage based on a range of societal factors. The chapter also articulates emic insights into the spiritual fundamentals of pilgrimage, exploring in particular the emotions expressed through Christian pilgrimage viewed as a significant event in a "believer's life", providing both a cognitive and aesthetic experience. These insights are contrasted with academic discourses on the characteristics of pilgrimage.