ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the global patterns of Pilgrimage and with the different factors that influence the Christian pilgrimage experience in the Holy Land. Pilgrimage is one of the well-known phenomena in religion and culture and it exists in all the main religions of the world: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Discussion of the pilgrimage metaphor has produced many interesting debates in tourism but too few discussions on the pilgrims themselves. The Holy Land has been a major attraction for Christian pilgrims since the fourth century. This is where one can follow Jesus' footsteps and visit the sacred sites. For many of the pilgrims this journey is a "once in a lifetime" experience. The complexities involved in inscribing diverse sets of interpretations, expectations, and practices on an area as small and "compact" as the Holy Land poses substantial problems not only for pilgrims and pilgrimage organizers but for researchers of pilgrimage as well.
