Orientalism and Christian Pilgrimage in Contemporary History

This study focuses on the concept of orientalism and its relation to Christian pilgrimage in modern times, and the views of Western Christian religious figures, historians, researchers, and pilgrims to share their experiences with Christians who want to make a journey to the Holy Land, monks’ caves or other holy places around the world. The benefits of Christian pilgrimage in their view will be spiritual more than physical by visiting the Christian pilgrim's true places of pilgrimage. The invitation here is to teach Christians the religious ceremonies that were done by the early pilgrims who had followed Christ's steps and his apostles who took the Bible as their guide. According to them, pilgrimage is not for fun or entertainment but for worship and forgiveness, an idea that lasted for a long time until now. This study included an introduction, a definition of orientalism, and an explanation of the western Orientalists’ point of view of pilgrimage, by giving examples of pilgrims' stories who made their journey whether in reality or in a dream.