THE SPIRIT AND TR ADITION OF
PILGRIMAGE F
For the Order of Malta, the spirit of pilgrimage dates from its foundation in the 11th century in its hospital in Jerusalem, when ailing pilgrims were cared for as well as all who needed help.
or centuries, the Order has run hostels and first aid posts all over Europe to offer shelter and food to pilgrims. Allied to this is its mission to care for the poor and the sick. Order pilgrimages always include accompanying the sick, a sharing of love and care. It is a mission which distinguishes every pilgrimage. It is a life-giving experience. Every year, members of the Order make pilgrimages to Catholic shrines around the world, together with their sick and handicapped guests.
INTERNATIONAL PILGRIMAGES France: Lourdes This most famous of all Marian shrines celebrates the appearance of the Virgin to Bernadette, a 14-year-old peasant girl in a grotto in Lourdes, located in the mountainous region of the Pyrenees. In 1858, Bernadette was directed to expose a spring in the rocky ground, which brought forth pure water and was found to have healing properties. The site has witnessed many miracles since then. Some of the Order of Malta’s National Associations had organised pilgrimages to Lourdes earlier than 1958, but then, on the occasion of the centenary of the Apparitions in 1958, an International Pilgrimage of the Order was organised. Since that time, at the beginning of May each year, the Order of Malta makes an annual international pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by the Grand Master. Members and volunteers from 45 countries on the six continents participate in the pilgrimage, bringing thousands of sick and wheelchair-bound pilgrims.
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Holy Land: Jerusalem The world’s most famous pilgrimage is to the Holy Land, Jerusalem. From time to time, the Order organises an international pilgrimage of members, volunteers, helpers and handicapped guests. Jerusalem, central to the Christian faith, also has a special significance for the Order, as it was where Blessed Gerard founded the Order more than 900 years ago. The Order of Malta’s last historic gathering in the Holy Land was in October 2007, when 1400 pilgrims coming from 20 countries visited Nazareth, Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee. NATIONAL PILGRIMAGES Austria: Mariazell The Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell, Styria, a pilgrimage site for 850 years, is the most visited Marian shrine in central Europe. Founded in 1157 by the Benedictine monks of St. Lambrecht’s Abbey, it houses the 12th-century limewood statue of the Virgin Mary in the Gnaden Church. Every year the Grand Priory of Austria, with more than 300 members of the Order, volunteers and guests, makes a pilgrimage to the site. Bosnia Herzegovina: Medjugorje In 1981, it is believed that the Virgin appeared to six Herzegovinian children, with the message to pray for the sick. Although not an official shrine recognised by the Vatican, the site attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. Responding to the needs of the pilgrims, Malteser Hilfsdienst, the Order of Malta’s auxiliary organisation in Germany, runs a first aid post there.
2019 Australian Hospitaller
