Druže Tito, Sveti Rilski. Sissevaateid tänapäevasesse palverännakute traditsiooni
Druže Tito, Sveti Rilski. Insights into Contemporary Pilgrimage Tradition

Summary/Abstract: Catholic abbeys destroyed during the 16th century reformation, as well as Orthodox abbeys abandoned in the 20th century, have recently become the centre of restoration movement in Estonia. Various institutions and people have contributed to the reviving of catholic-style pilgrimages, which are both organised institutionally and undertaken privately, sometimes differing from a sightseeing tour mainly in name. As the Estonian pilgrimage culture is re-arising, it is characterised by its oecumenical nature. In Estonia, the tradition of pilgrimages has been historically continuous only to the Orthodox abbeys of Kuremäe and Petseri (Pechory). Everything else is religion tourism. Both private and organised treks involve a geographically wide scope outside Estonia. The following pilgrimage destinations are compared: a) the Svete Gore sacral complex in Slovenia – a reanimated religious Catholic centre, b) key Orthodox centres in Bulgaria: the abbey and chapel of Rila Ivan, carrier of national identity, symbolic of religious continuity throughout the Middle Ages and modern times, and ancient cultural and religious sites of Momchilovtsi village chapels. The latter with its sacral architecture represent an expression of personal perception of religion, used as a building ground for tourism, specifically a village environment living off on religion tourism. The newest layer, the so-called secular pilgrimage sites, in which celebrations include many traits of festivals, is found in Kumrovec, where a monument was erected at the birthplace of Josip Broz Tito, the former president of Yugoslavia. The revival of pilgrimages shares many common traits in post-socialist countries. Of particular interest is the integration of existing and created natural and other sacred sites in the culture of new spiritual and religious movements.

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