Pilgrims. Moving. To a Destination.

We are a motley group of individuals. In almost three weeks, I’ve met approximately 25 folk. Our ages have varied. One couple is in their 30’s, four or five in their 50’s, most in their 60’s, with several of us in our 70’s. While our ages may differ, we all have sufficient financial resources to afford our walk.

We pilgrims call home primarily Western Europe. Six Swiss, three Irish, three Italians, two Germans, one Dutch. There are also five Americans, three South Afrikaner’s, three from Australia, and one New Zealander. Nobody from Asia, Africa, or South America that I’ve met.

Only some of us hope to reach Rome on our journeys. Two of the Swiss have only a week to walk. Several of the other Swiss are walking for a couple of weeks. The three Irish fellows and the younger American couple are walking for two weeks ( I think). The Australian fellow has just ended his three week walk. He is an amazing fellow as he brought stuffed animals from Australia to give to any children who might like one! Many of these pilgrims walk the Via Francigena in sections, whether because of the expense or the amount of time that they can spend walking.

We are a motley group in other ways. Only after walking with people or eating a meal together, do I learn a little about the fellow pilgrims’ background. One is a documentary producer for Swiss TV. One is a young, burnt-out, retired physician. One is a retired Dutch engineer for DuPont and then Phillips. One retired a month ago as director of a center associated with a western US university.

In a way, most of us are reticent about our employment background. As much as I love learning about each person’s unique story, many of us are careful about introducing self-features that might “separate” us. Employment and the wealth or status associated with different careers can do that if one is not careful.

What I think we all appreciate is the commonality of our daily experiences. We talk about very, very basic realities. A long days walk. A stretch on a hot highway shoulder. The rain which is not pleasant. A very kind host. A nice bed. A very tired 1970’s hotel. The pasta, pasta, and pasta.

We also love the serendipitous times when we bump into each other. If not walking individually, then many pilgrims walk with another person or two. Even then, they may be separated by fifty meters. Together, but separate.

As we walk at different speeds, we find an unpredictability about our meeting each other. You can see from one photo the laughter and happiness when ten of us ran into each other at an outdoor bar a couple of hundred meters from the Fidenza Cathedral. Quite a reunion!

In an acutely different setting, the ancient writers in the “Psalms of Ascent” left words about shared, common emotions. “I wait for the Lord….” “Our help is in the name of the Lord…” “Our mouths were filled with laughter…” During the time when our unavoidable differences often separate us, we pilgrims find common emotions which bind and unite us. That in itself is a wonderful gift of joy.