Holy pilgrimages

Many Christians past and present have made pilgrimages to holy places for repentance, prayer, to seek a blessing, or for remembrance. In discussion on The Ooze, someone mentioned being baptized in the Jordan River, others trips to significant historical places for Orthodoxy (Alaska) and Catholicism (The Shrine of the Holy Eucharist in Alabama).

I have many, many places I would like to go. High on the list would be a trip back to Turkey, since my time there was before I was Orthodox and the holy places I visited would mean so much more to me now. Pavel and I would also love to visit the very ancient Assyrian churches and monasteries in Eastern Turkey. When I lived in Turkey, it was too dangerous, particularly as a woman, to travel there. It still is now, unfortunately, with tensions in neighboring Kurdistan- that pilgrimage would probably have to wait.

Icon of Christ washing the feet of the disciples, Al Za'afaran (Syriac) Monastery, Turkey

If we made it to Turkey, we would probably also try to go to Egypt and see some of the Coptic churches and monasteries there.

Ruins of the monastery of St. Mina, Egypt

It is more realistic that I will make it to venerate the relics of St. John Maximovitch in San Francisco, and someday soon to the St. Antony Coptic Monastery near Barstow, California, the only Coptic monastery in the US. Before too many years pass, I would love to return to Monastery of the Transfiguration in Pennsylvania, where I spent several very blessed days while still an Orthodox "inquirer."