The Ignatian Way: Transforming people and communities
Other authors
Publication date
2024-07-05Alternative title
2659-3580
Abstract
The Ignatian Way (IW) is a pilgrimage route that Saint Ignatius of Loyola took in 1522, which goes through five different Autonomous Communities in the north of Spain, starting in the Basque Country location of Loyola, following La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón and ending in the city of Manresa (Catalonia). It is walked by pilgrims from all over the world, mostly from the Jesuits' net.
Released in 2011, the path celebrated in 2022 the 500th anniversary of the journey Ignatius of Loyola made from his hometown of Azpeitia to a cave at the bottom of Montserrat mountain. With more than 650 kilometers, it includes significant tangible and intangible cultural heritage attractions that enrich this immersive four-week journey. The IW is an opportunity for pilgrims to find their inner selves, discover their life meaningfulness, look inside to make a deep reflection and socialize with others.
The present study explores the transformative power of this way not only for visitors in search of change but also for communities. 11 in-depth interviews were carried out with multi-stakeholder approach connected to the Jesuit network. The findings demonstrate the IW potential to transform people and societies, focusing on economic, cultural, social, religious, and environmental impacts. Pilgrimages may contribute to sustainable development and transformative tourism. Recommendations for further research and professionals are suggested, with a special focus on avoiding commodifying faith and tradition and reinforcing alliances with destinations and society.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
338 - Economic situation. Economic policy. Management of the economy. Economic planning. Production. Services. Prices
Keywords
Cultural heritage
Ignatian Way
pilgrimage
religious tourism
spiritual tourism
transformative tourism
Pages
15 p.
Publisher
Investur
Is part of
Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research. 2024;7(3):89-103
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
Rights
© Investur
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/