The timeline of The Way of St Jamesmotivations and impacts of the pilgrimage on personal lives

Resumo

The main aim of this chapter is to analyse the motivations and impacts of the pilgrimage on pilgrims' personal lives. The research addresses the importance of 'mobility' in this sacred and spiritual space in order to analyse its impacts on personal lives. It provides an original contribution to the concept of the pilgrimage, as well as a case study, The Way of St James. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this research explores the multi-faceted nature of the pilgrims following The Way, who are inspired by a complex series of motivations. It is clear that the pilgrimage experience is currently associated with a multi-cultural and multi-religious content. The examination concludes with an overview on how the pilgrimage experience survives and permeates in a phase called 'The Post-Way', which can be considered as the key to its post-contemporary success. In other words, the pilgrimage does not end once the pilgrim has returned home, but rather it continues and revives.