World Youth Day USA Guides International Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 26

of pilgrimage and without it marking their

particular pilgrim journey. Consider the biblical

spirituality. World Youth Day presents Catholic

analogy of the Transfiguration: the destination

youth and young adults from the United States

that Jesus took Peter, James, and John was the

with a chance that few of their peers have ever

entirety of Mount Tabor – including the

experienced.

process of going up the mountain, the
transforming experience atop the summit, and

A pilgrimage is not an escape from the everyday

the journey down the mountain. It can be

experiences of life, like a vacation or excursion.

tempting to limit Mount Tabor to its peak, but

While there are certainly exciting and enjoyable

the pathway up the hill was just as critical to the

moments to World Youth Day, the primary

experience. As St. Luke tells the story (Lk 9:28-

purpose of a pilgrimage is not about peaceful

36), when Simon Peter asks to remain at the

rest, entertainment, or sports. Rather, a

top a little bit longer, the evangelist states: “But

pilgrimage helps one to better appreciate the

he did not know what he was saying” (Lk 9:33).

everyday moments of life, both the good and

Connecting this story to the World Youth Day

the challenging, and prepares one for the road

experience, it would be foolish to think that the

ahead. It is often a journey to a holy place, in

true destination was simply the places and

the hope that the sacredness of the place will

events in Kraków. Rather, the entire process is

illuminate the traveler’s soul. The pilgrim enters

the pilgrimage destination. Furthermore, the

the “struggle” of a pilgrimage with the hope

goal of World Youth Day is not to make it to

that God is doing great work within him or her.

Kraków, but to encounter the universal Church

Within that struggle, the Lord calls the pilgrim

– from the pope to the young people from

to a deeper relationship with him. In all this, the

other nations to the local citizens of the host

end goal of this