Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term seongji sullye (聖地巡禮) means "visiting holy places one after another." In the Korean church, it chiefly refers to trips to the following regions:

• Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan
• The area around Mount Sinai in Egypt
• Türkiye and Greece, where the sites of Paul's missionary journeys and of the seven churches of Revelation are located

Biblical and Historical Background

In the Old Testament, the men of Israel were commanded to appear each year at three feasts in the place God would choose (Deuteronomy 16:16). In the Book of Psalms, Psalms 120–134 bear the superscription "A Song of degrees" and are understood as songs associated with pilgrimage. At the age of twelve, Jesus also went up to Jerusalem with his parents to keep the Passover (Luke 2:41-42).

Pilgrimage to Jerusalem flourished after Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, visited Palestine in the fourth century. In the Middle Ages, the practice of regarding pilgrimage as a meritorious work that earned the forgiveness of sins became widespread, and the Reformers criticized it during the Reformation. Protestants generally do not hold that places themselves convey any special grace; instead, they regard pilgrimage as an opportunity to understand the background of Scripture and to reflect on their faith. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church continue to maintain pilgrimage as a long-established practice of faith.

Practice in the Korean Church

After overseas travel was fully liberalized in 1989, church-based pilgrimages increased greatly. They are often organized as group trips by individual congregations or by presbyteries, district conferences, and similar bodies, with a pastor serving as the group leader. On site, participants typically hold worship services, read together the biblical passages related to each location, and listen to explanations. To avoid giving the impression that the places themselves are sacred, some churches use terms such as "Holy Land field study" or "biblical geography tour."

Pilgrimages to sites of Korean church history also take place. Representative sites include:

• Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Seoul
• Jeungdo Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, site of the martyrdom of Moon Joon-kyung
• Aeyangwon in Yeosu, where Son Yang-won ministered
• The site of the Jeam-ri Massacre

Some denominations run pilgrimage programs centered on places connected with their own history, but Protestant denominations show little marked difference in their theological understanding of pilgrimage.

Conditions in the destination countries are a major factor in pilgrimage. In 2014, a bus carrying a Korean church pilgrimage group on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula was bombed, causing deaths and injuries. Whenever conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories intensifies, pilgrimages are canceled or the South Korean government issues travel advisories. Within the church, criticism is sometimes raised over high costs and sightseeing-oriented itineraries.