Contemporary experiences of walking
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6.4 - Contemporary experiences of walking
6.4.1 - The return of the pilgrimage: motivations and current meanings
• Walking today: between faith, identity, well-being and the search for meaning
In an accelerated and often disorienting age, pilgrimage is experiencing a surprising comeback. More and more people are choosing to walk ancient sacred routes as a response to deep and complex needs. It is not just a religious phenomenon: it is a practice of meaning, interweaving spiritual, cultural, social and psychophysical dimensions.
The most common reasons are:
• personal spirituality, also non-denominational, as an experience of searching and listening;
• identity, as rediscovering one's roots or exploring one's place in the world;
• psychophysical well-being, to reconnect with the body, nature and time;
• return to the essentials, in contrast to the frenzy of digital and urban living.
Numerous studies confirm that pilgrimage is perceived as a 'sacred pause' that regenerates, brings order, transforms.
The micaelic path as a response to the need for slow spirituality
The micaelico path, with its strong symbolism (the Archangel as guide, fighter, protector) and the vertical and luminous geography of its places, lends itself particularly effectively to this new demand for 'slow' spirituality.
The experience of the 'sword showing the way' becomes a metaphor for:
• discernment;
• inner protection;
• right path.
Many contemporary pilgrims speak of the sense of calling to Monte Sant'Angelo or the Sacra, and describe a path made up of:
• natural rhythms,
• unexpected encounters,
• moments of deep silence,
• and symbolic gestures (placing a stone, lighting a candle, writing a prayer).
In this sense, the micaelic journey is not just a journey through space, but an experience of inner transformation.
Intergenerationality and interculturality along the ways of the Archangel
Another distinctive feature of contemporary pilgrimage is its inclusive and transversal openness. Along the micaelic paths one encounters:
• young and old, experienced walkers and novices;
• families with children, lone travellers, scout groups, Erasmus students;
• people of different faiths or no religious affiliation.
The path thus becomes a place of dialogue and confrontation, where experiences, silences, maps and smiles are shared. The Archangel, a figure present in several religious traditions (Christian, Jewish, Islamic), becomes a universal symbol of a just path, justice and protection.
Interculturality also manifests itself in the languages and signs left along the routes: stones written in different languages, bracelets, flags, songs and life stories intertwined.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
• Meeting the pilgrim on the Camino di San Michele
Photograph by Loredana Francinelli, pilgrim on the Camino di San Michele, during an event in Giaveno.
• The Micaelico Way in the Matese Mountains
Images of the nature trails along the Cammino Micaelico in the Matese region, between Molise and Campania.
• Arrival of the pilgrim on the Camino di San Michele
Poster for the event celebrating the arrival of a pilgrim at the Turin Book Fair after walking the Camino di San Michele.
• Inclusive pilgrimage with Matteo Gamerro
Photograph of Matteo Gamerro, suffering from multiple sclerosis, during his pilgrimage on the Camino di San Michele with the help of a joelette.
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Video
• Monte Sant'Angelo, a journey
Documentary exploring the spirituality, history and art of the village of Monte Sant'Angelo, the final destination of the Saint Michael's Path.
• Young people and spirituality on the path
Lilia Sebastiani spoke at the WYD Fair, reflecting on the relationship between young people and spirituality in the context of the pilgrimage.
• In Cammino - The Spirituality of Pilgrimage
An episode of Tv2000's 'In Cammino' programme that explores the spiritual dimension of contemporary pilgrimage.
Sources and references
• Walking heals - Terra di Mezzo Editions
• R. Cipriani, The widespread religion
• Saint Michael's Path Association - https://www.camminodisanmichele.org
• European Micaelic Way -
6.4.2 - Marked Paths: Experiences along the Italian Via Micaelica
• From the Gargano to the Sacra: travel stories and meetings along the way
The Italian Via Micaelica, which ideally links the Grotta di San Michele on Monte Gargano to the
Sacra di San Michele in Val di Susa, is today one of the most fascinating spiritual routes in Italy. This itinerary crosses different regions - Puglia, Molise, Lazio, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont - and combines natural landscapes and ancestral spirituality.
The accounts of the pilgrims who walk it are full of:
• unexpected encounters in small villages or along forest paths,
• spontaneous gestures of solidarity by local inhabitants,
• moments of solitude filled with silence and awareness.
"When I arrived at Monte Sant'Angelo, after walking for days, I cried. But I also cried at the Sacra, because there I understood that the journey does not end: it continues within me."
Paul R., pilgrim 2023
Host structures and association networks
The revival of the path has also been made possible by the creation of a widespread network of accommodation. Associations, parishes, families and religious houses offer:
• simple or free hospitality for pilgrims (hostels, convents, ethical B&Bs);
• support services: stamps, information, refreshments;
• maps and official credentials, thanks to organisations such as the St Michael's Path Association.
Among the best equipped stages: San Marco in Lamis, Roccamorice, Lucca, Città di Castello, Assisi, Cascia, Turin. In many places a true 'walking community' has formed, made up of volunteers, parish priests, spiritual guides.
Community events and moments (patronal feasts, vigils, blessings)
Along the Via Micaelica, there is no lack of moments of intense collective participation that strengthen the sense of community:
• The patron saints' days of 8 May (Apparition) and 29 September (Michael the Archangel) attract thousands of pilgrims;
• night vigils, often organised near caves, rural chapels or scenic peaks;
• masses for the blessing of pilgrims, with rites of departure or welcome on arrival.
These events are not just liturgical: they represent strong moments of identity, in which the territory and the journey recognise each other, regenerating memory, faith and solidarity.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
Map of the Camino di San Michele in Italy
A detailed representation of the route connecting the main Italian micaelico sanctuaries, from the Sacra di San Michele to Monte Sant'Angelo.
• Patronal Feast of St Michael Archangel in Gravina in Puglia (2023)
Official poster for the event celebrating the patron saint with processions, solemn masses and cultural events.
• Patronal Feast of St Michael Archangel in Monte Sant'Angelo (2024)
Promotional image of the 2024 edition of the patronal feast, highlighting the importance of the shrine in the micaelica tradition.
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Video
• "The Archangel's path' - From Benevento to Monte Sant'Angelo
A documentary that follows the pilgrims' route along the Via Micaelica, exploring local spirituality and traditions.
• Saint Michael's Paths - Interview with Sandro Vannucci
Interview with the President of the 'San Michele Cammino dei Cammini' Promoting Committee, who illustrates the initiatives linked to the micaelico walk.
• In the footsteps of the pilgrims of San Michele - Monte Sant'Angelo
Video documenting the pilgrims' experience in the sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo, highlighting the devotion and welcome of the place.
Sources and references
• Saint Michael's Path Association - https://www.camminodisanmichele.org
• Vie dei Santi' project - Ministry of Tourism
• Collected testimonies 2021-2023 - Via Micaelica Pilgrims' Archive
6.4.3 - Young people on the road: educational and spiritual projects
• School and university pilgrimages
In recent years, schools, universities and training institutions have rediscovered the value of pilgrimage as an educational and human experience. In particular, the Camini Micaelici offer young people opportunities to:
• deepen European history and spirituality;
• experiencing nature as an open-air classroom;
• experience coexistence, silence and reflection.
Numerous Italian high schools and university departments have organised study-pilgrimage trips to the Sacra di San Michele or Monte Sant'Angelo, often integrating:
• storytelling and photography workshops;
• moments of reading historical and theological texts;
• activities related to landscape and heritage protection.
"Walking with my students was different from any lesson. I saw them change: listening, helping each other, understanding the value of time."
Prof. Daniela S., history teacher
Diocesan youth pastorals and religious movements are also increasingly proposing Michaelic paths, recognising them as effective tools for spiritual accompaniment. Walking with St Michael becomes:
• a way to discern a vocation;
• rediscover faith in an authentic way;
• strengthening community ties between young people and leaders. Among the most popular initiatives
• the summer vocational pastoral work paths along the Piedmontese Via Micaelica;
• the 'spirit weeks' walking among the sanctuaries of central Italy;
• itinerant school camps in cooperation with religious orders (Benedictines, Franciscans, Salesians).
"Michael guides us in courage: that of choosing, saying yes, facing one's fears. He is the angel of young people on the way."
Br. Andrea, spiritual animator
The journey as a learning experience (soft skills, responsibility, community)
For many young people, pilgrimage is also an experiential workshop of personal growth, which develops:
• organisational and decision-making skills (soft skills);
• management of fatigue and the unexpected;
• sense of belonging and responsibility towards the group.
Youth associations and European projects promote the walk as:
• education for active citizenship;
• tool for preventing early school leaving;
• spiritual civil service experience (volunteers in sanctuaries, cultural ambassadors of the Way).
Many young people, at the end of the pilgrimage, continue to collaborate as:
• welcoming volunteers;
• authors of podcasts or blogs;
• mentors of peer walks.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
• Youth Walk - Youth Pastoral Asti
Poster for the 'Cammino Giovani' project of the Youth Pastoral of the Asti Diocese, which invites young people to set out to witness their faith.
• Young people on the road - Sanctuary of Longiano
Photograph of a group of young people on pilgrimage near the Longiano Sanctuary, highlighting the importance of the walk as a community experience.
• On the way... 20 May 2023 - Youth Ministry Udine
Poster for the event organised by the Udine Youth Pastoral, which proposes a walk from Aquileia to Cervignano in the footsteps of the Celestial Way.
Video
• Saint Michael's Paths - Interview with Sandro Vannucci
Interview with Sandro Vannucci, President of the 'San Michele Cammino dei Cammini' Promoting Committee, who illustrates the initiatives linked to the micaelico walk.
• The Way of St Michael not only in books. 2018
Video documenting the experience of students walking along the Via Micaelica, highlighting the importance of pilgrimage as an educational path.
• "The Archangel's path' - From Benevento to Monte Sant'Angelo
Documentary following the pilgrims' route along the Via Micaelica, exploring local spirituality and traditions.
Sources and references
• "Camminare educa" - Training and Walking Project (MIUR - ESF)
• Youth Pastoral Service Piedmont - "The Archangel's Way
• Universities on the Move - UniGreen Network & Via Micaelica
• Saint Michael's Path Association - https://camminodisanmichele.org
6.4.4 - Walks for All: Inclusion and Accessibility
• Walking experiences with people with disabilities
The contemporary Micaelite Way is increasingly opening up to inclusive forms of pilgrimage, accessible also to people with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities. Local initiatives, associations and volunteer groups are proving that the spirituality of the walk has no barriers.
An emblematic example is that of Matteo Gamerro, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and has walked stretches of the Via Micaelica thanks to a joelette (trekking wheelchair) and the support of the CAI and volunteer escorts.
"I do not walk with my legs, but through the hands of others. Each stage is a shared achievement."
- Matteo Gamerro, inclusive pilgrim
The shrines themselves are adapting their spaces, offering:
• accessible routes, lifts and ramps;
• information material in Braille or audio;
• staff trained in inclusive reception.
Initiatives for families, senior citizens and 'slow' walkers
The Camino di San Michele is also an opportunity for families, senior citizens and less experienced walkers. More and more local organisations are proposing:
• short, scenic stages, suitable for everyone;
• multi-generational guided hikes;
• moments of walking with buggies or in the company of animals. The philosophy of slow walking enhances
• the quality of the experience more than the quantity of kilometres;
• time as an opportunity for encounter, contemplation and storytelling;
• adaptation of rhythms, listening to individual needs.
"I walk with my 72-year-old mother. We stop often, but every step is precious. The silence is the same, for everyone."
Anna C., slow walker
Accessibility in sanctuaries and inclusive signage
A key element of inclusion is the design of accessible paths from tracking and communication:
• clear, visible signs with international symbols;
• digital guides with audio functions and a talking GPS map;
• alternative routes to overcome height differences or natural obstacles.
Many sanctuaries, from Monte Sant'Angelo to the Sacra di San Michele, have launched accessible rehabilitation projects, often in collaboration with associations such as 'Cammini Accessibili', UILDM, ANMIL, and with the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism.
The goal is not just to make walking 'possible' for everyone, but to value every form of walking as an authentic spiritual experience, whatever the pace, duration or mode.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
• Inclusive pilgrimage from Ancona to Rome
A group of travellers, including wheelchair users and visually impaired people, walk the paths from Ancona to Rome to promote inclusion and accessibility in the pilgrimage.
• Families on the road - Mondolfo Parish
An initiative of the Mondolfo Parish that involves families in walking and catechesis, promoting intergenerational participation.
• Matteo Gamerro on the Camino di San Michele
Matteo Gamerro, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, walks the Camino di San Michele with the help of a joelette and the support of volunteers, demonstrating that the pilgrimage is accessible to all.
• Families on the road - Diocese of Benevento
A path promoted by the Diocese of Benevento that involves families in shared experiences, strengthening community ties.
Video
• Saint Michael's Paths - Interview with Sandro Vannucci
Interview with Sandro Vannucci, President of the 'San Michele Cammino dei Cammini' Promoting Committee, who illustrates the initiatives linked to the micaelico walk.
• The Angel's Path of Monte Faito - 4K
Video documenting the ancient pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Michael the Archangel to Monte Faito, highlighting the spirituality and beauty of the route.
• Saint Michael's Paths - YouTube Playlist
Collection of videos dedicated to the Saint Michael's Ways, with testimonies, landscapes and significant moments of the pilgrimage.
Sources and references
• Accessible Paths Association - Inclusive projects and routes
• UILDM - Walking together: the strength of different steps
• Saint Michael's Path Network - https://www.camminodisanmichele.org
• Sacra di San Michele - Accessibility https://www.sacradisanmichele.com
6.4.5 - Art, ecology and spirituality in the micaelic paths
• Art projects along the way: installations, music, theatre
Along the Via Micaelica, art once again becomes a pilgrim. In many Italian and European stages, projects are multiplying that combine walking, creativity and community participation.
Temporary installations, concerts in the woods, theatrical performances in ancient parish churches or caves enrich the pilgrim's experience with evocative languages.
Significant examples:
• the 'Arte in Cammino' project, which involves painters, musicians and sculptors along the route;
• poetic stations' installed near shrines, with verses written by pilgrims;
• festivals of itinerant spiritual theatre, such as those organised in the Umbra Forest or in the Susa Valley.
"Walking is like composing. Every step is a note, every silence is a pause. The walk becomes music."
Carlo A., musician on the road
Walking as an ecological practice and rediscovery of the territory
The Michaelic pilgrimage is also an ecological gesture, a way to rediscover the Italian landscapes through slow walking and respect for the land. Walking becomes:
• an environmentally friendly choice;
• an education in listening to natural rhythms;
• an opportunity to revitalise villages and inland areas. Projects such as 'EcoCammini Micaelici' promote:
• the maintenance of paths and the recovery of ancient routes;
• the cleaning of routes by the pilgrims themselves;
• mapping water sources, monumental trees, silent places.
"Walking is not just crossing, but guarding. Every place is a gift, and must be respected."
Maria T., environmental guide
Environmental spirituality: sacred places and the custody of creation
Many pilgrims feel that the beauty of the landscape and the presence of the sacred in nature are inseparable. Michaelic shrines are often found on high ground, in caves, in forests: places of symbolic power, where the Archangel appears between earth and sky.
This environmental spirituality translates into practices such as:
• dawn meditations near the peaks;
• blessings of waters and seeds;
• creation of 'peace gardens' along the way.
Some shrines, such as the one in Monte Sant'Angelo, have started paths of ecological conversion, inspired by Laudato si' and green spirituality networks.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
• Art installations along spiritual paths
Land art works made of iron, marble and wood, designed to stimulate reflection and confrontation with the surrounding environment.
• The Micaelico Way in the Matese Mountains
A section of the Cammino di San Michele that crosses the Matese, offering evocative landscapes and an experience of connection with nature.
• The Way of St Michael Archangel in Chianti
A route that winds through the Chianti mountains, passing churches, hermitages and hospices dedicated to the Archangel Michael, set in a hilly landscape.
• Itinerant trekking 'Cammino Micaelico
A trekking experience through pine forests and Mediterranean maquis, along a route that combines nature and spirituality.
Video
• Angel's Path to Monte Faito: nature, faith and history
A documentary exploring the Cammino dell'Angelo, a historical and spiritual path leading to the Sanctuary of San Michele on Monte Faito, amidst centuries-old forests and breathtaking views.
A long-term curatorial project that brings contemporary art along the mountain paths of the Carnic Alps, creating a dialogue between works of art and the natural landscape.
• Wild will you be! - St. Michael Museum
A multidisciplinary exhibition exploring the concept of the 'wild' through art installations, historical and cultural reflections, promoting a new awareness of the relationship between man and nature.
Sources and references
• Walking is Art - 'Art on the Move' Project 2023
• Micaelico EcoCammini - Slow and Ethical Walks Network
• Gargano National Park Authority - Walks between biodiversity and faith
• Laudato si' - Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis
6.4.6 - Testimonies and European walking networks
• The voices of pilgrims today: diaries, interviews, podcasts
The contemporary pilgrimage along the Via Micaelica is not only a physical or spiritual experience, but also a widespread and shared narrative. Today's pilgrims document their journey through:
• online logbooks and personal blogs;
• audio and video interviews, published on social channels;
• podcasts and collective narratives, in which emotions, silences, fears and transformations emerge.
"When I listened to the voice of another pilgrim telling of the same fatigue and the same sunset that I experienced, I felt that I was part of something bigger."
Teresa L., podcaster and pilgrim
Some publishing projects collect and publish these entries in the form of:
• spiritual journey audiobooks;
• thematic podcasts ('Walking with the Archangel', 'Steps of Light');
• books of multi-voice testimonies, which tell of a Europe on the move.
The European Network of Michaelic Paths: Collaboration and Identity
In recent years, a true European Network of Micaelic Paths has been born and developed, connecting the main sanctuaries dedicated to the Archangel Michael:
• Monte Sant'Angelo (Italy),
• Mont-Saint-Michel (France),
• Sacra di San Michele (Italy),
• St Michael's Mount (England),
• Skellig Michael (Ireland),
• Kiev (Ukraine),
• Micha?ów (Poland). This network promotes:
• joint initiatives in research, spiritual tourism and environmental protection;
• twinnings between shrines and micaelic towns;
• European travelling events, such as the 'Feast of the Angel' simultaneously in several countries.
The Saint Michael's Way is now internationally recognised as a transnational path of dialogue, spirituality and cultural citizenship.
International paths inspired by St Michael (France, UK, Ireland, Poland)
The Micaelic cult has left deep imprints throughout Europe, and today several paths explicitly refer to the figure of the Archangel:
• France: The stretch from Mont-Saint-Michel towards the south (La Merveille) is one of the most travelled and connects with the Camino de Santiago.
• UK: The St Michael's Way in Cornwall links the north and south coasts, following an ancient Celtic pilgrims' path.
• Ireland: The spectacular Skellig Michael, a monastery on the ocean, is a destination for pilgrimages and studies of hermit spirituality.
• Poland: In Micha?ów and S?upia, the cult of the Archangel is alive and linked to Marian and rural paths.
These different paths share a common horizon: the Archangel as guide and symbol of justice, inner struggle, light.
Recommended multimedia content
Images
• Pilgrims at Mont Saint Michel
A group of Italian pilgrims visiting the famous French shrine, symbol of the cult
micaelic in Europe.
• Skellig Michael - Monastery on the Ocean
A view of the ancient monastery on the island of Skellig Michael, Ireland, a UNESCO heritage site and spiritual pilgrimage destination.
• Map of the European Network of Micaelic Paths
Graphic representation of the main sanctuaries dedicated to St Michael, connected along the so-called 'Sacred Line'.
Detailed map of the route through Cornwall, linking the north and south coasts, following an ancient Celtic pilgrims' path.
Video
• The Mystery of St. Michael's Line: A Gateway to the Afterlife?
Documentary exploring the mysterious alignment of shrines dedicated to St Michael across Europe.
• Pilgrimage - S3:E5 Walking England's Original Camino
Episode following the pilgrims' route along the ancient English Way, highlighting spiritual and cultural connections.
• The Archangel's path - From Benevento to Monte Sant'Angelo
Documentary narrating the Italian route of the micaelico path, amid history, faith and evocative landscapes.
Sources and references
• European Network of the Micaelic Paths - https://www.camminodisanmichele.org
• Via Sancti Michaelis (France-Germany) - European Cultural Route
• National Trust - St Michael's Mount (UK)
• Heritage Ireland - Skellig Michael UNESCO Site
• 'The Sacred Line' - Studies on symbolism and sacred geography