Pilgrimage
The Chaplaincy’s Pilgrimage program allows students the opportunity to explore their spiritual tradition and the worldviews of others; to experience positive models of coexistence and reconciliation worldwide; and to develop the awareness and skills to navigate religious and spiritual differences within a global context. In the past, we have held team discussions, hosted pre-travel learning (often for credit), traveled as a cohort, engaged in spiritual practices, and shared post-pilgrimage projects to form community, strengthen spiritual commitments, and encourage others on their sacred paths.
The Chaplaincy will not be offering Pilgrimages during the 2026-2027 academic year. We know how much students enjoy these impactful experiences, and it saddens us to pause such a meaningful program. The office is engaged in long-term strategic work to evaluate, align, and strengthen the Pilgrimage program and the Chaplaincy’s broader work for even greater impact. We look forward to resuming the program in the 2027-2028 academic year and hope to share more about those plans by Summer 2027.
Please contact Associate Chaplain and Campus Rabbi Josh Jeffreys (jJeffrey@richmond.edu) with any questions or concerns.
Past Pilgrimages
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2011
Pilgrimage: Holy Land
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land to explore the complex religious, cultural, and political dynamics of the region.
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2012
Pilgrimage: France
A pilgrimage to the Taize’ community in France to explore spiritual practices of prayer, silence, Sabbath, and hospitality in a community of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox monastics.
Pilgrimage: Holy Land
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land to explore the complex religious, cultural, and political dynamics of the region.
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2013
Pilgrimage: France
A pilgrimage to the Taizé’ community in France to explore spiritual practices of prayer, silence, Sabbath, and hospitality in a community of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox monastics.
Pilgrimage: Poland
A pilgrimage to Poland examining the historical roots and flourishing of Jewish life and its complex relationship with Catholic society, the lead-up to and consequences of the Holocaust, and contemporary efforts at remembrance, reconciliation, and interfaith engagement.
Pilgrimage: South Korea
A pilgrimage exploring the complex social, cultural, and religious interactions between Buddhism and Christianity in South Korea.
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2014
Pilgrimage: Poland
A pilgrimage to Poland examining the historical roots and flourishing of Jewish life and its complex relationship with Catholic society, the lead-up to and consequences of the Holocaust, and contemporary efforts at remembrance, reconciliation, and interfaith engagement.
Pilgrimage: France
A pilgrimage to the Taizé’ community in France to explore spiritual practices of prayer, silence, Sabbath, and hospitality in a community of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox monastics.
Pilgrimage: Morocco
A pilgrimage to Morocco examining how Islam shaped politics, society, and identity alongside minority Christian and Jewish traditions, the tensions between modernity and tradition, and the socioeconomic legacies of centuries of conquest and contest.
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2015
Pilgrimage: Poland
A pilgrimage to Poland examining the historical roots and flourishing of Jewish life and its complex relationship with Catholic society, the lead-up to and consequences of the Holocaust, and contemporary efforts at remembrance, reconciliation, and interfaith engagement.
Pilgrimage: Holy Land
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land to explore the complex religious, cultural, and political dynamics of the region.
Pilgrimage: St. Cuthbert’s Way
A 62-mile hiking pilgrimage along St. Cuthbert’s Way in England and Scotland to learn about Celtic Christianity and the spiritual practices of the region.
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2016
Pilgrimage: Poland
A pilgrimage to Poland examining the historical roots and flourishing of Jewish life and its complex relationship with Catholic society, the lead-up to and consequences of the Holocaust, and contemporary efforts at remembrance, reconciliation, and interfaith engagement.
Pilgrimage: Indonesia
A pilgrimage to Indonesia to explore Bali’s religious pageantry, diverse range of spiritual identities and indigenous sacred practices.
Pilgrimage: St. Cuthbert’s Way
A 62-mile hiking pilgrimage along St. Cuthbert’s Way in England and Scotland to learn about Celtic Christianity and the spiritual practices of the region.
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2017
Pilgrimage: New Mexico
A pilgrimage to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico to explore the indigenous culture of the region and learn about Native American spirituality.
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2018
Pilgrimage: Camino De Santiago
A 60-mile hiking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain to explore the culture, traditions, and Catholic spirituality of the region.
Pilgrimage: Spain
A pilgrimage to Andalusia to learn about the multifaith history of Spain, including the promising myth of Convivencia and the painful challenges to that narrative.
Pilgrimage: New Mexico
A pilgrimage to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico to explore the indigenous culture of the region and learn about Native American spirituality.
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2019
Pilgrimage: Poland
Pilgrimage: Camino de Santiago
A 60-mile hiking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain to explore the culture, traditions, and Catholic spirituality of the region.
Pilgrimage: Acadia
A pilgrimage to Acadia National Park in Maine to learn about spiritual practices and explore the connection between spirituality and ecology.
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2021
Pilgrimage: Arizona
A pilgrimage to a retreat center in Arizona to learn about spiritual practices and explore the connection between spirituality and ecology.
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2022
Pilgrimage: Wyoming
A pilgrimage to the Yellowstone region of Wyoming to learn about the indigenous traditions of the area and explore spiritual practices.
Pilgrimage: Costa Carolina
A pilgrimage to learn about spiritual practices in Costa Rica that ended up detouring to the coast of North Carolina due to a hurricane in Costa Rica.
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2023
Pilgrimage: Camino de Santiago
A 60-mile hiking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain to explore the culture, traditions, and Catholic spirituality of the region.
Pilgrimage: Berlin
A pilgrimage to Berlin to learn about pre-World War II Jewish Life in Europe, the rise of the Nazis and the Holocaust, and then the national reconciliation efforts to transform Germany into a multiethnic democracy welcoming of refugees (especially significant Israeli and Palestinian communities).
Pilgrimage: Wyoming
A pilgrimage to the Yellowstone region of Wyoming to learn about the indigenous traditions of the area and explore spiritual practices.
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2024
Pilgrimage: Berlin
A pilgrimage to Berlin to learn about the rise of nationalism, the Nazis and the Holocaust, and then the imperfect efforts to reconcile for Germany’s history and ongoing tensions in the country’s quest to become a multiethnic democracy.
Pilgrimage: Camino de Santiago
A 60-mile hiking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain to explore the culture, traditions, and Catholic spirituality of the region.
Pilgrimage: San Francisco
A pilgrimage to the San Francisco Bay Area to explore the intersection of spirituality, sustainability, and the natural world.
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2025
Pilgrimage: Northern Ireland
A pilgrimage to explore the history of sectarian and political violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, and to explore practices of peace and conflict resolution.
Pilgrimage: Greece
A pilgrimage to examine Greece’s role in shaping Western thought and its layered Hellenistic, Jewish, Christian (Greek Orthodox), and Muslim traditions. Participants also examined how geography, wars, and demographic shifts have shaped modern Greek identity.
Pilgrimage: San Francisco
A pilgrimage to the San Francisco Bay Area to explore themes of community resilience, hospitality, and the role of spirituality in creating a more equitable world for all.
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2026
Pilgrimage: Northern Ireland
A pilgrimage to explore the history of sectarian and political violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, and to explore practices of peace and conflict resolution.
Pilgrimage: Spain and Morocco
A pilgrimage to trace the multifaith histories of Andalusia and Morocco, examining Jewish, Christian, and Muslim encounters across centuries and the legacies of convivencia and conflict amidst the backdrop of modern Christian Spain and Muslim Morocco.
