Religion in cathedrals: pilgrimage, heritage, adjacency, and the politics of replication in Northern Europe

Abstract

Much of this thematic issue emerges from work carried out for an AHRC-funded project, Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals, Past and Present Cathedrals (PEC). In this introduction, we explore the possibilities of developing a new sub-field oriented around exploring the shaping of belief and praxis in and by cathedrals. After noting the renewed popularity of these institutions in England, we provide a brief history of cathedrals within and beyond Europe, highlighting both particular periods of expansion and pilgrimage practices relating to them. We emphasize the significance of cathedrals in juxtaposing 'sacred space' with 'common ground.' This approach is complemented by a focus on how cathedrals both embody and encourage material and liturgical forms of 'replication'-a theme that provides a useful comparative approach for historians and ethnographers alike. Potential for future research is also briefly discussed.

On the concept of the regional religious brand: The veneration and pilgrimage of Saint John Vladimir and new pathways for religious tourism

“…Although in the Orthodox East, no particular model seems to be pursued, in Western Europe, the reanimation of pilgrimage seems to have replicated the iconic Way of St James pilgrimage. The Camino de Santiago has exercised a pivotal influence, as it served as a guiding template for the branding and development of several emerging routes (Coleman, 2019;Coleman & Bowman, 2019).…”

Handbook of Megachurches

“…Christians have always built large churches. Imposing cathedrals dominated the architectural profiles and often the economies of cities in medieval Europe, and spread into the New World along with colonisation and missionisation (Coleman and Bowman 2018). Yet, while such churches are often huge, we do not think of them as mega.…”

Transformed ecologies and transformational saints: Exploring new pilgrimage routes in North East England

“…5 I want to now use this as a way of drawing out a less commonly told story, one that shifts the focus away from issues such as the pilgrim/tourist divide (Graburn, 2011) and/or communitas/contestation (Eade & Sallnow, 2000), at the same time as moving our gaze away from the bulk of the Cathedral, towards the more sprawling (and ephemeral) Trails. In doing this I seek to build on Bowman and Coleman (2019); Coleman and Bowman's (2019) exploration and in particular the consequent theory of exploring 'adjacent' rather than 'liminal' spaces of worship. By 'adjacent worship', I understand Coleman and Bowman to mean that instead of the Cathedral space stressing its separateness from the world it has built into it features that welcome the world into it, along with of course those people who are not accustomed to engaging in traditional forms of worship.…”