Lesson video

Hi, my name's Ms. Minton, and welcome to this: living the Christian life lesson on pilgrimage, Jerusalem, and Iona.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain the role and importance of Jerusalem and Iona as Christian pilgrimage sites.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'm here to guide you through each step of our lesson, and I'm confident that by the end, you'll achieve this outcome.

So let's get started by taking a look at our keywords for today.

We have Iona, Jerusalem, and pilgrimage.

Now, Iona is a place of pilgrimage where St.

Columba founded a monastery in the sixth century.

Jerusalem is a city in the Middle East where Jesus lived, taught, died, and resurrected, and it's a pilgrimage destination for many Christians.

And finally, a pilgrimage is a religious journey to a holy site or a sacred place, and it's usually done as an act of worship and devotion.

Now, our lesson today will have two parts.

We'll start by looking at Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage, and we'll then look at Iona as a place of pilgrimage.

So let's get started and take a look at Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage.

Now, to start off, I've got some questions that I'd like you to consider.

Have you ever been on an important journey? And if you have, where did you go and why was this journey important to you? So pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So hopefully you've been able to think of a time when you went on an important journey, and recall why that journey was important to you.

Now, journeys can actually be important for religious reasons, and a pilgrimage is a religious journey to a holy site or a place of religious significance.

So a place that's important for religious reasons.

A person who goes on a pilgrimage is known as a pilgrim, and pilgrims are often religious believers, but they can also be people who are not religious.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, why do you think religious believers might want to go on a journey to a place of religious significance? Off you go.

So as part of your thinking tie or your discussion, you may have considered that religious believers might want to go to a place of religious significance because they can grow closer to God and strengthen their faith when they do this.

You may have also considered that this journey and visiting this sacred place could be a form of worship and prayer.

Or that religious believers might go on these journeys to seek spiritual and/or physical healing.

Or perhaps you considered, that religious believers might go on these journeys to meet new people who share beliefs that are the same or similar to their own.

Now, for many Christians, pilgrimage is also important because of the role that it played in Jesus' life.

And we see this in the gospel of Luke 2:41-42, which says this, "Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover.

When he was 12 years old, they went up to the festival according to the custom." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, how was pilgrimage part of Jesus' life according to this passage? Off you go.

So according to this passage, Jesus' parents travelled to Jerusalem for Passover, which is a Jewish festival, and they did this each year.

And when Jesus was 12, he joined them on this journey.

In this passage, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are taking this journey for religious reasons, which means that they're going on a pilgrimage.

So now we've looked at some different reasons why a religious believer, including Christians might go on pilgrimage.

Let's imagine that I've been asked to outline three reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage.

I've said that Christians might go on pilgrimage to grow closer to God.

Now what you might notice about my answer is that I should have outlined three reasons, but I've only outlined one.

So I would like you to help me finish my answer by outlining two more reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage.

So pause the video and have a go.

So you may have said that Christians might go on pilgrimage to worship and pray, to seek healing, or to meet other people who share the same beliefs as them.

So well done if you've got one of those answers or something similar.

Now, as well as there being a number of reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage, there's also a number of places that Christians can go on pilgrimage.

Now these include places that are connected to Jesus, places that were significant in the lives of saints, and places where miraculous events are believed to have occurred.

Jerusalem is an example of a place of Christian pilgrimage that's connected to Jesus.

Jerusalem is where Jesus lived, taught, died, and resurrected.

So came back to life after his crucifixion.

And many key events in Jesus' life took place in Jerusalem and are recorded in the Bible.

For this reason, most Christians consider Jerusalem to be a holy place.

Now, one of the main reasons that Christians gone pilgrimage to Jerusalem is to visit locations where key events in Jesus' life took place.

And we're going to look at some examples of these now, starting with the Garden of Gethsemane.

So the Garden of Gethsemane is where Jesus prayed before he was betrayed by Judas.

So this is a really important place in the story of Jesus's betrayal and his death.

Christian pilgrims can also visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is believed to be the site of Jesus's tomb and resurrection.

Also, many Christian pilgrims when visiting Jerusalem will walk the Via Dolorosa, which is Latin for the way of suffering.

Now this is the path that it's believed Jesus carried his cross down.

Many Christians will walk this path and pray the Stations of the Cross, which is a prayer that reflects on 14 key moments at the end of Jesus' life.

So let's now check your understanding.

Which of the following is not a place that Christian pilgrims can visit in Jerusalem? A, Via Dolorosa, B, the Church of Holy Sepulchre, C, Iona Abbey, or D, the Garden of Gethsemane.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is C, Iona Abbey is not a place that Christian pilgrims can visit when in Jerusalem.

Well done, Now as well as visiting important locations, Christian pilgrims can also spend time praying and worshipping when visiting Jerusalem.

Fiona says, "When I visited Jerusalem, I visited many significant places that are mentioned in the Bible, including Via Dolorosa.

I reflected and prayed as I walked the path that Jesus walked, and it was a very moving experience.

When I visited the church of Holy Sepulchre, I felt a sense of unity with other Christians from many different denominations who were also there.

I spent time reflecting on the forgiveness that Jesus' sacrifice brings." So what we can see from Fiona's explanation of her visit to Jerusalem is that she did visit these special places, but she also spent time praying and reflecting.

Now, Fiona also mentioned that Jerusalem is a significant place for many Christian denominations.

I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about why this might be.

Off you go.

So the events and places that make Jerusalem an important place for Christians date back to the time of Jesus and the early Christians, which means Jerusalem is important for most Christians because it's where their faith began.

So let's now check your understanding.

Jerusalem is only a place of pilgrimage for Anglican Christians.

True or false? Fantastic.

That statement is false, but why is that statement false? Well, it's because the events and places that make Jerusalem important date back to the time of Jesus and the early Christians.

And this means that it's important for most Christians because it's where their faith began, not just Anglican Christians.

So well done for identifying the statement is false, and the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to explain two reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Here's some guidance that you might find helpful when responding to the task.

Offer a point giving one reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and then develop that point by saying what that means, offering an example, and saying what Christians can do there.

Then offer a second point giving another reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

And then again, develop that point by saying what that means, offering an example, and explaining what Christians can do there.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work on that task.

So you are asked to explain two reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and your response might be similar to this.

"One reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem is to visit places that were significant in the life of Jesus.

For example, Christians may visit the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed before he was betrayed.

Another reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem is to grow closer to God.

Christians can grow closer to God by praying and reflecting, drawing a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

For example, many Christians walk the path that Jesus walked to his crucifixion, and spend time praying the Stations of the Cross, leaving them feeling closer to God." So well done again for working on that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at Iona as a place of pilgrimage.

Now Iona is a small island located off the west coast of Scotland, and it's a popular pilgrimage destination for many Christians.

Iona is a popular pilgrimage destination because of its history as a major centre of early Christianity in Scotland, which was started by St.

Columba.

St.

Columba was a Celtic Christian monk, which means he was a member of a religious order who'd taken vows and dedicated himself to God.

He was from Ireland and lived between the years of 521 and 597 AD.

In 563 Ad, St.

Columba travelled with 12 other Celtic Christian monks by boat from Ireland to Iona.

When St.

Columba reached Iona, he founded a monastery that became a key centre of Christian learning, worship, and missionary activity.

The monastery became known for its scholarship and manuscript copying, and for its spiritual influence throughout Scotland, Ireland, and even northern England.

The monastery on Iona was one of the most important Christian sites in Western Europe, and it played a major role in the spread of Christianity and in preserving Celtic Christian traditions.

So let's now check your understanding.

Which Celtic Christian monk built a monastery on Iona? A, Saint Christopher, B, st.

Columba, C, St.

Cornelius, or D St.

Charles? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

It was St.

Columba who built a monastery on Iona.

Well done.

Now people started to visit Iona as a pilgrimage site soon after St.

Columba founded the monastery in 563 AD, and they especially started visiting from the seventh century onwards.

So based on what you now know about St.

Columba and Iona, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about why you think people wanted to visit Iona.

Off you go.

So Iona became a popular Christian pilgrimage site because people wanted to visit there to honour St.

Columba, and to learn about and study Christianity.

People also wanted to go there to grow in their faith and spirituality and to visit the monastery that St.

Columba founded.

Now today, many Christians still visit Iona, but there are some differences to the pilgrimage site since St.

Columba established the monastery.

So the original monastery that was founded by St.

Columba was attacked and destroyed by Vikings in the late eighth to early ninth century.

And in the 12th century, the monastery was rebuilt and expanded as Iona Abbey.

An Abbey is a building that's occupied by monks or nuns.

Now Iona Abbey became a famous site of pilgrimage, prayer, and Christian learning.

And today the Iona community, which are a Christian ecumenical group that promote peace, justice, and spiritual renewal, are resident in Iona Abbey.

This means that Iona continues to be a place of worship, pilgrimage, and retreat that welcomes people from all religions and people of no religion.

Now, as well as Iona Abbey, Iona is also home to other historical Christian features, which includes Celtic crosses.

Celtic crosses are traditional Christian crosses with a ring around the arms like you can see here in this image.

They're often decorated with patterns that can include depictions of biblical stories.

These crosses were used to teach biblical stories to people who were unable to read, and they were also used to mark places for pilgrims to stop and pray.

The Celtic crosses on Iona were built mostly between the eighth and 10th century.

So let's now check your understanding.

True or false, Christians only go to Iona to see Iona Abbey? Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because Iona Abbey is just one reason why Christians might visit Iona.

Other reasons include to see the Celtic crosses, to grow and learn about their faith, and to honour St.

Columba, and see where he visited and worshipped.

So well done for identifying that the statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

Now, Iona remains an important place for Christians today because of its history and its role in spreading Christianity, and also its features like Iona Abbey and the Celtic crosses.

However, another reason why Iona is significant is because it's considered to be a thin place.

Now, a thin place is a special and sacred location where the boundary between heaven and earth is very thin.

It's a place where the spiritual feels particularly close.

This concept comes from early Celtic Christian tradition.

Fergus is a liberal Anglican Christian who's visited Iona as a child and has volunteered with the Iona community as an adult.

He explains why Iona is considered a thin place.

Fergus says, "Iona is considered to be a thin place, and part of this is because of its beauty and tranquillity.

During my time as a volunteer, I've spoken to lots of Christian pilgrims and many express a shared feeling of peace, stillness, and closeness with God during their time in Iona." So let's check your understanding again.

True or false, Iona is considered to be a thin place because it's a place where the boundary between heaven and earth is very thin? Fantastic.

That statement is true.

But why is that statement true? Well, it's because the concept of a thin place comes from early Celtic tradition, and Iona is considered to be a thin place because it's a special and sacred place and part of this is because of its natural beauty and tranquillity.

And this means it's a place where people can feel especially close to God.

So while done for identifying that the statement is true and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to explain two reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona.

Here's some guidance that you might find helpful when responding to the task.

Offer a point giving one reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona, and then develop that point by giving an example or saying something that can be found on Iona and saying what that means.

Then give another reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona.

And then again, offer an example where relevant or say something that can be found on Iona, and explain what that means.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work doing that task.

So you are asked to explain two reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona, and your response might be similar to this.

"One reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona is to visit Iona Abbey.

Iona Abbey was rebuilt in the 12th century after the original monastery built by St.

Columba was destroyed.

Today, Iona Abbey is a key feature of Iona where Christians can go to worship, pray, and learn more about their religion.

Another reason why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona is to see the historical Celtic crosses.

On Iona, there are several Celtic crosses that date back to around the eighth century.

The crosses tell Bible stories and mark places for pilgrims to pause and pray." So well done again for explaining two reasons why Christians might go on pilgrimage to Iona.

We've now reached the end of our lesson, but before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned today.

So we've learned that a pilgrimage is a religious journey to a place of religious significance, and it's considered to be an act of worship and devotion.

We've seen that many Christians participate in pilgrimage because Jesus and his family did, and we find this in Luke chapter 2:41-42.

We've seen that for many Christians, Jerusalem is a place of pilgrimage because of its historical and religious significance.

And that Christian pilgrims visiting Jerusalem usually visit places of significance from the life of Jesus.

So for example, the Garden of Gethsemane.

We've also seen that Iona is an example of a place of Christian pilgrimage too, and that it's a small island off the coast of Scotland and it's popular because of its history as a major centre of Christianity in Scotland, which was started by St.

Columba who founded a monastery there.

And we've also seen that the monastery was later rebuilt in the 12th century as Iona Abbey.

And finally, we looked at how Christians can pray, worship, and grow closer to God during pilgrimage.

So a huge well done for all of your work today.

It's been wonderful learning with you.