Pilgrimage in the Context of the Social-Communication Approach in the Process of Institutionalization: Ukrainian and Foreign Experience

DOI 10.17721/2522-1272.2024.85.4

Svitlana Panchenko,
Ph.D (Cultural Studies), Associate professor, Doctoral student
Educational and Scientific Institute of Journalism,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
0000-0001-8010-8318

ABSTRACT

Pilgrimage promotes interaction between people, the formation of communities, and the development of social and communication skills. It creates a unique atmosphere for communication, exchange of experience and knowledge, as well as deepening the spiritual development and enriching the life experience of each pilgrim. During a pilgrimage, people are united by a special sacred goal. To achieve this goal, during small (peregrinationis secundarie) and large (peregrinationes primarie) pilgrimages, they join forces and make a «sacred journey». This study reviews the research of contemporary Ukrainian and foreign scholars who have described the methodology of the SC-approach and examined the phenomenon of pilgrimage and religious tourism as a social and communication Institution. After analysing contemporary scientific research, articles, monographs, dissertations, and specialised journals on social communications and pilgrimage, it can be concluded that this scientific layer is not sufficiently studied and requires a detailed, step-by-step consideration and careful analysis. The author shows that thanks to various fields and scientific directions, pilgrimage has stood out and taken its place, uniting scholars from different fields and scientific directions on the social and communication platform.

In the proposed scientific works, social communications are considered from the perspective of Christian approaches to social problems, and therefore require detailed study and analysis from the perspective of a social and communication institution in the field of pilgrimage, since pilgrimage is filled with principles, rules, and functions related to the activities of religious objects. This study also examines the role of social media in the spiritual journeys of pilgrims, and clarifies their role for pilgrimage practices and the discourse on religious tourism.

KEYWORDS: pilgrimage; religious tourism; socio-communication approach; social communications; sacred communications.