Peace, Politics, and Piety: Catholic Pilgrimage in Wartime Europe, 1939–1945

Abstract

During the Second World War, the disruption and shortages of wartime life had a significant impact on the ability of Catholics to engage with their usual practice of pilgrimage in many parts of Europe. Transport was difficult, accommodation and sustenance lacking, many sites inaccessible, and some pilgrims viewed with suspicion. Yet wartime pilgrimages were popular, as people prayed for peace, appealed for aid for their friends and family, sought spiritual support, maintained the bonds of the Catholic community, and even promoted political messages. Despite the widespread nature of these pilgrimages, they have only been considered in a local or national context. This article examines wartime pilgrimages across Europe for the first time to determine how and why they were affected by war, and how this reflected wider debates about the impact of war on religious belief and practice.