Millions of people go on trips to the holy places of our planet, regardless of their religious confessions. Such places did not appear a century or two ago but managed to withstand the struggle against time in order to give the seekers strength of spirit and spiritual rebirth. Every person should visit such destinations, so let’s take a look at the most revered sacred sites in the world.
St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome (Italy)
While in Rome, you can see the top of this Cathedral from many locations. Such famous personalities as Michelangelo Buonarroti and Raffaello Santi had their hand in constructing this religious center of all Catholics in the world. St. Peter’s Basilica is the residence of the Pope and has an area of 23 thousand square meters and a height of 136 meters. It is interesting that in Rome, it is forbidden to erect buildings that could be higher than the dome of this shrine. What you see inside the building will charm you, just like the external beauty of the Cathedral.
Western Wall (Wailing Wall) (Israel)
The history of this most important shrine of Judaism dates back to before our era. The part that has survived to this day is part of the fortifications of the Temple Mount. It is mentioned in the scriptures and the Old Testament.
The official name of Wailing Wall in Hebrew means “Western Wall”. The name Wailing Wall could arise for several reasons: the tears of believers who came here after the destruction of the Temple; there are also claims that drops of water, resembling tears, sometimes appear on the Wall (it was observed in the last century).
Not only do Jewish pilgrims come to the Wailing Wall – tourists of different faiths come here to say a prayer and leave a piece of paper in the Wall with their appeal to God. The part of the Wall which is dedicated specifically to prayers is not so big – it is a little less than 60 meters. It is necessary to behave quietly here and remember that men are allowed to enter only in a special headdress. Israeli solemn ceremonies of national importance are also held at the Wailing Wall – here Independence Day and Jerusalem Day are celebrated, IDF recruits take the oath, and a Bar Mitzvah for boys and a Bat Mitzvah for girls are held.
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
It is believed that in 571, Muhammad was born in Mecca, the future prophet of all Muslims. The city in the western part of Saudi Arabia welcomes representatives of only one religion – Islam. Every diligent Muslim should at least once in his life come to Mecca with his family for Hajj, that is, a pilgrimage. For tourists, entry here is strictly prohibited. And still, the number of pilgrims arriving here is colossal and more than twice the number of local residents (2 million).
Along with many holy places here like the Forbidden Mosque, Kaaba, Mina, Mount Arafat, etc., Mecca is replete with skyscrapers, shops, restaurants, and entertainment centers. Thus, the government made concessions and contributed to the accommodation of visiting pilgrims.
Varanasi (India)
Visiting Varanasi, the tourist will be able to understand India and its culture better. It is one of the most important sacred sites in India and is located on the banks of the Ganges River. Relatives and close people of the deceased come here all year round, whose last will as a Hindu was to be burnt here. Pilgrims come here to undergo a washing ceremony, which, according to old beliefs, should grant them the forgiveness of sins.
However, having arrived at the place, many tourists are not ready for what they see. The thing is that numerous funeral rites, including cremation, are held publicly. Such ritual ceremonies take place on special stages – Ghats. Therefore, if you do not want to contemplate the moments of farewell of people with loved ones, you can simply walk along the coast and see groups of people praying, meditating, and communicating on spiritual topics. Varanasi is a strong energy place and cultural city with many temples.
