IN 2019, Devon County Council voted to recognise St Boniface as patron saint of Devon.

In Crediton we have a wonderful set of stained-glass panels, placed at various points around the town, which tell the story of St Boniface.

We have a statue of St Boniface in Newcombe's Meadow. Crediton’s Roman Catholic church is dedicated to St Boniface and houses the national shrine to him.

We also have the Boniface Way, a pilgrimage route from Holy Cross (Crediton Parish Church) to Exeter Cathedral.

Just recently, all these set me thinking about the idea of pilgrimage and what it means to be a pilgrim.

Kenneth Cragg (who was a bishop in Jerusalem and so knew a thing or two about holy places) wrote about “sacramental geography” – places sanctified by being part of God’s story, through which and in which an encounter is possible.

At the heart of pilgrimage lies our desire to encounter the God we know in Jesus Christ, where we touch a deep memory of faith that can speak to us today. Places of pilgrimage should feel special; they should look special.

We go to sacred places because of who was originally there and the part they played in the unfolding Christian story.

This can mean becoming familiar with some quite extraordinary personalities.

Pilgrimage should involve seeing the landscape with which they were familiar... getting under the skin of the saints by reading about them and what they have written, to discover what motivated them, what inspired them.

To go on a pilgrimage is to walk purposefully to something which has meaning for you, a search for spiritual or moral significance.

Many world religions have taken up the theme of pilgrimage – Christians walk to Santiago de Compostela or visit Lindisfarne or Iona; The Holy Land acts a focal point for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

In addition, there are moments for personal prayer, for enjoying the company of others, for meeting new people.

Pilgrimages are an opportunity to spend some time in a unique way.

The first Christians were often referred to as followers of “The Way”.

The Christian faith is a journey of pilgrimage amidst the everyday realities in which we live.

The pilgrimage challenges us to be aware of a faith that prods us and moves us on, that encourages us to travel light, to find freshness in each new encounter with Christ the companion we meet on the way.

To be a pilgrim is to be a wanderer on an unbroken journey with a purpose, usually to a holy site or to somewhere of significance to us personally.

We are all pilgrims, seeking to nurture our souls - an unbroken journey to God, it is good to undertake such a journey.

The Rev Preb Matthew Tregenza

Rector of Holy Cross, Crediton