Travel for moral and spiritual enlightenment is nothing new. Records of pilgrimages date back millennia. Some sites have long histories of hosting pilgrims, including Jerusalem and Mecca. Some like El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico are more recent popular destinations.

This and next week, Bon Voyage features pilgrimages. I asked authors who contribute to the Record Searchlight's Voices of Faith religion column if they'd been on a pilgrimage. Here's what some of them shared.

VATICAN CITY AND ROME

Sacred Heart Catholic Church deacon Mike Evans of Anderson visited Vatican City in August 1978, and again in October 2004.

"It was great to see how things had changed over time and also not changed," Evans said. "Rome is indeed the 'Eternal City.' "

Since the First Century, the Vatican has been the central location for the Christian faith, Evans said. It's rich in history.

Points of interest Evans visited include the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica and square in Vatican City, and the Coliseum, Spanish Steps, various castles, bridges and catacombs in and around Rome.

"The only way to see the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel in depth is to book a tour," Evans said. "You get picked up at your hotel and don't have to stand in a long line for admission. Then there is the interpretation by the tour guide that makes everything understandable (and) more exciting."

Rome is a big embarkation/disembarkation point for cruise ships. Evans recommends cruise travelers take the shore excursions offered to passengers.

"The operators provide the bus, the guide and narrative. (It) saves time and confusion," Evans said.

Link:

Bon Voyage: Pilgrimages, part one