Elephant on pilgrimage. Walters Art Museum |
I'll do what I can to squeeze things into the pilgrimage theme. The first couple of posts shouldn't be too difficult. I'm starting things out by making a pilgrim's scrip. That is the name for the useful, roomy shoulder bag worn as an identifying symbol by those on pilgrimage. It gave them somewhere to stash their relics, food, and other general stuff. Seems like a really useful addition to my event gear.
I'm doing my own "virtual pilgrimage" as well, walking mileage and tracking it on a map. That'll both let me do some research on my persona and work on my fitness goals.
I'm starting out at the Basilica San Marco. The relics of Saint Mark were brought to Venice from Alexandria in the 9th Century, and his symbol of the winged lion became a symbol of the city. I'll head from there to the Basilica of Saint Antonio since it was one of the most popular local pilgrimages. Assisi, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela were also popular destinations for Venetian pilgrims.
Off to calculate mileage, pick some fabric and do some walking.