April 10-23, 2005
(Future dates to be announced.)

The purpose of these pilgrimages is to provide religious and community leaders, peaceworkers and other concerned citizens from Western countries, an opportunity to visit Syria and meet with religious and government leaders, university professors, students, and other Syrian citizens. These pilgrimages are a small gesture from citizens of Western countries to come and listen to Syrian citizens describe their own views of East-West conflicts and their visions for how real peace and mutual respect may be established.

In recent years, citizens of Western countries, particularly the United States, have had little contact with or understanding of Syria and the Syrian people. This lack of contact contributes to the growing political unease and suspicion between Syria and Western nations, and is occurring at a time of increased tension between the Muslim world in general and the largely Christian West. Thus the conflicts appear to be between religious worldviews as well as national identities and policies.

In an effort to bridge this lack of understanding and limited contact that Western citizens have with Syria, a program of Interfaith Pilgrimages of Peace has been established.

These are pilgrimages, not tours. We understand a pilgrimage to be a transformative journey to a sacred place. While these pilgrimages to Syria will visit several outer, sacred destinations – the Umayyad Mosque, the Shrine of the Virgin Mary at Seidnaya, the tomb of Ibn al-Arabi, the Monastery of St. Moses, etc. – the principle sacred place to which we travel is internal: to better understand and evoke conditions for peace in our world, our communities, and ourselves.

A General Description of the Pilgrimages

The pilgrimages begin and end in Damascus. We will spend the first four days visiting several Muslim and Christian holy sites and places of worship within Damascus and the surrounding area, and meeting with Syrians from all walks of life to learn about their culture and history. Those who wish to will have opportunities to share dhikr (remembrance of God) with Nakshibandi and other Sufis in and near Damascus, as well as have time to explore the fascinating streets and souqs of the city.

Then we will travel north to the desert Monastery of St. Moses the Abyssinian (Deir Mar Musa el-Habashi). We will stay at the monastery for several days. Deir Mar Musa was first established in the middle of the sixth century, and the present monastery church was built in the Islamic year 450 (1058 AD), according to Christian inscriptions written in Arabic on the walls.

Deir Mar Musa – now being revived and rebuilt after a century and a half in ruins – is dedicated to becoming a center for inter-religious dialogue and communion, and “building a positive Christian-Islamic relationship.” Here we will live, help with monastery tasks, and continue our witness of Muslim-Christian and Syrian-Western relations and the path to peace. This will include conversations with Christian and Muslim teachers, contemplation of sacred texts, celebration of the Eucharist, prayer, Sufi dhikr, and personal retreat. The monastery maintains several small cells in the cliffs suitable for solitary retreat. We will conclude our stay at Deir Mar Musa with an interfaith prayer ceremony for peace.

Returning to Damascus, we will rest, enjoy the city, continue our explorations, and debrief our journey before departing. Each pilgrim is encouraged upon returning home to bear witness and share with their communities the encounters, recognitions and insights they have experienced on the pilgrimage.

What to Expect

This is not a business venture or a packaged tour. We travel as pilgrims together, expecting the unexpected. You should be able to live with last minute changes and lack of accustomed comforts. During our stay at Deir Mar Musa you should be prepared for rough terrain – the monastery is situated high in the desert cliffs and is accessible only on foot.

Our party will be somewhere between 10-25 people. Costs are kept to a minimum – there is a registration fee of $400 per person to defray communication and coordination costs. This fee does not include payment to the guides or teachers on the pilgrimage. As with our other programs, there is an opportunity to make a donation (dana) as you are able.

Each person is responsible for arranging his or her own travel to and from Damascus. However, reservations within Syria at hotels and Deir Mar Musa will be made in advance by pilgrimage guides. All in-country costs – food, lodging, transport – will be evenly divided and paid for by all out of a common fund.

Because of current tensions between Syria and the United States, it is understandable that some may have anxiety about going there. In 2002 we led the first Interfaith Pilgrimage of Peace to Syria, and we can attest that the Syrians are a friendly and welcoming people, and they will respect the purpose of our pilgrimage. Everywhere we went during the first pilgrimage we were met with kindness, interest, and generosity.

 

Guides and Guest Teachers

The guides for the 2003 pilgrimages will be Elias Amidon and Rabia Elizabeth Roberts. In addition, the October pilgrimage will be joined by Achaan Sulak Sivaraksa, Ginny Jordan, and Father Paolo Dall’Oglio. Guest teachers for the November and 2004 pilgrimages to be announced.

Pilgrimage Cost Estimate

The main trip costs are your airfare, your daily food and lodging costs in Syria, in-country transportation, and the registration fee. While we cannot be precise, we estimate the following costs (not including airfare and dana):

Registration

To register please follow instructions found here.

Home | Journeys | Who We Are | Letters | Writings | Projects | Contact

©2003 Elias Amidon & Rabia Elizabeth Roberts, The Boulder Institute