Location
Monserrat
Start Date
25-6-2026 3:30 PM
End Date
25-6-2026 4:30 PM
Description
A buffer zone between Portugal´s only national park and the more populated towns is comprised of mountain landscape with rich and abundant, generally well-preserved religious heritage. Moreover, a common spiritual practice among mountain communities is the act of pilgrimage to certain sacred sites, particularly during the annual ceremony. The honouring of the local patron saint is rooted in a community´s way of life and serves an important role in preserving the local cultural heritage, with elders playing a decisive role in preserving and transmitting this sacred knowledge to younger members of the community. Such ceremonies attract diverse types of participants, based on sacred as well as secular motivations. However, in recent years there has been a decrease in the number of pilgrims and offerings, making it difficult to manage and maintain the religious heritage. While the sacred sites have traditionally attracted visitors from surrounding parishes, there has not been much attention to attracting a wider spectrum of visitors and thus additional spending.
The aim of this paper is twofold: to provide an understanding of the interrelation between religion, identity and attachment to community sacred places and to propose regenerative strategies in a tourism context to revitalize those places. The study adopts a qualitative, exploratory research approach based on a human-centered method where the wellbeing of the communities is prioritized. Overall, the research discloses the vital role of strong community engagement and bottom-up governance structure for creating inspirational pilgrimages interconnected with the religious heritage sites.
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Included in
F2) Sacred Spaces and Mountain Communities: Regenerative Strategies in a Tourism Context
Monserrat
A buffer zone between Portugal´s only national park and the more populated towns is comprised of mountain landscape with rich and abundant, generally well-preserved religious heritage. Moreover, a common spiritual practice among mountain communities is the act of pilgrimage to certain sacred sites, particularly during the annual ceremony. The honouring of the local patron saint is rooted in a community´s way of life and serves an important role in preserving the local cultural heritage, with elders playing a decisive role in preserving and transmitting this sacred knowledge to younger members of the community. Such ceremonies attract diverse types of participants, based on sacred as well as secular motivations. However, in recent years there has been a decrease in the number of pilgrims and offerings, making it difficult to manage and maintain the religious heritage. While the sacred sites have traditionally attracted visitors from surrounding parishes, there has not been much attention to attracting a wider spectrum of visitors and thus additional spending.
The aim of this paper is twofold: to provide an understanding of the interrelation between religion, identity and attachment to community sacred places and to propose regenerative strategies in a tourism context to revitalize those places. The study adopts a qualitative, exploratory research approach based on a human-centered method where the wellbeing of the communities is prioritized. Overall, the research discloses the vital role of strong community engagement and bottom-up governance structure for creating inspirational pilgrimages interconnected with the religious heritage sites.