Many visitors to New Pilgrim Path ask about the significance of the breath-taking images of Skellig Michael on every page.
Just 500 years or so after Christ’s death and resurrection, the first monks arrived on Skellig Michael, an island in the Atlantic 12km (8 miles) from Ireland’s south west coast, lying at the very edge of the then known world. The monastery that they established in this inhospitable environment remains one of the most remarkable testaments to human faith on earth.
The island was the westernmost sacred site along a long line of ancient pilgrimage places running from Mount Carmel in Palestine through Greece, Italy and France to Ireland. However, Skellig Michael has risen to unexpected prominence globally as a location the massively in recent Star Wars” films. Ancient meets new!
Ancient meets new, too, in our 21st century pilgrimage. In bygone days, pilgrims typically stopped at holy sites along their way, to refresh themselves for the next stage of their journey. Today, our touch screens or keyboards can lead us on our path; websites can be the stopping points where we draw strength for our continued journey. Thus, images of the Skelligs seemed very appropriate for our website!