Lesson twelve - pages 24/25 Pilgrim journey

Aim for the book

To explore real and visionary journeys encountered in life.

Learning objectives

• To know what a pilgrim is.
• To be able to read and spell the key words.
• To understand that a pilgrimage has a purpose.

Key words

• Pilgrim
• Journey
• Purpose
• Guide
• Star
• Gift
• Travel
• Pray
• Saint

Background

The pilgrim on a journey is an evocative image for all Christians. The picture captures the journey of the Wise Men. The Magi, or Wise Men, are not Jews; they have not read the Jewish scriptures: they have their own ways of making sense of the world. The gospel writer is showing that Jesus is Lord of all; his birth is not just prophesied in the Jewish scriptures, it is recognized by Jew and non-Jew as a cosmic event. For Matthew, all people need to come on pilgrimage and kneed down before their King (the infant Jesus) and worship. Just as the Wise Men come on a pilgrimage so Christians through the centuries have made pilgrimages to express their faith in Jesus.

Bible reference

Matthew 2.1-2

Activity one - the wise men journey to find Jesus

• You will need
  Three wrapped parcels as gifts.
  A map of the heavens.
  A star template.
  Paper, scissors and pens.
• Start
  Show each parcel. Let the children try to guess from the shape what it might be. Ask what they think it is for. Why is it wrapped?
  Why do they think there are three?
• Develop
  Tell the story of the journey of the three kings
  Long ago a bright star appeared in the sky. Some very wise men who studied the stars got out their books. (Show star map and ask for comments. Hopefully they will notice just how many stars there are.)
  They wise men found that the bright star had brought them a message - the Messiah had been born. They decided to go and find him and made preparations.
  'We must take presents with us fit for a king' they said, and chose gold, frankincense and myrrh. Each night they followed the star that shone brightly in the East. When they reached Jerusalem they went to the palace of King Herod expecting to find the new baby king there but Herod knew nothing about a baby.
  They journeyed on to Bethlehem, still following the guiding star that led them on. They were so surprised when the star stopped over a small, simple house and they found a family with a young baby. They knew this baby was the king they had been travelling to see and they knelt before him and gave him their presents. It had been a long journey but the star had guided them safely there.
• End
  Discuss: Why did they need the star and what would we use today to show us the way to somewhere?
  Why was this baby so special?
  Cut out a star from a template and write 'Jesus' on one side of it.

Activity two - a journey with a purpose

• You will need
  Drawing materials.
  A black or whiteboard.
• Start
  Ask the children to remember when they went to visit the doctor or the dentist. Did they make any preparations?
• Develop
  Let the children imagine they are going shopping for food for their hamster.
  What plans need to be made?
  Make a list on the board. For example:
  dress in outdoor clothes;
  collect shopping bags and money;
  travel by car, bus or walk;
  in the shop, find the right food;
  pay for the shopping;
  travel home;
  give the hamster some food.
  Ask the children to draw a picture of this journey, making sure the stages are in the right order.
• End
  Why did they go to the shops? When we go on a journey is there always a reason for going?

Activity three - the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

• You will need
  Walking stick.
  Backpack.
  Ordinance Survey map.
  Picture of a pilgrim.
  Map of Spain.
  Writing and drawing materials.
• Start
  Talk about setting out for a long walk. What preparations do you make?
  As the children make suggestions of what to take, produce the items if you can and pack them in the rucksack.
  For example: chocolate, map, plasters, water in bottle, picnic food, kagoule, compass.
  Why might you need a walking stick?
• Develop
  Tell the children about St James.
  St James was one of Jesus' 12 apostles. After the death of Jesus he travelled to Spain, where he spent several years teaching and preaching. He returned to Jerusalem, and after he was beheaded by Herod , his followers took his body back to Spain. St James's body was then buried in a tomb on a hillside where it lay forgotten for 750 years.
  Early in the ninth century, Pelagius, a hermit, had a vision in which he saw a strange light like a very large bright star, shining over a deserted spot in the hills. When the tomb was found there, Alfonso II ordered a church to be built on the site and declared St James to be the Patron Saint of Spain.
  News soon spread and pilgrimages began bringing wealth to the area. Another church was built and this was gradually increased in size and splendour to become the beautiful cathedral of today.
  Explain why people travelled to his tomb.
  A pilgrim believed that places and objects helped them get nearer to God. They journeyed to pay respect out of love, duty, fear or to ask a favour of God.
  Explain that today many pilgrims still come from all over the world.
  This is a very popular modern pilgrimage with several thousand people walking the way every year. Many different nationalities travel. Making a pilgrimage is hard. The way is long (800km from France to Santiago), and the paths often rough. This pilgrimage takes about one month with overnight stops in old monasteries, inns and village homes along the way.
  What do the children think pilgrims do when they get to Santiago?
  Think of:
  practical things: rest, sleep, wash, tend their feet
  spiritual things: thanksgiving, worship, prayer.
• End
  Get the children to copy:
  'A pilgrim is a person who travels to visit a holy place.'
  With the picture as a guide, ask them to draw a pilgrim.
• Assessment opportunities
  Make a double set of the key words. Get the children to match the words and read them.
  Write out the story of the three Kings (Magi), leaving gaps to be filled in.
  In groups, the children could act out a pilgrimage. Note carefully if they have a clear purpose.

Web site links

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/gentile_da_fabriano.html?noframe

The definitive web page for accessing information on the artist. There are links to the main museum web sites that hold his work (including J Paul Getty Museum, National Gallery and the Uffizi), image archives and articles.

Activity checklist

Activity one - the wise men journey to find Jesus

Three wrapped parcels as gifts.
A map of the heavens.
A star template.
Paper, scissors and pens

Activity two - a journey with a purpose

Drawing materials.
A black or whiteboard.

Activity three - the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

Walking stick.
Back pack.
Ordinance Survey map.
Picture of a pilgrim.
Map of Spain.
Writing and drawing materials.

© Jean Harrison