In my first semester of grad school, I took a Latin reading seminar. Surprisingly, we were assigned the Vulgate translation of the Song of Songs to read aloud and translate as a group -- not something I would suggest! Let's just say it led to some awkward moments. Fortunately, my second semester had fewer episodes of embarrassment, but the assigned text held my attention no less. It was a travel account from a fourth century woman, recounting her steps as she wandered important Christian sites across the Levant. Therein we find ascetic monks and martyr's shrines, barren deserts and vibrant cities -- a boy choir even makes an appearance at one point. While this might sound like a fun holiday, Egeria is not on vacation but on pilgrimage. And her journey not only teaches us about the ancient church, but about embodied faith.
Life and Work
This work, sometimes called the Itinerarium Egeriae or Peregrinatio Egeriae, ultimately comes down to us in an incomplete manuscript, discovered in the late nineteenth century in Italy. Consequently, the true name, date, and author of the work cannot be identified with absolute certainty, though it is most likely written by a woman named Egeria, perhaps from Spain or Gaul, in the late fourth century. It appears she visited Jerusalem and the surrounding area between 381 and 384 A.D., writing about her travels to her 'sisters'. Whether this means she was a lay woman referring to her spiritual family or a nun written to members of her religious community remains unclear.
While some of Egeria's background is clouded by a dearth of historical evidence, her personality is not -- she is endlessly curious, energetic, and kind to those she encounters. For instance, she discusses her experience walking up Mt. Sinai:
"They (the mountains) are hard to climb. You do not go round and round them, spiraling up and gently, but straight at each as if you were going up a wall... Here then, impelled by Christ our God and assisted by the prayers of the holy men who accompanied us, we made the great effort of the climb... though I had to go on foot I was not conscious off the effort - in fact I hardly noticed it because, by God's will, I was seeing my hopes come true (Egeria, Travels, 3.1-2)."
Throughout the narrative, one is struck by the faith of this woman -- a driving force that producing charming and inspiring experiences like this. Yes, the hike is long and hard... but her desire to see the place of God overshadows the pain of her trek!
Embodied Faith
Egeria is an outsider to the world of the biblical text. As the bishop of Edessa remarks, "My daughter, I can see what a long journey this is on which your faith has brought you - right from the other end of the earth" (Egeria, Travels 19.5). She, thus, spends much of her time exploring places found in the Old Testament: where Elijah meets God outside the cave (1 Kings 19), the miraculous spring in the desert that saved the Israelites from terminal dehydration (Exodus 17), and the burning bush (Exodus 3). This impulse to travel to the world of the Scriptures is not new though. Melito of Sardis in the 2 century already desired to visit "the place where these things were proclaimed and done" (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History IV.26.14), and other 3 century theologians such as Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem traveled throughout the region. Further, many other pilgrims are encountered on Egeria's way, with a whole industry set up around the practice. But with any travel industry, there comes hearsay and fantastical stories. Part of Egeria's goal is to discern truth from myth, marketing from reality. In one instance, she seeks out the pillar of salt formerly known as Lot's wife from Genesis 19 -- apparently their community had been told the pillar was still standing. She writes, after traveling along the Dead Sea "Believe me, venerable ladies that the column itself is not visible now, only the place itself is shown; the column itself is said to have been covered by the Dead Sea" (Egeria, Travels 7.3).
Oddly, about half of the narrative is dedicated to the liturgy in Jerusalem, the "daily services they have in the holy places" (Egeria, Travels 24.1). Egeria discusses the hymns, the actions of the priest, even the lighting of the church. Why the change in focus? At the root of both of these emphases is a shared dedication to historical particularities and embodied practice -- to the veracity of these biblical events and the Christian faith as something to witness and participate in. Egeria goes to these places, not as a tourist, but as a pilgrim, a participant, not a bystander. It is even possible that she was baptized during her time in Jerusalem. This is why the bodily senses feature so heavily in Egeria's narrative -- she describes how holy sites look, feel, and smell. God's actions in the world are not simply stories to be comprehended, but realities to marvel in.
Pilgrimage
For most of us, we live as outsiders to the world of the Scriptures -- these historical accounts. Egeria is a wonderful example for how we might enter into this world, both in content and orientation. In content, she provides a wealth of information about the ancient Church and the levant in late antiquity that would be otherwise lost. On orientation, she demonstrates that studying history in the ancient near east is not simply an intellectual exercise to contextualize and understand the Bible more robustly, though it can certainly include this. To study God's activity in the world in particular places and particular times is a spiritual exercise -- one that includes body, soul, and mind.
At the time of this post, it is not possible to enter many of the places that Egeria records due to political turmoil and war. But this church mother is also insightful, here. Her narrative allows her sisters to vicariously experience this world, a source of joy and encouragement. As she listens to the words of Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem, so too does her audience. As she (skeptically) views the final resting place of Moses on Mt. Nebo, so her sisters can. In other words, pilgrimage is communal -- something we can participate in from afar. We enter pilgrimage by studying God's word, worshiping in community, and listening to and with those who have entered these physical spaces. In this sense, Egeria -- our Church Mother -- is inviting us on pilgrimage with her, even today.
Further Resources
Primary Sources: Egeria's diary has been translated into English several times -- I have listed a recent translation and another that is accessible virtually for free. Further, I have also included a link to the Latin critical edition, if you are wanting to dive down the rabbit hole!
The most recent translation by Paul Bradshaw has the Latin and English in parallel, though it comes with a price tag.
John Wilkinson's translation is accessible online, has an extensive introduction, and some supporting documents. I used Wilkinson's translation in this post.
Secondary Sources: There is an extensive body of scholarship on the Itinerarium Egeriae, of which I will only list a few important sources. Further, I have included a few recent works that can provide insight into recent focus on Egeria and her work.