Since 1823, millions of pilgrims have gone to the icon of the Virgin Mary on their knees to ask for a miracle. Despite the streams of people, there are no tourist castles here. The Orthodox Church owns large parts of the island and has severely restricted the development of pubs and hotels. Critical voices nevertheless describe the pilgrimage as a moneymaking exercise, as the pilgrims not only make the sacrifice of the arduous journey to the church, but often also leave a gift, a valuable offering, as a request or thank you. Didn’t Jesus himself chase the businessmen out of the temple?
Against this background, the question arises as to what extent such ambivalences between pious and economic orientation become publicly visible? And where do the temptations of modernity manifest themselves in this pious context?
Sevrina Giard
