Abstract

This article delves into the intriguing phenomenon of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, which is gaining increasing attention in the Western world’s realm of religion and spirituality. Employing a cultural sociological lens, the study contextualizes pilgrims’ spirituality within the larger landscape of late modern spirituality. By juxtaposing pilgrims’ spiritual experiences with the well-defined tenets of the “religion of the heart,” a coherent cultural structure emerges, shedding light on the core attributes of late modern societies that shape these beliefs. Through a comprehensive analysis of thirty-two travelogue testimonies related to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, utilizing the framework of exceptional experiences (EEs) and their transformative aftereffects (TAs), this study scrutinizes the prevalence of these experiences during the pilgrimage and their enduring impact in the post-pilgrimage phase. Survey data from 501 pilgrims further enriches these insights. The study finds that pilgrims’ spirituality aligns with the nine established tenets of the “religion of the heart” while complementing the tenth and a novel eleventh tenet. Moreover, it highlights how the spirituality of pilgrims leads to a deep understanding of the self, which is a condition for sustaining trust through mutual disclosure and creating pure relationships with others. Significantly, this spirituality appears to be molded by the defining characteristics of late modern societies. These attributes impact the shaping of moral standards, religiosity, and spirituality that are distinctive to the late modern era. Notably, these factors contribute significantly to the growing popularity of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.