Dove Family-Approved
Pilgrimages Of Europe DVD Vol 6
This DVD features two half-hour documentaries and ten previews. Pilgrimages are as old as mankind. The mystical and spiritual nature of a pilgrimage holds an eternal, mythic appeal to the imagination of many people. Every year millions of pilgrims of all nationalities, young and old, set out on these voyages of the soul. The twelve documentaries in the Pilgrimages of Europe collection are experiential journeys to some of the most sacred routes and holy places throughout Christian Europe. Each half-hour documentary, richly filmed, looks at the spiritual, cultural and historical background of an important pilgrimage sites throughout Europe. However, the people, the pilgrims themselves, are at the heart of these stories - their purposes and desires, their motivations, and the great sense of the holy and the sacred which they find on their journeys of faith.
KEVELAER
Hendrik Busman, a merchant, knelt in prayer one day beside the wayside shrine just outside of Kevelaer. Suddenly he heard a mysterious voice asking him to build a little chapel on the spot. This occurrence was repeated twice. In the same year Hendrik’s wife Mechel was offered to buy a picture of Our Lady of Luxembourg. Shortly afterwards, Mechel had a vision during the night: in a clear light, she saw a little chapel with the very same picture inside. When Hendrik Busman learned of this, he hesitated no longer. The little chapel was built in May 1642 and the image of mercy placed inside. The first pilgrims came to Kevelaer that same day. An annual tradition, said to date from the year 1733, is the walk from Bocholt to Kevelaer. Men and women of all ages travel the 30 miles in one day. About a thousand people take part in this pilgrimage every year.
MEDJUGORJE
On June 24th, 1981, two young girls hiked up the mountain behind their house in search of sheep, in the small village of Medjugorje, in former Yugoslavia. Suddenly they were overcome by a huge display of light and color, and the Virgin Mary appeared before them. Shocked and fearful, they ran back down the mountain to fetch their friends. Six youngsters then returned to the mountain where they witnessed the apparition once again. Medjugorje is in that part of Yugoslavia now called Bosnia-Hercegovina, a region destroyed by the civil war. It is a miracle that the village itself is still intact, without doubt a sign of Mary’s continual presence, and of her message of peace. Pilgrims now come here from every corner of the globe. Vicka, one of the children to whom the Virgin appeared, still lives in one of the hamlets near Medjugorje, and several times a week she emerges from her home to address the pilgrims.
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Reviews »
"This film includes many pilgrimages across Europe besides Amsterdam. Those included are Belgium, Bosnia, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, and Spain. The history surrounding each of the pilgrimages is very interesting. The narration and translation of each country is good." - Dove Foundation
"The videos are wonderfully done and I was most impressed with each of them. Several were destinations of which I personally knew nothing and most enjoyed the learning experience. Of particular interest and of most value for my intended use was the emphasis on ‘pilgrimage’ ...most impressive and effective. I find in particular the focus on individual pilgrims making the journey to the various sites very moving and helpful.
"These are the finest set of pilgrimage videos I have encountered in my long career in the pilgrimage profession. Government tourist offices produced many of the others I have reviewed and they could learn much from the style of your videos. The length of these videos (20 – 30 minutes) is perfect for our leaders presenting to their prospective pilgrims at meetings. I recommend this series wholeheartedly to our pilgrimage leaders and our pilgrims as well." - Bob Faucett, Director of Religious Tours, Unitours
"This is a nice, tidy videotape, and, if the others in the series follow this format and achieve the same quality standard, it would be a wonderful addition to libraries with collections of travel tapes or those interested in religious topics, that is, libraries of seminaries and Catholic colleges and universities. Travel agencies and tourism organizations, as well as collections in individual Catholic churches, might also be interested in acquiring it, as might universities with religious area studies programs.
"Going on pilgrimage is a growing area of interest lately in the worldwide travel business. It’s not simply for adherents of a particular religion. True, only Muslims are allowed to go to Mecca, but these European odysseys are not restricted to Roman Catholics alone. They are of interest to, and open to, many others. This tape gives an excellent look at what this particular pilgrimage entails; if the others do as well, this will be a valuable series. The photography is professional and the tape just long enough to introduce the site, whet the appetite (whether for the armchair or the actual traveler), and learn a few key facts. Recommended. "- Educational Media Reviews Online
"Pilgrimages of Europe is a new and outstanding series from Janson Media, which is comprised of superbly, produced documentaries showcasing twelve specific pilgrimages hallowed by generations of Christians throughout the expanse of Western Europe. The filming is wonderfully enhanced with the testaments of contemporary pilgrims traveling the sometimes centuries old routes and who find themselves able to stand upon holy ground and pray at revered shrines. This series is truly memorable, informative, and enthusiastically recommended."-Video Librarian
