A Pilgrimage to Eternity : From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith

Following an ancient pilgrimage route a thousand miles from Canterbury to Rome, the bestselling and award-winning writer weaves history and culture into an exploration of why Christianity is struggling in the world it created At a time when Britain, America, and much of Europe have never been so secular, Timothy Egan sets out on a thousand-mile pilgrimage along an ancient route, through the theological cradle of Christianity, to explore one of the biggest stories of our time: the collapse of religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval route for the devout to Rome, and follows the course described by Sigeric the Serious, Archbishop of Canterbury, when he walked through Europe to see the pope in the year 990. Traveling a landscape laced with some of the most important shrines in Christian history, Egan brings us into the chapel where Queen Bertha introduced Christianity to pagan Britain; visits a French town built on miracles; and journeys to the oldest abbey in the western world, founded in 515 and home to continuous prayer over the 1,500 years that followed. He is accompanied by fellow pilgrims and by the towering figures of the faith-Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. The goal: walking to Saint Peter's Square over the old Roman road, in hopes of meeting the pope who is struggling to hold together the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics. A thrilling adventure and revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God. "What a wondrous work! This beautifully written and totally clear-eyed account of his pilgrimage will have you wondering whether we should all embark on such a journey, either of the body, the soul or, as in Egan's case, both." ?Cokie Roberts "If this book doesn't quite settle the question of belief for you, it will at least fortify your faith in scrupulous reporting and captivating storytelling...Reading it, you feel yourself in the presence of goodness ? the kind you might simply have to decide to believe in." ?The New York Times One of Oprah 's Must-Read Books of Fall 2019 Moved by his mother's death and his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church, Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers to force a reckoning with his own beliefs. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity, exploring one of the biggest stories of our time: the collapse of religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and makes his way overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium. Making his way through a landscape laced with some of the most important shrines to the faith, Egan finds a modern Canterbury Tale in the chapel where Queen Bertha introduced Christianity to pagan Britain; parses the supernatural in a French town built on miracles; and journeys to the oldest abbey in the Western world, founded in 515 and home to continuous prayer over the 1,500 years that have followed. He is accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith?Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God From "the world's greatest tour guide," a deeply-researched, captivating journey through the rich history of Christianity and the winding paths of the French and Italian countryside that will feed mind, body, and soul ( New York Times ). "What a wondrous work! This beautifully written and totally clear-eyed account of his pilgrimage will have you wondering whether we should all embark on such a journey, either of the body, the soul or, as in Egan's case, both." —Cokie Roberts "Egan draws us in, making us feel frozen in the snow-covered Alps, joyful in valleys of trees with low-hanging fruit, skeptical of the relics of embalmed saints and hopeful for the healing of his encrusted toes, so worn and weathered from their walk."— The Washington Post Moved by his mother's death and his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church, Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers to force a reckoning with his own beliefs. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity to explore the religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and travels overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy, accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith—Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium. A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God. Moved by his mother's death and his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church, Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers to force a reckoning with his own beliefs. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity, exploring one of the biggest stories of our time: the collapse of religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and makes his way overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium. Making his way through a landscape laced with some of the most important shrines to the faith, Egan finds a modern Canterbury Tale in the chapel where Queen Bertha introduced Christianity to pagan Britain; parses the supernatural in a French town built on miracles; and journeys to the oldest abbey in the Western world, founded in 515 and home to continuous prayer over the 1,500 years that have followed. He is accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith--Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God. One of Oprah 's Must-Read Books of Fall 2019 At a time when Britain, America, and much of Europe have never been so secular--and when his mother's death and his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church prompted a reckoning with his own beliefs -- Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity, to explore one of the biggest stories of our time: the collapse of religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and makes his way overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium. Making his way through a landscape laced with some of the most important shrines to the faith, Egan finds a modern Canterbury Tale in the chapel where Queen Bertha introduced Christianity to pagan Britain; parses the supernatural in a French town built on miracles; and journeys to the oldest abbey in the Western world, founded in 515 and home to continuous prayer over the 1,500 years that have followed. He is accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith--Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther Following An Ancient Pilgrimage Route A Thousand Miles From Canterbury To Rome, The Bestselling And Award-winning Writer Weaves History And Culture Into An Exploration Of Why Christianity Is Struggling In The World It Created. He Is Accompanied By Fellow Pilgrims And By The Towering Figures Of The Faith: Joan Of Arc, Henry Viii, Martin Luther. The Goal: Walking To Saint Peter's Square Over The Old Roman Road, In Hopes Of Meeting The Pope Who Is Struggling To Hold Together The World's 1.3 Billion Roman Catholics.