Berliners are rediscovering their faith outdoors through local pilgrimages

BERLIN (RNS) — A dozen walkers, many of them retirees in wool hats and fleece jackets, gathered in a silent circle in the Grunewald forest, just outside Berlin.

“Walk silently through nature and notice what you observe,” read Stephen Lemke, an adviser for senior citizens for the evangelical church in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough of Berlin, on a Wednesday in March. He leads these “silent pilgrimages” once a month for anyone interested in exploring the connection between religion, nature and self.

The group bowed their heads. “I hear the sound of the wind. I feel the sun on my skin. I enjoy the moment,” Lemke read. “But at the same time, I realize that this moment cannot be captured.”

After the meditation, they began an hourlong silent walk through the park.

Around Berlin, Christian pilgrimage walks led by various organizations are open to locals and visitors nearly every week. They aim to offer a way for people of all ages to engage with their faith — and community — without stepping foot in a church. Some are guided by pastors with an interest in the outdoors, while others are self-guided with stops at churches or other sacred sites, like the Spandau pilgrimage. Some last an hour, while others are multiweek expeditions.

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