Free at-home Christmas pilgrimage guide

To celebrate the Christmas season, Catholic pilgrimage company Verso Ministries has published “Christmas Around the World,” an at-home pilgrimage guide. Available as a free download on their website at www.versoministries.com/christmas. The 28-page e-book features Christmas traditions of eight different countries, including the West Bank, Italy, Philippines, France, South Africa, Mexico, Spain, and Portugal.

The “pilgrimage” is designed to take place during the Christmas Octave from Dec. 25-Jan. 1, 2021, although pilgrims can set their own pace and schedule. Each of the eight days highlights a different country and the Christmas traditions unique to that culture. In addition to an accompanying prayer or reflection, the itinerary includes a Christmas recipe from each country, as well as several family-friendly activities.

“In a time when international pilgrimages are on hold because of the pandemic, we wanted to offer people the opportunity to deepen their faith and discover the beauty of our Church’s traditions across borders. Our faith is shared but expressed in so many magnificent ways around the world, and a pilgrimage, even one from home, is the perfect way to explore this,” said Verso Founder and CEO John Paul Lichon. “This guide is both educational and spiritually-rich. We hope it’s enjoyed by many!”

Churches, schools, or organizations interested in sharing Christmas Around the World are welcome to direct people to www.versoministries.com/christmas. For a sample bulletin announcement or social media graphic, email Erin Bonin at [email protected].