St.

Peter’s College
Cambridge International
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

Year 11
Divinity (0490)
World Religions: Islam, Judaism and Christianity

Christianity
Book 3: Festivals, Fasts and Pilgrimages

Name __________________________________________________________
Contents
1. Special Days and Pilgrimages ..................................................................................................... 2
2. Advent ......................................................................................................................................... 3
3. Christmas and Epiphany .............................................................................................................. 5
4.Sunday .......................................................................................................................................... 8
5. Saints’ days ................................................................................................................................ 10
5. Lent ............................................................................................................................................ 11
6. Holy Week ................................................................................................................................. 12
8. Pilgrimage - Israel and Lourdes ................................................................................................ 19
9. Pilgrimage – Hokianga and Jerusalem, NZ ............................................................................... 24
7. Key Words ................................................................................................................................. 30
8. Past Exam Questions ................................................................................................................. 31

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1. Special Days and Pilgrimages

Most religions celebrate certain special days of the year which have a significant religious
connection. Most religions have pilgrimage sites. Both tell us about the founding, history and
beliefs of the religions. What are the special days and pilgrimage sites of Christianity?

Christianity holds the following festivals and pilgrimages sacred:

• Advent is the preparation period before
• Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem
• Lent is a preparation period of 40 days for Easter
• Holy Thursday: commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus and the apostles
• Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus
• Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ
• Sundays, the day Jesus rose from the dead. Christians celebrate by observing a day of
rest and attending church
• Saints’ Days these are days given to different Saints so that Christians can learn about
the life of the saint being remembered
• Places of pilgrimage are special religious journeys that Christians travel on as an
opportunity for self-reflection and to understand the religious significance of why that
place is important for Christianity.

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2. Advent

2.1 What does the word Advent mean?

The word Advent mean ‘coming’. It begins 4 Sundays
before Christmas Day and is a time when Christians
reflect on and prepare themselves spiritually for
Christmas.

2.2 Advent
During the 4 weeks of Advent Christians focus on
Jesus coming as a baby and to his promised return at
the end of time to judge everyone. This is called the
Second Coming.

At Church, Bible readings and services all focus on the

whole story of Christian belief about Jesus. These
services often start with the story of Adam and Eve and
the Fall, from Genesis 3 and end with the passage in St
John’s Gospel which describes the incarnation, how the
word of God was ‘made flesh’ in the coming of Jesus
(John 1:1-14).

Many church put on Nativity plays and even set up a Nativity scene with models of Mary,
Joseph, the 3 Kings etc. in the Church. St. Benedict’s in Grafton is one example of a Church that
displays the Nativity in Auckland. (See picture below)

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2.3 Symbols of Advent
The most obviously symbol of Advent is a calendar but other than counting down the days to
Christmas this has no religious significance, especially if it’s a shop bought chocolate one!
Advent candles are religiously significant as they are often placed in the window of Christian
homes to spread the light of Jesus into the darkness outside.
Advent wreaths are often made with holly and evergreen leaves, see the images below to see
what each item on an advent wreath represents.

The Scandinavian custom of a Christingle has also been adopted by some churches. This is when
every child is given an orange with a red ribbon tied around it to symbolizes the blood of Jesus
and God’s love encircling the world.

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3. Christmas and Epiphany

3.1 The date of Christmas

Christmas celebrates the birthday of Jesus. Christmas Day (originally Christ’s Mass Day) is
celebrated on December 25th by most denominations, except the Orthodox Church who celebrate
it on January 7th. The Bible doesn’t record the date of Jesus’ birth and the Gospel writers were
far more concerned with the significance and importance of Jesus’ birth rather than the actual
date. Scholars think Christians adapted an already existing Roman festival that was celebrated on
December 25th.

3.2 The Nativity

The story of Jesus’ birth is set in a stable in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph have travelled back to
Bethlehem to sign the census, as night has fallen Mary and Joseph need to find a place to stay but
it is a very busy time as so many people have returned to their hometowns to sign this important
document. Mary and Joseph find safety and warmth in a stable, when Jesus is born he is placed
in a manager (a place where straw is kept for animals to eat out of). This symbolises the
lowliness and simplicity of Jesus’ birth.
Jesus is visited by shepherds, who are ordinary people from the hillsides near Bethlehem, later he
is visited by 3 Kings from the East. This emphasis his future ability to help be amongst the
ordinary people yet be from the royal line of David.

3.3 Christmas Day

As a celebration churches are decorated in white and gold.
Christmas begins at midnight with a Mass on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning many
Christians go to church and many churches have special Christmas family services.
Many Christians try to express the spirit of Christmas by helping others. They may spend time
helping to provide a meal for elderly or homeless people. They do this because they believe they
are following the teachings of Jesus to care for people who are in need.

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The giving of presents has a religious significance as it reminds Christians of the 3 gifts the 3
Kings gave to Christians but over the years the gifts, given at Christmas have become more
extravagant and materialistic. Millions of dollars are spent on unnecessary items, many
Christians give one or two gifts to their family and donate money that would have been spent on
gifts to the poor.

Christmas trees and decorating your house with lights, signs and Santa’s have no religious
significance at all and have become incorporated into Christmas as society has adopted
Scandinavian ideas and images.

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3.4 Epiphany
12 days after Christmas Day is the festival of Epiphany or ‘Twelfth Night”, this marks the end of
the Christmas period. Traditionally all decorations and Christmas trees are to be taken down
before this day.

Epiphany is a Greek word meaning ‘displaying’ or revealing. It is seen by Christians as a time to

celebrate the occasions when Jesus’ identity as Saviour was made known. There are 3 such
events:
1. The showing of Jesus to the 3 Wise Men (Magi) (Matthew 2:1-12)
2. The first miracle Jesus conducted when he transformed water into wine (John 2:1-11)
3. The baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. (Matthew 3:13-17)
Each of these occasions Jesus was marked out as special in some way.

During Epiphany Christian remember and celebrate the 3 Wise Men (Magi) visiting Jesus with
their gifts. The 3 Kings came from the east and were the first Gentiles to visit Jesus and the
identity and purpose of Jesus was revealed to them. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh
as gifts, these represent kingship, the priesthood and suffering.

Not all Christian celebrate Epiphany but those who do attend Mass, read relevant Bible passages
and decorate the church in white, recognizing the importance of Jesus.

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 4. Sunday

4.1 Why is Sunday special?

The name Sunday comes from the Romans and
Greeks calling the first day of the week after the Sun
god.
In Judaism Sunday is the first day of the week, this is
due to the story of creation in the book of Genesis
informing how God created the world in six days and
rested on the seventh day. The seventh day, of course,
is Saturday, and this is the Sabbath, the Jewish day of
rest which Jews celebrate in obedience to the
commandment in Exodus 20.

At first Christians celebrated both days: rest on the

Sabbath and breaking bread on Sunday in
commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection. But as more
and more Gentiles entered the Church, the Jewish
Sabbath observation declined, and the Sunday
celebration increased. Finally, in 321 Emperor
Constantine decreed that Sunday be a day of rest throughout the Roman Empire. Many
Christians refer to Sunday as the Lord’s Day.

4.2 How do Christians celebrate on Sundays?

Early Christians met together to break bread on the first day of the week, recalling the day of the
resurrection. (Acts 20:7) Most Christians believe Sunday is a day for attending church services.
If people cannot attend church then often they will spend time reading the Bible, praying,
listening to church services on the tv or radio.

Many denominations differ on what else you

should do on a Sunday, besides Church.
Roman Catholics think that the day should
be spent relaxing, playing sport, developing
hobbies and interests and enjoying yourself.
Most other Christians think they can do
what they like on this day but try and keep it
different from the other days of the week.
One easy way of doing this is not to work.

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 4.3 The Eucharist

Eucharist was taught in Book 1 under the topic of Worship, please note it is also important here
as a religious service conducted at Church on a Sunday

4.4 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Christianity refers to the time

during autumn when farmers traditionally brought
in the crops that supplied their community
through the year. Although our food today is more
likely to come from the supermarket, Christians
believe it is still important to remember God as
creator and thank Him for the good things He
provides.

Many churches do this annually at a Harvest

Thanksgiving service. At this service, members of the congregation might bring gifts of food
and flowers to decorate the church building as a sign of their thanks to God. These gifts may
later be taken to needy or elderly people in the neighbourhood.

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5.Saints’ days

5.1 What is a Saint?

A saint describes a Christian who has led a particularly
good and holy life, giving people an insight into God’s
character. A saint is a role model for other Christians to
imitate in their lives.

5.2 Why are Saints important?

Roman Catholics especially believe that saints can be
prayed to and asked to intercede (speak on behalf of
someone) to God. The Apostles’ Creed refers to the
communion of saints. The Bible calls all Christians
saints because they have been sanctified or made holy
when they became Christians.

5.3 What are Saints’ Days?

Saints Days are an opportunity to learn about the life of
the saint being remembered. St Peter’s Saints Day is June 29th.

5.4 Iconography
Iconography is a very special type of art. They are paintings of
saints drawn in a way that shows something about their
personality, for example saints are always shown with small
mouths as a symbol of pain and fear. In the Orthodox Church
they use icons of saints.

5.5 All Saints’ Day

This day is on November 1st and is an opportunity to
remember all saints. All Soul’s Day is November 2nd
and it is traditional to visit cemeteries and place flowers
on the graves of loved ones.

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 5. Lent

6.1 What is Lent?

Lent is a period of preparation for Easter, is lasts 40 days, not including Sundays. Lent begins the
day on Ash Wednesday and finishes on Easter Sunday morning.
In the New Zealand, the day before Ash Wednesday is better known as Pancake Day. For
Christians this means enjoying sweet pancakes before beginning Lent.
Lent involves giving up something, like meat, chocolate, alcohol, cheese etc. It reminds
Christians of the 40 days in which Jesus was in the desert being tests by the devil. Christians use
this time as a test of their own endurance to keep the fast.

6.2 Important days in Lent

As referred to above, Lent reminds Christians of Jesus’ time of temptation and fasting in the
desert which lasted for 40 days and nights as well as the Hebrews’ 40 years in the desert after
Moses freed them from slavery in Egypt. Christians believe that by copying Jesus’ example they
can become better Christians. By eating less, fasting at certain times or giving up their favourite
food they will have more time to focus and think about their faith, to read the Bible and pray.

6.3 Why is Lent important to Christians?

Lent is important as it teaches self-discipline and stronger willed at resisting all types of
temptation. They appreciate all the things they do have and become aware of other people’s
needs.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. In the Bible if you were sorry for something you had done you
would wear sackcloth and put ashes on your head, so everyone could see you meant it. Today
Roman Catholics ad many members of the Church of England to go church where the priest will
burn last year’s Palm Sunday crosses and use the ash to put a mark on a person’s forehead. There
might also be a Mass or Holy Communion. The church is decorated in purple.

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 6. Holy Week

6.1 What is Holy Week?

Lent is a time of preparation before Easter, which lasts 40 days. The last 8 days of Lent is called
Holy Week.

7.2 Why is Holy Week important for Christians?

This “week” allows Christians to reflect on the events from Jesus’ Triumphant entry into
Jerusalem on Psalm Sunday, through the last Supper on Holy Thursday, until his death and
resurrection on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Christians attend Church services throughout
the week. They experience a wide range of emotions from deep sadness to great joy as the week
unfolds.

7.3 What happened during Holy Week?

Holy Week begins on Psalm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. Information regarding the
events of Holy Week are recorded in the Gospels. Each Gospel author comes with different
perspectives, draws on different sources and so their accounts of the events differ in many ways,
but we can still create a timeline of events:

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7.4 How is Holy Week observed?

Christians try to relive the events of the last week in the life of Jesus to try and understand his
suffering, death and resurrection more deeply.
The days of Holy Week are:
Palm Sunday – The Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem
Monday – Jesus preached in the Temple and over
turned the tables in Righteous Anger
Tuesday – Jesus preached at the Mount of Olives
Wednesday – Silent Wednesday
Maundy Thursday – The Last Supper
Good Friday – Jesus’ death
Saturday – Jewish Sabbath, a day of rest
Easter Sunday – Jesus’ resurrection

Palm Sunday
Christians remember the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as the Davidic Messiah. Like
King David 1000 years earlier, Jesus rode triumphantly on a donkey into the city and was met by
cheering crowds waving palm leaves shouting “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel! (John 12:13).

In some towns and villages today, there is a procession through the streets to the church, with a
donkey ridden by a child dressed as Jesus. Palm crosses are given to worshippers during this
service. It is these crosses which are burnt and used in the next year’s Ash Wednesday.

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Maundy Thursday
This is the day of the Last Supper and so is considered as one of the most solemn of the year. A
special Eucharist service to remember the Last Supper is observed. This meal, a celebration of
the Jewish Passover was the last meal Jesus ate with
his Disciples.

At the meal Jesus took items eaten and drunk at

Passover and gave them a new meaning, a meaning
which would have a deep Christian link, and which
would form the basis of the service of Holy
Communion. This is how Matthew (26:26-28) records
it:
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While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke
it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
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Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink
from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for
the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus instructed his followers to “do this in memory of

me”.

Also, at the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of the

disciples to show them how to be humble and serve
each other. In some churches the priest or minister re-
enacts this by washing the feet of the congregation.

Good Friday
After Jesus received 4 trials and was condemned to death by crucifixion, he walked throughout
Jerusalem carrying a large cross. This journey along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem is shown in
Church by the 14 stations of the cross, see the picture below:

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Many Christians visit Jerusalem during Holy Week and re-enact the last hours of Jesus life. An
actor will portray Jesus carrying a cross to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.
In many churches special services are held to help Christian reflect deeply on the crucifixion and
death of Jesus. The service is called a Vigil and begins at 12 noon and lasts for 3 hours. Hymns
about Jesus’ death maybe sung, the Gospel accounts of Jesus death will be read and time in
prayer and meditation are expected.

In the Roman Catholic faith, the congregation will make a pilgrimage around their church
visiting the 14 stations of the cross. At each Station a prayer is said, Christians really make sure
they use this as an opportunity to think “who was Jesus to me”.

After Jesus was crucified his body was taken down from the cross and placed into the tomb of
joseph of Arimathea. As the next day was the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest when no work is
permitted, no one revisited the tomb until the Sunday (Easter Sunday)

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7.5 What happened on Easter Sunday morning?

Christians believe that on Easter Sunday, the third day after Jesus’ crucified body was placed in
the tomb he rose from the dead and was seen by and talked with some of this friends and
disciples. This event is called the resurrection and is a significant event in Christianity.

7.6 How to Christians celebrate Easter Sunday?

On the Saturday Christians prepare by cleaning the church. Many churches have a miniature
Easter garden made by the children of the congregation with a model lamb of Jesus with the
stone rolled away.

Easter Sunday is the important day of the Christian calendar. On this day the feelings of sadness
and loss associated with the events of the week are transformed into joy as Christians celebrate
the resurrection of Jesus.

A vigil maybe kept quietly in the church throughout the night and a sunrise service held in the
morning. The churches are decorated in white and gold, with lots of lights used. Churches are
decorated with Spring flowers as a symbol of new life. Hot cross buns are eaten, and Easter eggs
painted, the chocolate variety is a modern materialistic version on the same idea.

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In Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, the celebrations begin just
before midnight as people go outside, leaving the church in darkness.
The congregation waits outside, and a great cry goes up: ‘Christ is
risen!’. The doors of the Church are opened, and everyone lights
lamps and candles passing them to each other, bringing light into the
darkened church. A large candle called the Paschal candle is carried
through the church, a symbol of the light of the risen Jesus shining in
the darkness and the triumph of life over death. Then the first Easter
Communion is celebrated.

7.7 What is Ascension Day?

After appearing to some of his friends and disciples (resurrection), for 40 days Jesus then
continued to appear to different groups of people before ascending back into Heaven. This is
called Ascension Day. We can read the events of Ascension Day in Acts 1:8-9 “But when the
Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me
in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. After saying this, he
was taken up to heaven as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Jesus’ Disciples were worried and confused about what to do next, they spent much of the time
after Jesus’ Ascension in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem. They prayed and waited as
Jesus had told them too.

Before his ascension Jesus promised that the disciples would receive the power of the Holy
Spirit. This happened on the day Christians now call Pentecost, but at the time was the Jewish
festival of Shavuot, a celebration of harvest and the giving of the Laws of Moses. As we know
the receiving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a powerful one and it changed the disc

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7.8 What is Pentecost?

Pentecost is day when the disciples of Jesus received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Spirit is described as a tongue of fire touching each disciple. This instilled confidence in them to
do as Jesus had asked of them and to evangelise his message to the world. Their fears were
replaced with inspiration as they began preaching and teaching, encouraging others to become
Christians. They found that were able to speak in different languages so that they could spread
Jesus message easily.

Pentecost is celebrated as the birthday of the Church, as many people were converted to
Christianity and baptised in the name of Jesus.

Today Pentecost is also called Whitsun as converts to Christianity are often baptised into the
Church, wearing white as a sign of purity and new beginning. The story of the Pentecost is read
in churches on Whitsun to remind Christians of the roots of their faith. Some denominations even
use this day as an opportunity to come together and walk through their towns in a procession.
‘Whit walks’ are used as a way of witnessing to their Christian faith and spread the Gospel
message.

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8. Pilgrimage – Rome and Lourdes

8.1 Christian pilgrimage

All religions go on a pilgrimage to a place of religious significance. All Christians consider Israel
a pilgrimage site of universal significance, however each denomination may have specific
pilgrimage site that is important to them, for example:
• Anglicans – Walsingham, England
• Baptists – The River Jordan, Middle East
• Methodists – Walking between Durham and Lindisfarne, UK
• Mormon – Pilgrimage trail exploring churches in New York, Ohio, Illinois and Utah.
• Roman Catholic – Lourdes, France

8.2 The Holy Land – Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem

Many different locations through Israel are important
places to visit for Christians, mainly because of their
connection to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
These include Bethlehem, Nazareth etc.

Jerusalem plays heavily as a pilgrimage location for all

denominations of Christianity. There are some reasons
why Jerusalem is important:

The Garden of
Gethsemane -
this is believed
to be where Jesus prayed before he was arrested by the
Romans and put to death. Christians visit here for
contemplation and prayer.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre - this church is said to be built on the site where Jesus was
crucified, as well as his place of burial. Others believe
the Garden Tomb, situated just outside Jerusalem's city
walls, is the place which marks the site of the death and
resurrection of Jesus.

Via Dolorosa – this is a special route that Christian

pilgrims walk from the outskirts of Jerusalem to the
Church of
the Holy
Sepulchre, especially on Good Friday. It is believed
to be the very path that Jesus took carrying his cross
on the way to his crucifixion.

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Church of the Ascension - this is said to mark the site of the Ascension, when Jesus rose into
Heaven forty days after his resurrection. There is a stone inside the Church, believed to be
imprinted with his footstep. 1

Calvary or Golgotha – this is said to be the location of Jesus’ crucifixion.

1
https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z84dtfr/revision/3

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8.3 Lourdes

Since 1858 Lourdes has been a Christian pilgrimage site. A young 14-year-old girl called
Bernadette Soubirous is believed to have experienced visions of the Virgin Mary here whilst she
was walking near a cave in the French village. These visions happened 18 times and no one other
than Bernadette saw or heard anything.

Bernadette was told by the vision of a woman dressed in white with a blue sash and holding a
rosary that people would be healed if they visited the spring that miraculously appeared on the
spot of their meeting. Bernadette was also told to ask the local priest to build a church on the site
and hold regular processions. At first people didn’t believe her, as a young uneducated child she
was dismissed, people only began to believe her when she called the woman in white ‘Mary of
the Immaculate Conception’, something a person this young id unlikely to know.

A church was built on the site and a marble statue of Mary was placed in the cave where her
visions took place and soon people began to visit Lourdes to drink the water from the spring that
miraculously appeared. Soon these people were cured of their ills and as such Lourdes is now
one of the largest Christian pilgrimage sites in the world.

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8.4 Rome

Rome is an important place of pilgrimage,

particularly for Roman Catholics. The
Vatican is the home of the Pope, the spiritual
head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholics believe that Jesus

appointed Peter as the leader of his disciples. In
ancient Greek the name 'Peter' is the same word as
'rock', ‘Petros’ In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says “upon
this rock I build my church” meaning that it will be
Peter who institutionalises the Church after Jess has
been crucified. Tradition says that
after Pentecost and time spent in Jerusalem, Peter went to Rome.

Peter is seen as the first Bishop of Rome and

many Christians believe that he was executed
and buried on Vatican Hill in Rome. The Head
of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, is the
direct successor to Peter.

Pilgrims visit the Vatican to hear the Pope speak publicly on Wednesdays in Saint Peter's
Square, or attend mass led by the Pope during the year.

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The most important site for Roman Catholic pilgrims to Rome is Saint Peter's Basilica.
Pilgrims will visit this basilica, not only in the hope of seeing or hearing the Pope, but also to
visit what they believe to be the tomb of Saint Peter, which is found underneath the basilica. The
feet of a 13th century bronze statue of Saint Peter have been rubbed smooth by the millions of
pilgrims who have come to touch and kiss them over the years.

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9. Pilgrimage – Hokianga and Jerusalem, NZ

9.1 Local places of pilgrimages

The syllabus requires that you understand local places of pilgrimage. As we are a Catholic
school, we will be concentrating on two New Zealand sites that are important to Catholics.

9.2 Hokianga

Hokianga is a small remote town found in the North West corner of the Far North of New
Zealand, it was here in 1838 that 3 French Missionaries, including Bishop Jean Baptiste Francois
Pompellier said to begin the institutional history of Catholicism in New Zealand.

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 Bishop Pompallier, who was invited to spread the Catholic
message to the Pacific through the Society of Mary arrived in
Hokianga and stayed at the home of the Irish born, French
educated Thomas Poynton and his Australian wife Mary. The
first Catholic Mass
was held in New
Zealand three days
after his arrival at
Totara Point on
January 13th, 1838.

From Hokianga, Pompallier began his missionary purpose, travelling on foot or horseback from
village to village instructing Maori and leading them in prayer.

By 1840 Pompallier distributed the first printed books and a year later a printing press was
imported from Europe so that large quantities of prayers, hymns and sections of the New
Testament could be distributed in Te Reo Maori. The printery was in Russell, the then capital of
New Zealand and can still be visited today.

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Pompallier established several Catholic missions and by 1843 established 45,000 Maori
converts. He was sympathetic to Maori concerns, he learnt Te Reo Maori and was present at the
Treaty of Waitangi, where he asked the Lieutenant Governor Hobson for his promise to protect
the Catholic faith. The so-called ‘fourth clause of the Treaty’ reads:
“The governor says the several faiths of England, of the Wesleyans, of Rome, and Māori
custom, shall be alike protected by him”.

After many years as, Catholic Bishop of New Zealand Pompallier eventually returned to France
sick and elderly in February 1868. He lived in retirement at Puteaux near Paris until his death on
21 December 1871. He was buried at Puteaux.
In January 2002 his remains were uplifted from the cemetery at Puteaux and returned to New
Zealand to be reinterred on 20 April 2002 at St Mary’s Church, Motuti, Hokianga. This is a place
of pilgrimage and visited by thousands of New Zealanders and overseas Catholics every year. St
Peter’s College holds a retreat at Motuti every other year.

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9.3 Jerusalem, New Zealand.

Jerusalem, a small settlement found on the Whanganui river was named after the Biblical
settlement in Israel by Reverend Richard Taylor in the 1850s. In Maori, Hiruharama is an
isolated site that after the majority of Taylor’s congregation converted to Catholicism in 1954 it
became a mission station.

In 1892, Suzanne Aubert, known formally as Mother Mary Joseph established the congregation
of the Sisters of Compassion, a charitable nursing/religious order. It was here, that Mother Mary
Joseph began a home for orphans and the under privileged.

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Today a convent, church and just 3 Sisters of Compassion remain.

This is a pilgrimage site for Catholics due to the social and religious significance of the work
conducted there by the Sisters of Compassion and that Mother Mary Joseph has been recognised
for her substantial work as her commencement for Canonisation began in 2010. When, she is
officially sainted she will be New Zealand’s first saint.

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9.4 Why do Christians go on a Pilgrimage?

There are lots of different reasons:

• In order to be close to the centre of their faith. It is important to the pilgrim to be close to
their Hierarchical leader, such as the Pope in Rome for Roman Catholics.
• To be able to see and worship at the site which marks the death of a foundational leader
such as the first Pope, Saint Peter in Rome or Jesus in Jerusalem It makes them feel close
to their spiritual leader and to the very first Christian community.
• To share their faith with other pilgrims from around the world.
• To pray and focus their attention on a place of importance such as Bethlehem, the
birthplace of Jesus Christ.
• To gain a better understanding of their beliefs and can demonstrate their devotion to their
religion through worship.
• To have a relationship with God
• To walk in the footsteps of Jesus for example walking the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.
The path of the Cross that Jesus took to his crucifixion.
• To receive a blessing. Be cleansed of their sins and to be cured of their illness, for
examples Lourdes where it is believed the spring water in the grotto can heal people if
they are sick.

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7. Key Words

Key Words Meaning

Advent Means arrival or coming. The name given to the 40 days before
Christmas
Ash Wednesday The first day of Lent. In some Churches, penitents receive the sign of the
cross in ashes on their foreheads.
Bethlehem The birthplace of Jesus
Boxing Day The Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated on 26th December
Christmas Day The birthday of Jesus
Easter Celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus
Epiphany Means ‘to reveal’. The name of the Christian festival which celebrates
the Magi visiting the infant Jesus
Incarnation The doctrine that God took human form in Jesus Christ. It is also the
belief that God in Christ is active in the Church and in the world
Jerusalem The place where Jesus died, was buried and rose from the dead
Lent Penitential season. The 40 days leading up to Easter.
Lourdes A place of pilgrimage since 1858 when Bernadette Soubirous
experienced visions of the Virgin Mary whilst she was walking near a
cave in Lourdes, France
Martyr Someone who is killed because of the religious beliefs
Nazareth The place where Jesus grew up
Penance Saying ‘sorry’ and doing some actions to show that you mean it
Pilgrimage Journey to a holy place or a religious journey
Reflection Being quiet and thoughtful, thinking deeply about things
Resurrection The rising from the dead of Jesus Christ on the third day after the
crucifixion
Rome Centre of the Roman Catholic Church
Shrove Tuesday Celebration by Christians the day before Lent, also known as Pancake
day

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8. Past Exam Questions

Paper 1 2017

Paper 2 2017

Paper 2 2016

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Paper 1 2016

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