Heaven is your final destination.

This is a guide for pilgrims in Europe.

Discover the purpose of your life through a pilgrimage. Encounter God through the sacraments, fellow pilgrims, saints, and art. Stepping out of your comfort zone is necessary to find your unique plan. Remember, life without a purpose is like a journey without a destination.

Preparing our soul, body, and pack for pilgrimage is crucial for a meaningful and successful pilgrimage. By improving our prayer routine, collecting prayer intentions, and practicing sacrifice, we can strengthen our spiritual preparation. Learning about the places we will visit and preparing our body through a walking plan and proper footwear can help us physically endure the trip. It is also important to pack light, bringing only the essentials and avoiding items we cannot afford to lose, and to arrange our phone data plan in advance. By leaving work behind and setting up an out-of-office message, we can maintain our focus on the pilgrimage. Overall, by preparing ourselves holistically, we can fully embrace the journey and experience the transformative power of pilgrimage.

If you're preparing for a pilgrimage, it's important to pack wisely to ensure a fulfilling and comfortable journey. In this article, I've curated a list of essential items that will enhance your pilgrimage experience, all of which are included in my comprehensive Packing List.

The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, dating back to the 12th century, is the oldest and most important church in Lisbon. Its architecture is a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles, with twin towers and a rose window. It is home to the famous cross of St. Anthony and the reliquary containing the remains of St. Vincent. It is located in the Alfama neighborhood and provides stunning views of the city and the Tagus River.

St. Anthony, born Fernando Martins de Bulhões in Lisbon, Portugal, became a popular preacher in Padua after joining the Franciscan Order in 1220. He is a patron of the poor and invoked for the return of lost property. The Church of St. Anthony, located in Lisbon's Alfama district, was built in the 18th century after the original chapel was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart helps us return Jesus's love with gratitude and glory. The symbol of the Sacred Heart has been popular since the 11th century, and St. Margaret Mary's visions in 1673 further spread the devotion. The Sacred Heart Basilica in Paris, built as an expiatory church, is a testament to this devotion. Its main artwork, "The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus," is one of the largest mosaics in the world and depicts scenes of homage to the Sacred Heart.

Fatima, a small town in Portugal, became a significant pilgrimage site after the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917 to three shepherd children. Mary's messages were simple, namely, pray the Rosary daily and make reparation for sinners. The "secret of Fatima" revealed three parts, including a vision of hell, devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart, and the persecution of Christians. Pope John Paul II consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984, fulfilling Mary's wish. The events described in the third part of the secret may have seemed to belong to the past, but Mary's call to conversion and penance is still relevant today.