So, you’ve decided to go for a Polish Catholic pilgrimage? If so, it’s one of the wisest decisions you have taken in your life. And the best part is, once you are back, you will find that your life has vastly changed by it. Some of the popular Polish sacred sites that you might get to visit include Lichen Stary, Wadowice, and Jasna Gora.

While you are already excited to visit these sites, you know that you’ll have to learn a bit about Polish etiquette and the people around. These are easy tasks, and you can get help as well. But there are certain emotional and mental preparations too that you need to make before you opt for this tour.

• Knowing the purpose

Everything we do or say stems from a purpose. Hence, when you are opting for a Catholic pilgrimage to Poland you should know the objective behind it. Did you opt for this trip mainly to cover the major sacred sites in Poland or a few of them, and take part in the communal prayer sessions and other spiritual activities? Once you know this, you can select the tour package accordingly. And that leads to whether or not you are happy with what you got to experience or not. That means, if you want a tour with the focus to explore mainly all sacred sites, expect back-to-back travel, more walking, and less time spent in each site, as you will have a big list to cover.

• You might feel disconnected at the start

If this is your first Catholic pilgrimage in the Polish landscape, chances are you might feel disconnected and isolated in the start. It is because pilgrimages usually do away with all the frills that a conventional tour package has. That means, there might not be fancy foods or loud music. Instead, you will have more silence by your side, prayer books, and fellow tourists who are engrossed in their thoughts. So don’t expect swift interactions on the phone and high enthusiasm. Instead, if you yourself choose to be pensive and thoughtful, you can make the most of the pilgrimage.

• Fixed times for every activity

Typically, pilgrimages come with a set of rules. One is that they promote simple living and eating. So, don’t expect feats like that in a cruise or any other swanky destination tours. Also, since the set of activities is already decided, be mentally prepared to sleep at a particular time and eat with others. Also, there might be morning prayer sessions that you need to attend. In short, you have to be mentally accommodating of a few activities for the first time, which you haven’t experienced before.

Finally, make sure that you carry simple and comfortable clothing instead of flashy dresses. Packing and traveling light here is a smart decision. Also, carry high-end sports and walking shoes, as you might have to walk long distances. So, get shoes that are easy to wear and can last for a long time without causing any leg pain. You have to be open to new experiences and people equally on your Catholic pilgrimage tour in Poland.

Summing it up

Signing up for a pilgrimage tour in Poland is not all fun and filled with enthusiasm. It doesn’t mean the tour is not pleasant, but it’s not fun in the typical sense of the term. Hence, you might feel a little off place in the beginning. However, when you realize the broader perspective of the tour, you will find yourself in a better place to make the adjustment required to make the most of it.

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