The meaning of the word pilgrim fathers in the Collier Dictionary. Pilgrims - who are they? Pilgrim's Road History of the Pilgrims

I. Brodsky has a poem "Pilgrims". It tells about the poor pilgrims going through the centuries on their own way. The image is so vivid that they began to call tourist clubs that way. Especially with a predominantly pedestrian bias, although in Saratov a club with that name is engaged in water tourism: kayaking. There is such an advertising agency in Arzamas. What is a pilgrim? Or rather, who is he? Let's turn to dictionaries.

What do dictionaries say

The Slavs did not have the word "pilgrim", its meaning and origin can be seen in reference books:

  • Krylov's dictionary defines this word as derived from the Latin peregrimus, which means "stranger, traveler."
  • Shansky's dictionary adds that the word was borrowed no later than the eighteenth century from the German language.
  • Dahl's dictionary interprets the word as "a wanderer walking in holy places."
  • Ozhegov's dictionary defines him as "traveler, wanderer."

Medieval Europe and the Pilgrims

Everyone now knows what a pilgrimage to holy places is. It is known from written sources from the third century. The first pilgrims were pilgrims. They followed the call of their hearts, hoping for God. But since the eleventh century, the church has replaced repentance with pilgrimage. From that moment on, sinners go to Jerusalem for forgiveness, having received special permission from the bishop (staff of the wanderer). The pilgrim received shelter along the way in monasteries, which were called "hospitals".

Having reached the Holy City, the pilgrim had to pay to enter it. Often robbed and hungry, ragged and disappointed people died under its walls.

Later, rich nobles equipped an entire expedition. There were also warriors guarding a noble person, and a crowd of commoners who had joined. They called themselves "the army of the Lord" and they began to be afraid. Bishop Liutbert of Cambrai is known to have led three thousand pilgrims.

Organizations to help wanderers appeared - knightly orders. Then, as if forgetting about the goal, these pilgrimages turned into crusades.

Pilgrim's Way

In the seventeenth century, every English family had a Bible, and next to it, on a shelf, was John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. What is the Bible, no need to explain. But a few words can be said about John Bunyan. This non-conformist pastor was persecuted and imprisoned. There, for five years, he wrote his book. He was called the "Shakespeare of preaching". The plot of the book - the adventures of a man named Christian.

He, having received parting words from the Evangelist, set out on his journey through the narrow gates. The swamp of despondency was waiting for him, the worldly sage was embarrassed, he overcame the mountain of difficulties. On the way from the city of Doom to Mount Zion, he met the Valley of the Shadow of Death, after which there was a Vanity Fair, where Hopeful joined him. Together they came to the Castle of Doubt, where the giant Despair lived... They introduced themselves to him as pilgrims.

From the first pages it becomes clear that the author is writing a story based on biblical parables. Therefore, there is no shadow of a doubt what a pilgrim is. This is a traveling preacher. By the way, there is evidence in the Bible that the teachings of the first Christians were called the Way. This is the path of life that the Christian follows.

Pilgrim Fathers

In 1620, the Mayflower, an English ship, reached the shores of America. The new colonists were the Puritans, who were persecuted in their homeland: prayer houses were closed, pastors were arrested. Chronicler William Bradford wrote, "They knew they were pilgrims."

So, one hundred and two people, fleeing from religious persecution, became the founders of the city of Plymouth. And the word "pilgrim", which used to mean "wandering", took on a new meaning: those who went on a journey in search of the promised land.

Now this word is rarely used. But, because it carries a romantic connotation, it occurs in a poetic speech or in an ironic remark. In this case, it is used in a figurative sense.

) in what is now the United States of America. Being deeply religious people, the settlers of the Plymouth Colony were distinguished by puritanical mores and adherence to traditions. Some of their traditions have become an integral part of American culture. These include the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving Day (first celebrated by pilgrims in New Plymouth). The story of the Pilgrim Fathers seeking religious freedom has become a central theme in the history and culture of the United States of America.

Story

The bulk of the settlers were members of the radical sect of the English Puritans, religious dissidents. They were unhappy with the fact that the dominant Church of England was leaning towards the ideas of Catholicism and wanted to create an independent church. One of the underground communities met in the hamlet of Scruby, County York. Its leaders were preachers Richard Clifton and John Morrison.

Due to persecution by the authorities, the separatists moved from England to Holland, where their views were more tolerant, in the city - to Amsterdam, and in the city - to Leiden. By the year, the community had firmly settled on the new land and had grown to 300 members. However, some circumstances forced the settlers to look for a new, more suitable place for themselves. Many could not find work in Holland, and some, unable to endure the difficult living conditions and cultural differences, went back to England. The new generation, born on Dutch soil, forgot the traditions and customs of their ancestors. The colony was threatened by gradual assimilation.

After much deliberation, it was decided to settle in America, on the land of the already existing Virginia colony. She was supposed to support the new settlers and protect them from hostile local tribes. On the other hand, the territory of the Virginia colony was large enough that the newcomers settled at some distance from the former settlements and felt relatively independent. To move and settle the population, the Puritans needed a lender and a building permit. They began to cooperate with Thomas Weston, a London hardware merchant.

Today, tens of millions of Americans have at least one Pilgrim Father ancestor.

origin of name

Initially, the Pilgrims did not have their own name. Sometimes they called themselves saints, God's chosen people. Their other names are separatists or brownists (on behalf of the author of the idea of ​​separatism, Robert Brown). The name is of biblical origin, goes back to the message of St. Paul to the Jews (Heb. 11:13-14). It first appears in Plymouth Settlement by William Bradford. In 1793, at the Plymouth Fathers' Day celebration, the Reverend Charles Robbins used the name in a sermon, and in 1820, in a speech, the famous politician and orator Daniel Webster. In 1825, the English poem "The Arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England" was published by the Englishwoman Felicia Hemans. By 1840, the name "Pilgrim Fathers" had become common.

see also

Notes

Links

  • Encyclopedia Around the World. archived
  • Encyclopedia Britannia (in English). Archived from the original on April 11, 2012.
  • William Bradford Plymouth Settlement (in English). Archived from the original on April 11, 2012.
  • Daniel Burstin. Americans: the colonial experience - M.: ed. group "Progress" - "Litera", 1993

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .



Plan:

    Introduction
  • 1. History
  • 2 origin of name
  • Notes
    Literature

Introduction

Robert W. Weir The Pilgrim Fathers board the ship. 1844

Pilgrim Fathers- the name of the first settlers who arrived to create a new colony in North America - the Plymouth Colony (now Plymouth, Massachusetts). The colony, founded in 1620, became the first English settlement with a permanent population and the first large settlement in New England, the second successful English settlement (after Jamestown, founded in Virginia in 1607) in the territory of the modern United States of America. Being deeply religious people, the settlers of the Plymouth Colony were distinguished by puritanical mores and adherence to traditions. Some of their traditions have become an integral part of American culture. Among these is the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving (first celebrated by pilgrims in New Plymouth in 1621). The story of the Pilgrim Fathers seeking religious freedom has become a central theme in the history and culture of the United States of America.


1. History

The bulk of the settlers were members of the radical sect of English Puritans, religious dissidents. They were unhappy with the fact that the dominant Church of England was leaning towards the ideas of Catholicism and wanted to create an independent church. One of the underground communities met in the village of Scruby, York County. Its leaders were preachers Richard Clifton and John Morrison.

Due to persecution by the authorities, the separatists moved from England to Holland, where their views were more tolerated, in 1608 - to Amsterdam, and in 1609 - to Leiden. By 1617, the community was firmly established in the new land and grew to 300 members. However, some circumstances forced the settlers to look for a new, more suitable place for themselves. Many could not find work in Holland, and some, unable to endure the difficult living conditions and cultural differences, went back to England. The new generation, born on Dutch soil, forgot the traditions and customs of their ancestors. The colony was threatened with gradual assimilation.

After much deliberation, it was decided to settle in America, on the land of the already existing Virginia colony. She was supposed to support the new settlers and protect them from hostile local tribes. On the other hand, the territory of the Virginia colony was large enough that the newcomers settled at some distance from the former settlements and felt relatively independent. To move and settle the population, the Puritans needed a lender and a building permit. They began to cooperate with Thomas Weston, a London hardware merchant.

In 1620, the Puritans received from the Virginia Company the right to land in the territory of the Virginia colony in North America. On the Speedwell, they traveled from Holland to England, to Southampton, where they joined another party on the Mayflower. Both ships sailed from the port on 15 August. It soon turned out that the Speedwell was unsuitable for long sea voyages. Its passengers boarded the Mayflower, and on September 16, 1620, the ship, carrying 102 people, sailed from the port to Plymouth.

The journey across the ocean lasted about two months and was difficult. The ship was accompanied by storms and storms, due to which its course deviated far to the north. On the way, two people died and one was born (he was named Oceanus Hopkins).

On November 21, 1620, the passengers of the Mayflower anchored off Cape Cod (now Massachusetts). Among the Mayflower's most famous passengers were William Bradford, William Brewster, John Carver, and Pilgrim Captain Miles Standish.

The Mayflower ship that carried the Pilgrims to the New World. Painting by William Halsall, 1882.

Immediately upon arrival, conflict arose among the Puritans. Due to an error in the course, the colonists ended up north of the tract of land in Virginia they received. Some of them did not want to comply with the terms of the contract with the Virginia Company. As a result of negotiations on November 21, 1620, 41 people signed the so-called. "Mayflower Agreement". In this agreement, they fixed the intention to establish a colony and pledged to obey the laws "which will be considered suitable and consistent with the general good of the colony." The agreement later became a symbol of democratic self-government. After the signing, John Carver was appointed governor. In 1621, after his death, William Bradford became governor, who held this office for 11 years, and until his death in 1657 he was elected to various offices. In 1650, he published The Plymouth Settlement, an authentic eyewitness account of the life of the colony, one of the first examples of American historiography.

From November 25, small parties began to land on the coast and explore new lands. Almost immediately, they ran into Indian tribes who had had bad experiences with the white colonists. Thanks to firearms, the settlers emerged victorious from the armed conflict.

Squanto trains the colonists

On December 25, Christmas, the colonists began building the Meeting House, thus beginning the settlement of New Plymouth. They spent the winter on the ship, suffering from cold and disease. Only half of the arrivals survived the hard first winter. However, the rest did not lose heart. An Indian named Tiskuantum, whom the pilgrims called Squanto, who had previously known English sailors and knew how to speak English, taught them how to grow corn and pumpkins, showed them where to fish and how to hunt game. With his help, the pilgrims survived in the wild, and they valued Squanto as "a helper unexpectedly sent by God for their well-being." Already in the following year, the colonists were provided with grain for the winter. On this occasion, the governor of the Bradford colony declared one day a day of thanksgiving to God. This custom later spread throughout the colonies of New England, and in 1789, George Washington, the first president of the United States, declared November 26 a national holiday - Thanksgiving Day.


2. Origin of the name

Initially, the Pilgrims did not have their own name. Sometimes they called themselves saints, God's chosen people. Their other names are separatists or brownists (on behalf of the author of the idea of ​​separatism, Robert Brown). The name is of biblical origin, goes back to the message of St. Paul to the Jews (Heb. 11:13-14). It first appears in Plymouth Settlement by William Bradford. In 1793, at the Plymouth Fathers' Day celebration, the Reverend Charles Robbins used the name in a sermon, and in 1820, in a speech, the famous politician and orator Daniel Webster. In 1825, the English poem "The Arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England" was published by the Englishwoman Felicia Hemans. By 1840, the name "Pilgrim Fathers" had become common.


Notes

  1. Ulrike Moser. With God to America - GEO, February 2009, p. 91

Literature

  • Encyclopedia Around the World - www.krugosvet.ru/enc/istoriya/OTTSI-PILIGRIMI.html.
  • Encyclopedia Britannia (in English) - www.britannia.com/history/pilgrim.html.
  • William Bradford Plymouth Settlement (in English) - www.archive.org/details/historyofplimoth00braduoft.
  • Daniel Burstin. Americans: the colonial experience - M.: ed. group "Progress" - "Litera", 1993

Pilgrim Fathers, so in the 19th century. 102 founders of the Plymouth colony in America began to be called, to-rye sailed from Plymouth (England) in 1620 on the Mayflower ship. Some O.-p. previously persecuted for separating from the Church of England; in 1608 they fled from Scrooby (Nottinghamshire) to Holland and later joined the rest. In 1618 O.-p. enlisted the support of a syndicate of London merchants and received permission to settle in Virginia. During the voyage, they signed the Mayflower Agreement, a treaty for self-government. The colonists landed at Cape Cod (Massachusetts) in December and decided to stay here. Only half of them survived the first harsh winter. A vivid description of the hardships of O.-p. left by William Bradford. The fur trade with the Indians turned out to be a profitable business, but the colony developed slowly. There was also a huge influx to Massachusetts in the 30s. 17th century Puritan settlers. In 1643 Plymouth Colony joined the New England Confederation and in 1691 became part of Massachusetts. Although O.-p. did not play any significant role in the history of New England, they became an important symbol of Europe. colonization of the North. America.

Pilgrim - what is it? Everyone has heard this word at least once in their life. Maybe on TV or from your parents. But does everyone know its true meaning? But a whole layer of medieval culture is associated with it. Although some of the young people will say that this is the name of a rock band or a feature film.

Let's go to the dictionary

In general, pilgrims are, of course, wanderers. Travelers to holy places, deeply believing wanderers. The word came from the Latin peregrinus, which means "wandering". In Tsarist Russia, this word was also found, but more often it was modified into a pilgrimage.

A kind of Russian version. So called the pious mighty wanderer. Tales were told about him. In principle, a pilgrim is a synonym for the word "pilgrim".

Nowadays

There are also pilgrims in the modern world. Christians travel to holy places to this day. But more on that later. And every Muslim should at least once make a pilgrimage to Mecca. In addition, a significant part of the inhabitants of the United States consider themselves descendants of the Pilgrims. Why?

Excursion into history

In the strict sense of the word, the pilgrim fathers are not pilgrims at all, and they did not go to holy places. In fact, this was the name of one of the first Europeans who landed and established a colony in what is now called the United States of America. And it happened at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Then, in 1620, persecuted for dissent by the Anglican Church, a group of British Puritans decided to find a new place to live. As part of one hundred and two people (among whom were also women and children), they went to the shores of the New World. But traveling on their own in those days was difficult, and therefore they enlisted the support of a large trading company. Not free of charge, of course.

They had to work their way. However, it turned out that after a long journey, the ship did not land at all where it was planned. And, without thinking twice, the Puritans founded a settlement on the site of modern Plymouth. They were the first settlers in the history of New England. And having decided that since they still didn’t get to the place they agreed on, the travelers considered themselves completely free from any obligations. They signed the so-called Mayflower Agreement. The latter was an agreement on the self-government of the colony.

Their life, of course, was not easy. Only half of the settlers survived the first winter. Almost immediately clashes began with local Indian tribes. But thanks to more advanced weapons, the Europeans managed to gain a foothold in the occupied territory. Not all natives, of course, treated them with hostility. One of the Indians, who later became a legend, even helped the settlement survive. He taught the Puritans how to grow cereals in their new place.

well-chosen word

But why did all these people begin to be called pilgrims? And it all started with a "red word". In 1793, at a feast dedicated to the first settlers, the Reverend Father C. Robbins preached a sermon. In it, he called the colonists who arrived there, the Pilgrim Fathers. His idea, in principle, is clear: people were looking for freedom of religion. And they made a long and difficult journey for this. Then this name has got accustomed already at politicians. And some time later, the English poetess F. D. Hamans wrote her poem "The Arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England." But this, of course, is not the whole story. The first real pilgrims appeared in medieval Europe. They traveled mainly to the Holy Land, to Jerusalem.

Pilgrim's Road - what is it?

It is also called the Way of Saint James. And she leads pilgrims from all over the world to the tomb of this apostle, which is located in the Spanish Santiago de Compostela. But there is another path of the pilgrims. This is the name of the ancient stone road in Jerusalem. Believers walked along it

A long time ago

Why did this man become so famous that only the black plague could stop thousands of pilgrims going to him. The latter is known to have killed half the population of medieval Europe. True pilgrims no doubt already know this.

According to tradition, the apostle died a martyr's death in the year 44 from the Nativity of Christ in the Holy Land. And his remains were placed in a boat and released into the Mediterranean Sea. It so happened that this ship washed up on the shores of Spain, where the aforementioned saint preached during his lifetime. They considered it a miracle. True, this happened only in 813. Then on the shore the ark with imperishable relics was discovered by a hermit monk named Pelayo.

Half a century later, a church was built on this site by decree of King Alphonse III. And this place began to be called none other than Compostela (“the place marked with a star”).

There are legends that the apostle miraculously appeared and helped during the battles with the Moors. One way or another, but he began to be considered the patron saint of Spain. During his lifetime, St. James also made a long journey as a pilgrim. That this would make him the patron saint of all pilgrims, he could hardly have imagined then. By the way, he went from the Holy Land to Spain.

Meanwhile, the city of Compostela, since one of the twelve apostles was buried on its territory, is becoming a shrine not only to Spain, but to the entire Catholic world.

There is a legend that Emperor Charlemagne had a dream. In it, the Lord showed him the way to the shrine - the Milky Way, which went through France and Spain. And God commanded him to clear the way of the pilgrims from the Moors. The latter was of considerable importance for the establishment of tradition. The emperor sent troops there and, one might say, paved the way.

And when in the twelfth century the Spanish crown established the military knightly order of St. James, whose task it was to protect pilgrims, this path became even more “comfortable”.

Compostela was equated with Rome and Jerusalem - Pope Calixtus II granted the believers going there the right to indulgence. Since then, the place has become very popular. Pilgrims went there from all over the world. And the pilgrims' road was overgrown with churches and inns, which had a positive effect on the economic situation of the region.

In the meantime, the road was laid in such a way that pilgrims along the way could visit other shrines - the relics of the Holy Faith, Mary Magdalene and many others. Famous pilgrims also passed along this road. This is, for example, Bishop Godescalk.

In the nineteenth century the road was reopened. And every year the number of pilgrims walking along it only grows.

Route

The road starts in the south of France and the Pyrenees, it can be passed through the Ronceval or Somport passes. But in Spain, this path runs from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela. It is also called “the road of the French kings” there.

In the Middle Ages, pilgrims going there were guided by the Milky Way. It, according to legend, was drawn in the sky by the saint himself. So he showed the way here to Emperor Charlemagne. Therefore, this cluster of stars in the sky is also often called "the path of St. James."

Finally

So, the pilgrim - who is it? First of all, a believer. He has a goal and a path he must follow in order to reach it. There have been pilgrims in the past, there are in the present, and, in all likelihood, there will be in the future. It is respectful that many Americans remember and are proud that their ancestors were deeply religious people. Perhaps the first settlers to distant planets will call themselves the same someday.

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