Non-religious Pilgrimage
Learning from kitsch
What can be appropriated from religious space within a post-religious society?
Lourdes, France
2019
The Catholic Church has validated 73 miracles in Lourdes since 1856.
Lourdes is known to be the Marial city. The city where the holy water of the grotto can heal all diseases. Lourdes lies in a valley in the Pyrenean Mountains. Those who leave without a miracle can purchase a souvenir on the way out. Lourdes finds its essence in merchant pendants and minuscule bottles of holy water.
Faith has become material.
Believing in a God, one of the biggest mystery in Mankind.
Nonetheless, this belief, tends to disappear. More and more people consider themselves as seculars, agnostics or atheists...
New communities have appeared to "replace" religious institutions and to fulfill the same role. The main communities would be the Atheist UK and the Humanist in the UK.
The ceremonies are organized in the exact same way as a religious one.
The Church cannot leave.
On the other hand, the Church itself has developed a presence on social networks;
A prayer is a click online.
The project is a series of non-religious pavilions.