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Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

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OLDEST SYNAGOGUES ON EARTH

September 3, 2022 By Howard Kramer 6 Comments

OLDEST SYNAGOGUES ON EARTH

Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world (among the major active religions it is only predated by Hinduism). Despite this, little if anything remains of Jewish religious sites prior to the Middle Ages.  Thousands of years of wars and persecutions have left little in the way of ancient synagogues.  The world’s last intact Roman-era synagogue was sadly destroyed when a … [Read more...]

TOP FIVE POSSIBLE LOCATIONS OF THE HOLY GRAIL

August 22, 2022 By Howard Kramer 3 Comments

TOP FIVE POSSIBLE LOCATIONS OF THE HOLY GRAIL

The Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank during the Last Supper and which caught at least some of his blood during the Crucifixion, is (no pun intended) the Holy Grail of religious artifacts. This vessel, if it could be found and verified, would undoubtedly be the greatest treasure of the Christian faith.  Its existence and location have been the subject of countless … [Read more...]

WHERE TO PRAY BEFORE THE BIG GAME

August 15, 2022 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

WHERE TO PRAY BEFORE THE BIG GAME

September is almost here, and so is college football season. For die-hard collegiate football fan the question is, “How can we get a little divine assistance in reaching bowl season?” Well, fear not. The Complete Pilgrim has you covered. From the SEC to the PAC12, some of the best college chapels and churches in the United States can be found at Division 1-A schools. So throw … [Read more...]

OLDEST CHURCH BUILDINGS IN AMERICA

August 8, 2022 By Howard Kramer 4 Comments

OLDEST CHURCH BUILDINGS IN AMERICA

Few things garner as much attention for an historic site then the title of ‘oldest’, and the oldest churches are certainly no exception.  Determining what is, in fact, the oldest church in America is a matter of some debate, as there are many ways to consider the question.  Do churches on U.S. territories count?  Did they actually have to be constructed in the United States?  … [Read more...]

CASTLES ON LOCATION IN THE BRITISH ISLES

August 1, 2022 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

CASTLES ON LOCATION IN THE BRITISH ISLES

Millions of visitors flock to the British Isles every year, inundating the famous castles of England, Scotland and Ireland.  Countless tourists make their way to such iconic sites as Windsor Castle, Edinburg Castle, Blarney Castle, and the world’s most famous of medieval fortresses, the Tower of London.  But what about Doune Castle in Scotland?  Or Trim Castle in Ireland?  … [Read more...]

WORLD’S TALLEST CHRISTIAN STATUES

July 18, 2022 By Howard Kramer 6 Comments

WORLD’S TALLEST CHRISTIAN STATUES

When one thinks of immense Christian statues, the first (and often only) one that comes to mind is the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, the immense depiction of Jesus with arms outspread overlooking the magnificent beach and skyline of the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. However, this is far from the world’s tallest Christian statue. It barely makes the list of top ten in the … [Read more...]

SEVEN MUST-SEE HISTORIC EDIFICES OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY

July 11, 2022 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

SEVEN MUST-SEE HISTORIC EDIFICES OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY

There are literally hundreds of thousands of churches, cathedrals, synagogues, and sacred Jewish and Christian shrines to be found all over the world.  Of these, hundreds, if not thousands, are of particular religious and/or historic importance.  But are there seven that stand out above all of the rest?  Well, sort of.  The most important sacred sites of both religions can be … [Read more...]

CHAPELS OF THE MILITARY ACADEMIES

July 4, 2022 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

CHAPELS OF THE MILITARY ACADEMIES

The United States military establishment has always taken the spiritual needs of its members very seriously.  Nowhere is this tradition more strongly represented than at the various American military academies.  Some of the oldest and most historic military chapels in the United States are to be found at West Point, Annapolis and the various senior military colleges, while the … [Read more...]

HONORING AMERICA’S GREAT MILITARY MUSICIANS

June 14, 2022 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

HONORING AMERICA’S GREAT MILITARY MUSICIANS

The military history of America has many great traditions, but few permeate the lives of day to day Americans the way that military music does. Some of America’s greatest composers and lyricists have contributed to the genre, from poets like Francis Scott Key and Julia Ward Howe to full time musicians like John Phillip Sousa.  Their music is both inspirational and timeless, and … [Read more...]

CHURCHES OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS

June 7, 2022 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

CHURCHES OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS

Much has been said about the theological roots of the United States and the extent to which the Founding Fathers were truly religious men.  Whatever the truth about their religious convictions, there is no doubt that most of the Founding Fathers were, in fact, churchgoers throughout their lives.  George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and even the unorthodox Benjamin … [Read more...]

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THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

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Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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