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MOUNT HOR & TOMB OF AARON

August 8, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

MOUNT HOR & TOMB OF AARON

Petra, Jordan The lost city of Petra was one of the great archaeological finds of the early 19th century.  This magnificent city, hewn from the rock of the surrounding towering cliffs, is one of the world’s most unique architectural treasures.  While it is primarily known for its Nabataean, Roman and Byzantine ruins, its importance as a religious pilgrimage site is … [Read more...]

TOMBS OF THE SONS OF JACOB

August 7, 2014 By Howard Kramer 9 Comments

TOMBS OF THE SONS OF JACOB

Several Locations, Isael & Lebanon In the closing chapters of the Book of Genesis, as the stories of the Patriarchs come to an end, great attention is spent on the fate of Joseph, who was raised up above his brothers in the service of Pharoh.  It is known that his body was exhumed and solemnly returned to Canaan during the Exodus, and that he was buried in Shechem, … [Read more...]

RUINS OF SODOM

August 7, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

RUINS OF SODOM

Bab Edh-Dhra, Jordan The story of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah has long been considered allegorical, if not outright mythical, even among the most devoted of Bible scholars.  The truth of this strange side story in the patriarchal histories is elusive.  However, there is every reason to believe that Sodom and Gomorah and the other three Cities of the … [Read more...]

KRAK DES CHEVALIERS

June 8, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

KRAK DES CHEVALIERS

Homs, Syria While Akko was the military headquarters of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, the Krak des Chevaliers was their greatest bastion.  This tremendous fortress, first built by the Kurds and then later rebuilt by the Crusaders, is arguably one of the greatest castles in the world.  It is certainly one of the greatest castles that survived the Middle Ages essentially … [Read more...]

BASILICA OF ST. SIMEON STYLITES

June 2, 2014 By Howard Kramer 1 Comment

BASILICA OF ST. SIMEON STYLITES

Aleppo, Syria After Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, die-hard Christians began to seek increasingly extreme ways to outdo each other in their public displays of humility towards God.  At first they expressed themselves by founding or entering monasteries, or seeking seclusion as hermits.  But as the 5th century dawned, more and more devotees … [Read more...]

HOUSE CHURCH

June 1, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

HOUSE CHURCH

Dura Europas, Syria The House Church of Dura Europas, or what remains of it, is the world’s oldest known existing Christian church structure.  Dating perhaps as far back as the early 2nd century AD, the House Church was probably abandoned before Constantine legalized Christianity in the empire.  Nevertheless on its site is preserved some of the world’s earliest Christian … [Read more...]

CAVE OF ST. THECLA

June 1, 2014 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

CAVE OF ST. THECLA

Maloula, Syria The Cave of Thecla is an ancient Christian site, dating perhaps as far back as the mid-1st century.  Thecla, an early Church convert, did not appear in the New Testament but was an important figure of Apocryphal Christian literature.  According to the Acts of Paul and Thecla, she may have been one of the first, or possibly even the first woman martyred for the … [Read more...]

UMAYYAD MOSQUE

June 1, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

UMAYYAD MOSQUE

Damascus, Syria Long before Damascus rose to prominence as the Umayyad dynasty’s capital of the Islamic Caliphate, it was a major early center of the Christian faith.  According to the New Testament, Christianity was introduced to Damascus by the disciple Ananias within a year or two after the Ascension, making Damascus one of the first major cities outside of Judea to be … [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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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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