This contribution aims to examine alternative forms of tourism in Italian Dolomites on the basis of a case study in North-eastern Alps. Recently, in Italy such as in many other western countries, there is an increasing interest and participation to pilgrimages with the consequence of invention, rediscovery and reinvention of local paths. The mountain track “Trekking of the Thinking Christ” is a trade mark which starts from a pass and gets to the top of the mount where the statue of a Christ has been erected in 2009 in the territory of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site of Dolomites and of the Paneveggio e Pale di San Martino Natural Park. In about three years from its unveiling, this statue has become one of the most attractive religious and spiritual poles in Dolomites drawing the critical, curious and devoted attention of media, local society, Church and people. After having conducted an ethnographic fieldwork, our analysis certainly attributes this phenomenon to the manifestation of human spiritual needs but its interest does not limit to the individual sphere. It also intercepts a social lack of meaning which seems to be expressed by a plaque where trekkers are invited to “Find the time to think/Find the time to pray/Find the time to smile”. Despite of these trans-religious exhortations, people’s attitudes and actions asserts the sense of the place. A great number of those who climb there for the Thinking Christ have neglected origins of this place of war because trekkers or pilgrims but all seekers of the Self, they are establishing a new authenticity.
Reaching the peak to stand by the Thinking Christ in Dolomites
Rech, Giovanna
2012
Abstract
This contribution aims to examine alternative forms of tourism in Italian Dolomites on the basis of a case study in North-eastern Alps. Recently, in Italy such as in many other western countries, there is an increasing interest and participation to pilgrimages with the consequence of invention, rediscovery and reinvention of local paths. The mountain track “Trekking of the Thinking Christ” is a trade mark which starts from a pass and gets to the top of the mount where the statue of a Christ has been erected in 2009 in the territory of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site of Dolomites and of the Paneveggio e Pale di San Martino Natural Park. In about three years from its unveiling, this statue has become one of the most attractive religious and spiritual poles in Dolomites drawing the critical, curious and devoted attention of media, local society, Church and people. After having conducted an ethnographic fieldwork, our analysis certainly attributes this phenomenon to the manifestation of human spiritual needs but its interest does not limit to the individual sphere. It also intercepts a social lack of meaning which seems to be expressed by a plaque where trekkers are invited to “Find the time to think/Find the time to pray/Find the time to smile”. Despite of these trans-religious exhortations, people’s attitudes and actions asserts the sense of the place. A great number of those who climb there for the Thinking Christ have neglected origins of this place of war because trekkers or pilgrims but all seekers of the Self, they are establishing a new authenticity.
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