The Pilgrimage

Lore & Background

The novel is a recollection of Paulo's experiences as he made his way across northern Spain on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The story begins in 1986 when Coelho undertakes his initiation into the order Regnus Agnus Mundi (RAM), which he subsequently fails. He is then told that he must embark on a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago to find the sword that is the symbol of his acceptance into the ranks of RAM. He must do this to gain insight into the simplicity of life. The journey transforms him as he learns to understand the nature of truth through the simplicity of life. He begins his journey with a guide, also a member of RAM, who goes by the alias Petrus. During the journey Petrus shows him meditation exercises and introduces him to some of the more down-to-earth elements of Western mystical thought and philosophy, and teaches him about love and its forms: agape, philia and eros.

In Their Own Story

The wind finds the hem of the robe and lifts it, just slightly, as if testing whether the pilgrim will hold. Ahead, the canyon narrows to a slit of pale stone, and beyond that slit, the mountain is already there—white, patient, indifferent to the small figure approaching. The chest-light pulses. Somewhere behind, in the ruined city the pilgrim passed an hour ago, another robe is already dissolving into the sand, its light spent, its traveler gone. The pilgrim does not turn around. There is nothing to say. There is only the next step, and the one after, and the mountain that will not wait but also will not hurry. The wind picks up again. The robe catches it. The pilgrim walks.

Reader's Guide

An alternative summary describes a guru leading his disciple on the Camino de Santiago. They consume substantial amounts of wine and smoke a substance of unknown composition. The guru makes his disciple take part in reckless challenges (the disciple is 38, not a young man), claiming that creatures, such as a dog, are temporarily possessed by a demon, forcing them into these actions. The disciple is seriously injured. The disciple interprets these questionable feats as triumphs. As they near the end of the Camino, the guru leaves his disciple, who begins hearing voices. Nevertheless, he reaches a chapel, where the guru awaits him as a surprise with a ritual sword as a reward. The disciple knows he must wield the sword frequently, though its practical use remains unclear.

Did You Know?

• The novel was adapted into the 1997 adventure game Pilgrim: Faith as a Weapon, also written by Paulo Coelho.
• The novel serves as part adventure story, part guide to self-discovery.