Pilgrimage in Monotheistic Religions and Its Spiritual and Civilizational Role

Pilgrimage is an act of worship intending to seek spirituality in a holy place. Investigations into the historical pilgrimage record show that such a practice existed in pre-Islamic religions such as Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity, and the emphasis was placed on pilgrimages to acquire spirituality. In this research, which is carried out with descriptive and analytical methods, we are looking for an answer to the question of how effective pilgrimage and pilgrimage trips can be in improving the mental and psychological condition of people and whether they can play a role in the process of economic and social development and the formation of civilization in human life? The research results show that pilgrimages to holy places have been one of the factors of people's gatherings and cultural activity throughout human history and have led to economic prosperity and the formation of urbanization. Also, the examination of historical statements and current reports reveals that followers of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and especially Islam believe that visiting a holy place brings people closer to God and causes one or more spiritual events in Human life.