what exactly is a pilgrim?

The word "Pilgrim" means one who journeys, especially a long distance to some sacred place as an act of devotion. Poetically this can be a traveller or a wander. it comes from the old Latin meaning foreigner. That is appropriate. We have lots of them here at the moment. (Macquarie Dictionary)

A pilgrimage is the journey taken be the pilgrim to the said sacred place.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrimage

This might help

One pilgrimage that all Muslims are supposed to take at least once in their lives is the one to Mecca for the Haj. This is an annual festival held each year and millions of Muslims gather for it.

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/loc/sa/pilgrim...

Jewish people go to the Wailing Wall and also to the places where the Holocaust occurred.

pilgrimagetounderstanding.blogspot.com/2008/05/temple-mount.html

aish.com/holocaust/resources/he91d70g.htm

Christians go to the Holy Land around Jerusalem and to Athens, Corinth where St Paul was and to Rome where the Pope has his head quarters. There hundreds of other places of importance to the various Judeo-Christian & Muslim believers.

http://www.reep.org/pilgrimage/christian_middle.ph...

http://www.request.org.uk/main/dowhat/pilgrimage/p...

http://www.jericojourneys.com/stPaulGreece.htm

http://www.soll-lourdes.com/

Hindhus and Buddhists also have their holy sites in India in particular and in other places in Asia. People of the Hindu faith go and stay in Ashrams. These are also considered to be pilgrims.

www.pilgrimage-india.com/hindu-pilgrimage

www.kamat.com/indica/tourism/pilgrimage/batch1-113.htm

www.buddhist-pilgrimage.com

http://www.addedvalueconcepts.com/Buddhist_Pilgrim...

Hope that this gives you some idea of what a pilgrim is. They usually go to a certain place stay a while and pray to a certain deity related to their beliefs.

A pilgrim is someone who travels quite a distance to visit/see a place/person/item of significance in their lives. It is not restricted to religion. For example, a pilgrim may travel to see a place of cultural significance (such as someone visiting a country where their ancestors come from) or someone may travel to see something of religious significance (the Western Wall in Old Jerusalem).

There are pilgrims who visit Graceland, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, War Memorials all around the world, places of historical importance such as the Kokoda Trail.

Etc.

Bludgers who make out like they are on some sort of self serving journey that they expect others to pay for.

A cheap way to get a holiday and cheap kicks.

It will be interesting to see how many "miraculous" births occur around the world 9 months from now.

"Our church has a history of rape , sodomy , incest and child molestation within its clerical ranks ...lets all go and celebrate that at other peoples expense in some other country!"

that is what a pilgrim is....

It depends on the context in which it is used. In the States it could refer to some of the earliest settlers. In the Southern and Western states it can refer to an inexperienced person although that use is somewhat archaic today. Then there are those on a religious pilgrimage.

A pilgrim in Islam is a born again person where a Muslim can start new life free of sins after his pilgrimage.

A settler in an untamed wilderness. Oh no that's a "pioneer." A pilgrim is

It's based on World Youth Day. A pilgrim is a Catholic/Christian that has come together to celebrate with other Catholic/Christians.

okay. A pilgrim is a religious fanatic who will travel anywhere - even accross the world to see their religious leader, or go to a 'holy place', etc.

Anyone who travels to a certain place souly in name of religion.

Someone whose on a journey to find or experience something which may or may not exist.

a pilgrim is the one who is on the spiritual journey and travelling in quest of the almighty. when he experiences him in him that is realisation of the self.