St Magnus Way pilgrimage route to open on Orkney
A new pilgrimage route is to open in Orkney this Easter to mark the 900th anniversary of St Magnus' death as the Kirk embraces the spiritual power of walking once again.The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will this year be asked to reverse centuries of hostility to the ancient practice of pilgrimage which was cast aside as superstitious during the Reformation.The Kirk hopes to embrace the popularity of routes such as the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, Europe's most popular pilgrimage route, which attracts 250,000 pilgrims every year.The first steps will be taken on the St Magnus Way in Orkney on Easter Sunday, which will cover 55 miles from Evie to Kirkwall when complete.The walk will be broken into six stages with the first connecting Evie to Birsay to reflect the route of Magnus' body on its return from Egilsay where he was murdered on the instructions of his cousin, Hakon, on April 16, most likely in 1117.The walk will end at St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, which was built by his nephew St Rognvald around 20 years after his death given several accounts of miracles associated with his uncle. Work on its construction started in 1137.Rev David McNeish, minister for Birsay, Harray and Sandwick in Orkney, said: 'We talk a lot about the drop in attendance at Sunday services and about other ways to worship. Pilgrimage is a way for a lot of people to reconnect with their spirituality and with the Church.He said the St Magnus Way came about after a small group of people from different churches came together to discuss a pilgrimage route on the island. 'When we started talking about a pilgrim route St Magnus, who is the patron saint of Orkney, was the first person who came to mind. 'After his martyrdom on the island of Egilsay his body was brought to Birsay on the mainland. Then 20 years later, when the seat of power moved to Kirkwall, his bones were taken there. 'So there was a journey Magnus himself took after his death, as well as evidence of people making pilgrimage to Orkney in the
