The Persistence of the Sacred: German Catholic Pilgrimage, 1832–1937 by Skye Doney (review)

A study of German Catholic pilgrimage practices from 1832 to 1937 reveals the persistence of spontaneous, unarticulated piety among lower-class and less-educated pilgrims, contrasting with the evolving bureaucratic and empirical attitudes of the church hierarchy. The research, based on extensive archival materials, periodicals, and ephemeral memorabilia, highlights a tension between official religious discourse—marked by positivist scrutiny of miraculous claims—and the enduring desire of pilgrims to engage physically with sacred relics or their representations. While the study critiques the rationalization of Catholic piety under clerical influence, it lacks exploration of external factors such as ecclesiastically sponsored devotions or broader societal shifts in medicine and illness, leaving its central premise partially unproven.

(Ed.). (2023). The Persistence of the Sacred: German Catholic Pilgrimage, 1832–1937 by Skye Doney (review). The Catholic Historical Review, 109(2), 414–415. https://doi.org/10.1353/cat.2023.a899394