Lourdes: A New Pilgrimage, 1870–1950

This chapter analyses the emergence and development of Italian pilgrimages to Lourdes, placing them at the intersection of spirituality, mobility, and modern tourism organization. Beginning with the Marian apparitions of 1858, Lourdes soon became a major European religious destination and a testing ground for the early forms of organized devotional travel. The chapter highlights the role of Italian Catholic networks and travel agencies, such as Chiari and Sommariva, in managing the logistical aspects of pilgrimages. A key figure is Giacomo Radini Tedeschi, founder of Comitato Nazionale pro Palestina e Lourdes (CNIPL), active in collaboration with both ecclesiastical and civil authorities. Special attention is devoted to the experience of pilgrims with ailments and volunteers through firsthand accounts and contemporary documents with a specific focus on Opera Federativa Trasporto Ammalati a Lourdes (OFTAL), which emerges as a crucial actor in shaping new models of care and religious organization. The study of OFTAL provides privileged access to the inner workings of collective devotion, portraying pilgrimage as a structured social practice capable of generating data, relationships, and shared memory.