Antiquity
92-872: This article provides an incomplete list and broad overview of significant religious sites and places of spiritual importance throughout the world. Sites are listed alphabetically by religion . Abrahamic religions are monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him. They constitute one of three major divisions in comparative religion , along with Indian religions (Dharmic) and East Asian religions (Taoic). The three major Abrahamic faiths (in chronological order) are Judaism , Christianity and Islam . Some strict definitions of what constitutes an Abrahamic religion include only these three faiths. However, there are many other religions incorporating Abrahamic doctrine, theology, genealogy and history into their own belief systems. The Baháʼí Faith
184-536: A place of annual pilgrimage. The primary sanctuary of the Druze is at Khalwat al-Bayada , which is the central sanctuary , and theological school of the Druze , located in Lebanon . Located near Hasbaya , the khalwat is the location where Ad-Darazi is supposed to have settled and taught from during the first Druze call . The Kalwaat provides around forty hermitages for Al-ʻuqqāl (the initiated) at various times of
276-432: A predominantly vegetarian lifestyle. Parasparopagraho jīvānām (the function of souls is to help one another) is the faith's motto and the Ṇamōkāra mantra is its most common and basic prayer. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four leaders or Tirthankaras , with the first in the current time cycle being Rishabhadeva , whom the tradition holds to have lived millions of years ago;
368-655: A private meditation room for the church's president . Mormon homes are also treated as sacred areas due to the church's emphasis on the sacredness of family union and family-based ceremonies performed in LDS temples. On this subject, the Bible Dictionary in the LDS edition of the Bible states: A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of
460-569: A quest for an ultimate or sacred meaning , religious experience , or an encounter with one's own "inner dimension". The term spirit means "animating or vital principle in man and animals". It is derived from the Old French espirit , which comes from the Latin word spiritus ( soul , ghost, courage, vigor, breath) and is related to spirare (to breathe). In the Vulgate , the Latin word spiritus
552-614: A return to unity. Despite the potentially confusing nomenclature (Oriental meaning Eastern), Oriental Orthodox churches are distinct from those that are collectively referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church . The Oriental Orthodox communion comprises five basic groups: Coptic Orthodox , Ethiopian Orthodox , Eritrean Orthodox , Syriac Orthodox , and Armenian Apostolic churches. These churches, while being in communion with one another, are hierarchically independent. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church or Indian Orthodox church
644-500: A road that would bring them by the garden, thus it was a logical choice for them stop there in order to assemble and to receive visitors. Access to the garden from the opposite riverbank was possible by way of a ferry across the Tigris, as in Baháʼu'lláh's case, or by "floating bridge", as in the case of the governor and other friends who followed. The Najibiyyih Garden, as it was first known,
736-401: A social and psychological meaning. Socially it denoted the territory of the clergy: "the ecclesiastical against the temporary possessions, the ecclesiastical against the secular authority, the clerical class against the secular class". Psychologically, it denoted the realm of the inner life: "the purity of motives, affections, intentions, inner dispositions, the psychology of the spiritual life,
828-566: A special annual event known as Show and Prove every June at the Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Harlem. Spirituality Medieval Early modern Modern Iran India East-Asia The meaning of spirituality has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality is referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover
920-464: A supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of one's own "inner dimension". Bergomi detects "an enlightened form of non-religious spirituality" in late antiquity . Words translatable as "spirituality" first began to arise in the 5th century and only entered common use toward the end of the Middle Ages . In a Biblical context the term means being animated by God. The New Testament offers
1012-689: A walled enclave within Rome , Italy. Inside the Vatican the largest church in history, St. Peter's Basilica ( L. : Basilica Sancti Petri ), is the location of the Papal office and the living quarters of the Pope (in the Apostolic Palace ), as well as Vatican Hill – atop which are Saint Peter's tomb and place of crucifixion, his throne , and his baldachin . Outside St. Peter's Square are many more churches throughout
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#17328545881881104-410: A wider range of experiences, including a range of esoteric and religious traditions. Modern usages tend to refer to a subjective experience of a sacred dimension , and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", often in a context separate from organized religious institutions . This may involve belief in a supernatural realm beyond the ordinarily observable world, personal growth ,
1196-654: Is a monotheistic religion founded by Baháʼu'lláh in 19th century Persia , and consider their religion to progress from or succeed Bábism or the Bábi Faith ( Persian : بابی ها Bábí há ) founded by the Báb earlier in the century – emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. Located in Bahji , near Acre, Israel the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh is the most holy place for Baháʼís and their Qiblih , or direction of prayer. It contains
1288-561: Is a blend of humanistic psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions, and Eastern religions. In modern times the emphasis is on subjective experience and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", incorporating personal growth or transformation, usually in a context separate from organized religious institutions. Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual's search for ultimate or sacred meaning, and purpose in life. Additionally it can mean to seek out or search for personal growth, religious experience , belief in
1380-523: Is also derived from Latin spiritualis . There is no single, widely agreed-upon definition of spirituality. Surveys of the definition of the term, as used in scholarly research, show a broad range of definitions with limited overlap. A survey of reviews by McCarroll, each dealing with the topic of spirituality, gave twenty-seven explicit definitions among which "there was little agreement". This causes some difficulty in trying to study spirituality systematically; i.e., it impedes both understanding and
1472-571: Is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought of Judaism. Kabbalah is a set of esoteric teachings meant to explain the relationship between an unchanging, eternal and mysterious Ein Sof (no end) and the mortal and finite universe (his creation). Interpretations of Kabbalistic spirituality are found within Hasidic Judaism , a branch of Orthodox Judaism founded in 18th-century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov . Hasidism often emphasizes
1564-487: Is an important concept in Buddhist praxis ( Patipatti ). The word bhavana normally appears in conjunction with another word forming a compound phrase such as citta-bhavana (the development or cultivation of the heart/mind) or metta-bhavana (the development/cultivation of loving kindness). When used on its own bhavana signifies 'spiritual cultivation' generally. Various Buddhist paths to liberation developed throughout
1656-414: Is an individual experience, and referred to as ksaitrajña ( Sanskrit : क्षैत्रज्ञ ). It defines spiritual practice as one's journey towards moksha , awareness of self, the discovery of higher truths, Ultimate reality, and a consciousness that is liberated and content. Traditionally, Hinduism identifies three mārga (ways) of spiritual practice, namely Jñāna (ज्ञान), the way of knowledge; Bhakti ,
1748-1005: Is in Japan , or is really located outside of East Jerusalem . Other holy sites and shrines of pilgrimage exist in the Holy Land . In Jerusalem the Garden of Gethsemane , the Mount Zion Cenacle of the Last Supper and the Mount of Olives , as well as the Church of the Ascension prove spiritually important. Outside Jerusalem are pilgrimage places including the Sea of Galilee , as well as locations in Bethlehem , Nazareth , and Capernaum : Other important locations identified with
1840-521: Is now the Bab al-Mu'azzam neighbourhood of Baghdad's Rusafa District , it was directly opposite the district in which Baháʼu'lláh lived during his stay in the city, on the river's western bank. A ground plan drawn in the 1850s by officers of the Indian Navy (pictured) shows the garden immediately adjacent to the city's citadel, with four avenues meeting at a circular area in the centre. A structure, possibly
1932-518: Is sometimes associated today with philosophical, social, or political movements such as liberalism , feminist theology , and green politics . Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was a pioneer of the idea of spirituality as a distinct field. He was one of the major figures in Transcendentalism , an early 19th-century liberal Protestant movement, which was rooted in English and German Romanticism ,
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#17328545881882024-617: Is stressed by both Muslim and non-Muslim authors. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi , an 11th-century Islamic scholar, referenced a statement by the companion of Muhammad , Jabir ibn Abd-Allah : The Prophet ... returned from one of his battles, and thereupon told us, 'You have arrived with an excellent arrival, you have come from the Lesser Jihad to the Greater Jihad ;– the striving of a servant (of Allah ) against his desires (holy war)." The best known form of Islamic mystic spirituality
2116-441: Is studied and practiced are varied and range from ecstatic visions of the soul's mystical union with God to simple prayerful contemplation of Holy Scripture (i.e., Lectio Divina ). Progressive Christianity is a contemporary movement which seeks to remove the supernatural claims of the faith and replace them with a post-critical understanding of biblical spirituality based on historical and scientific research. It focuses on
2208-725: Is taken to be one of the most prominent leaders in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, then St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul – the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch ;– may perhaps be one of the most important religious sites for Eastern Orthodox Christians. Also of particular importance to the Eastern Orthodox Church and particularly the Greek Orthodox Church is the peninsular Mount Athos , where
2300-657: Is technically autonomous, but still shares some ties with the Syriac Orthodox church. This being the case, each of the six communal churches has their own spiritual headquarters which act as the episcopal sees of their respective Popes or Patriarchs: Latter-day Saints regard with reverence such places as the Garden Tomb and the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, due their connections with the life and ministry of Jesus . Additionally,
2392-856: Is the Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina , which is where Muhammad is buried, under the Green Dome . Caliphs Umar and Abu Bakr are also said to be buried in the Masjid al-Nabawi. The third holiest site in Islam is the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem , which includes Jami Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock . Its holiness derives from its being the site from which Muhammad ascended to heaven in
2484-623: Is the Sufi tradition (famous through Rumi and Hafiz ) in which a Sheikh or pir transmits spiritual discipline to students. Sufism or taṣawwuf ( Arabic : تصوّف ) is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam . A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfī ( صُوفِيّ ). Sufis believe they are practicing ihsan (perfection of worship) as revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad , Worship and serve Allah as you are seeing Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you. Sufis consider themselves as
2576-401: Is the path of cultivating necessary virtues, self-discipline, tapas (meditation), contemplation and self-reflection sometimes with isolation and renunciation of the world, to a pinnacle state called samādhi . This state of samādhi has been compared to peak experience. Garden of Ridv%C3%A1n, Baghdad The Garden of Ridván (literally garden of paradise ) or Najibiyyih Garden
2668-943: Is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God". Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba , "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine , purify one's inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits". Jainism , traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion . The three main pillars of Jainism are ahiṃsā (non-violence), anekāntavāda (non-absolutism), and aparigraha (non-attachment). Jains take five main vows: ahiṃsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (sexual continence), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). These principles have affected Jain culture in many ways, such as leading to
2760-526: Is the spiritual practice of living out a personal faith. Pope Francis offers several ways in which the calling of Christian spirituality can be considered: The terminology of the Catholic Church refers to an act of faith ( fides qua creditur ) following the acceptance of faith ( fides quae creditur ). Although all Catholics are expected to pray together at Mass , there are many different forms of spirituality and private prayer which have developed over
2852-461: Is used to translate the Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruach . The term "spiritual", meaning "concerning the spirit", is derived from Old French spirituel (12c.), which is derived from Latin spiritualis , which comes by spiritus or "spirit". The term "spirituality" is derived from Middle French spiritualité , from Late Latin spiritualitatem (nominative spiritualitas ), which
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2944-646: The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) base themselves in Bluffdale, Utah . Ethiopia is of considerable importance as the setting of the life and death of Haile Selassie . Many Rastas consider Ethiopia the Promised Land . The city of Shashamane is particularly significant. In the capital of Addis Ababa , Haile Selassie is buried in the Holy Trinity Cathedral (often called Kidist Selassie , from
3036-618: The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (containing the tomb of Paul the Apostle ), and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore . Other locations of reverence for ardent Catholics include Marian shrines , particularly the localities of Fátima and Lourdes , where miracles or apparitions attributed to the Virgin Mary took place. Orthodox or Eastern Christians, like many other Christians, regard
3128-624: The First Council of Nicaea , the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus . They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon (c. 451). Hence, these Oriental Orthodox Churches are also called Old Oriental Churches, Miaphysite Churches , or the Non-Chalcedonian Churches. These churches are generally not in communion with any of the multifarious Eastern Orthodox Churches but they are in dialogue for
3220-887: The Garden of Ridván , which shares the same name as – though is distinct from – the Garden of Ridván in Acre. Located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem , the Edicule , also known as the Tomb of Christ, within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the most holy site for many mainstream denominations within Christianity. The area of the Church is regarded as the site, according to their understanding, where Jesus Christ suffered,
3312-665: The Imam Ali Shrine and Imam Husayn Shrine also hold high significance. Mosque Maryam is the international headquarters of the Nation of Islam . Five Percenters regard the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City as a place of spiritual importance, referring to the neighborhood as "Mecca". They also refer to the Brooklyn borough of New York as "Medina". Five Percenters hold
3404-532: The Immanent Divine presence and focuses on emotion, fervour , and the figure of the Tzadik . This movement included an elite ideal of nullification to paradoxical Divine Panentheism . The Musar movement is a Jewish spiritual movement that has focused on developing character traits such as faith , humility , and love . The Musar movement, first founded in the 19th century by Israel Salanter and developed in
3496-575: The Isra and Mi'raj , and also for having been the first qibla (the direction towards which Muslims face when praying). The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria , is claimed by some to be the fourth holiest site in Islam, and many Muslims believe it to be the place where Jesus will return. The city of Hebron , in Palestine , is traditionally considered – along with Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem – one of
3588-454: The Tigris in a small boat accompanied by his sons ʻAbdu'l-Bahá , Mírzá Mihdí and Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí , his secretary Mirza Aqa Jan and some others. After their arrival in the garden, Baháʼu'lláh announced his mission and station for the first time to a small group of family and friends. For the next eleven days Baháʼu'lláh received visitors including the governor of Baghdad. Baháʼu'lláh's family
3680-504: The spiritual science of Martinus was an influence, especially in Scandinavia. The influence of Asian traditions on Western modern spirituality was also furthered by the perennial philosophy , whose main proponent Aldous Huxley was deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda's Neo-Vedanta and universalism , and the spread of social welfare, education and mass travel after World War II . An important influence on western spirituality
3772-606: The "four holy cities" in Islam, due to the presence in the city of the Cave of the Patriarchs , the holy site where Abraham is said to be buried. Mount Sinai , in Egypt, is another holy place for Muslims. Other sites in the Arabian Hejaz are associated with Muhammad: near Mecca, on the mountain of Jabal al-Nour , the cave Hira is the place of Muhammad's first revelation. Among Shias,
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3864-445: The 21st century by Alan Morinis and Ira F. Stone , has encouraged spiritual practices of Jewish meditation, Jewish prayer, Jewish ethics , tzedakah , teshuvah, and the study of musar (ethical) literature . Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism have often emphasized the spirituality of Jewish ethics and tikkun olam , feminist spirituality , Jewish prayer, Torah study, ritual, and musar. Christian spirituality
3956-472: The Amharic), which is also a significant religious site for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians (see also Oriental Orthodox churches ), as it doubles as the seat of the primate of their church. Druze is a religion with between 800,000 and a million followers. Most Druzis regard Nabi Shu'ayb , or Tomb of Jethro , near Tiberias in Israel is the most important religious site for the Druze. They have held religious festivals there for centuries and it has been
4048-432: The Biblical criticism of Johann Gottfried Herder and Friedrich Schleiermacher , the skepticism of Hume , and Neoplatonism . The Transcendentalists emphasized an intuitive, experiential approach to religion. Following Schleiermacher, an individual's intuition of truth was taken as the criterion for truth. In the late 18th and early 19th century, the first translations of Hindu texts appeared, which were also read by
4140-436: The Holy Land, involving localities associated with the lives of the Twelve Apostles , the Church Fathers , the relatives and ancestors of Jesus , saints , or other figures or events featured in both the Old Testament (sharing religious significance with Judaism or other Abrahamic faiths) and New Testament. The reverence held for these sites may vary depending on denomination. Catholics , like many other Christians , regards
4232-490: The Holy Sepulchre is still the most sanctified of places for Catholics, the Vatican is an extremely sacred place to the faithful (those of the Latin Church , as well as the Churches sui iuris ) as the seat of their supreme authority on Earth. Important papal territories include the four major basilicas (L.: Basilica maior , pl. -es ; excluding St. Peter's) – namely the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (the ecumenical Catholic mother church ), St. Peter's Basilica,
4324-476: The Second World War, spirituality and theistic religion became increasingly disconnected, and spirituality became more oriented on subjective experience, instead of "attempts to place the self within a broader ontological context". A new discourse developed, in which (humanistic) psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions and eastern religions are being blended, to reach the true self by self-disclosure , free expression, and meditation. The distinction between
4416-461: The Sepulchre in Jerusalem to be the holiest of places. It also places emphasis on Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum, and other parts of the Holy Land as sacred since apostolic times, and notes as places of special sanctity the sanctuaries built on the tombs of the Apostles. Mainstream Catholicism as a whole is represented by the Holy See ( Latin : Sancta Sedes , "holy chair") of the Vatican City state (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano ),
4508-451: The Sepulchre in Jerusalem to be the holiest of places. They place emphasis on Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum and other parts of the Holy Land as sacred since apostolic times, and note as places of special sanctity the sanctuaries built on the tombs of the apostles and other saints. There are many shrines with the relics of Christian saints and martyrs which are sacred pilgrimage sites for Orthodox Christians as well. Historically, four of
4600-517: The Transcendentalists, and influenced their thinking. They also endorsed universalist and Unitarianist ideas, leading to Unitarian Universalism , the idea that there must be truth in other religions as well since a loving God would redeem all living beings, not just Christians. A major influence on modern spirituality was the Theosophical Society , which searched for 'secret teachings' in Asian religions. It has been influential on modernist streams in several Asian religions, notably Neo-Vedanta ,
4692-450: The Vatican and outlying Rome. One important landmark is the Sistine Chapel ( L. : Sacellum Sixtinum ; I. : Cappella Sistina ), in which the Papal conclave takes place. Rome is the place from which Catholics believe the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church was formally founded and begun by Saint Peter (whom they consider to be the " Prince of the Apostles ") as the appointed successor and first vicar of Christ . Thus while
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#17328545881884784-422: The ages. Best-known is the Noble Eightfold Path , but others include the Bodhisattva Path and Lamrim . Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no governing body, no prophets nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, henotheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, or atheistic. Within this diffuse and open structure, spirituality in Hindu philosophy
4876-623: The analysis of the feelings". In the 17th and 18th centuries, a distinction was made between higher and lower forms of spirituality: "A spiritual man is one who is Christian 'more abundantly and deeper than others'." The word was also associated with mysticism and quietism , and acquired a negative meaning. Modern notions of spirituality developed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, mixing Christian ideas with Western esoteric traditions and elements of Asian, especially Indian, religions. Spirituality became increasingly disconnected from traditional religious organizations and institutions. It
4968-428: The belief that their particular church alone can claim true authority and succession from Joseph Smith, and that other LDS denominations are therefore incorrect or heretical. Thus many sites throughout the United States represent the spiritual headquarters' of these churches: For example, the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas , at one time represented the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) and
5060-495: The capacity to communicate findings in a meaningful fashion. According to Kees Waaijman, the traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of re-formation that "aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God. To accomplish this, the re-formation is oriented at a mold, which represents the original shape: in Judaism the Torah , in Christianity there is Christ , for Buddhism , Buddha , and in Islam , Muhammad ." Houtman and Aupers suggest that modern spirituality
5152-490: The centuries. Each of the major religious orders of the Catholic Church and other lay groupings have their own unique spirituality – its own way of approaching God in prayer and in living out the Gospel . Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity . It has often been connected to mystical theology , especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. The attributes and means by which Christian mysticism
5244-414: The concept of being driven by the Holy Spirit , as opposed to living a life in which one rejects this influence. In the 11th century, this meaning of "Spirituality" changed. Instead, the word began to denote the mental aspect of life, as opposed to the material and sensual aspects of life, "the ecclesiastical sphere of light against the dark world of matter". In the 13th century "spirituality" acquired
5336-430: The custodians of the Holy Sepulchre and collectively control the most holy pilgrimages within the church along with the Coptic , Syriac , and Ethiopian Orthodox churches who also hold some chapels. Within the walls of the church are the many traditional locations for the events associated with the Passion and death of Jesus: The Stone of Unction (the anointing place of Christ's body), the Prison of Christ (where Jesus
5428-419: The five major episcopal sees of the Roman Empire (the Pentarchy ) represent the modern patriarchal centers of the majority of Orthodox churches. These are, namely, Alexandria , Antioch , Constantinople and Jerusalem – excluding Rome . Among the Orthodox, there are many monasteries and convents which are held in high honor and sacred veneration. If the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
5520-545: The garden palace, is located at the edge of the garden near the riverbank. The garden was described as a wooded garden having four "flower-bordered avenues" lined with roses, which were collected by gardeners during Baháʼu'lláh's stay and piled in the center of his tent to be offered to visitors. "So great would be the heap," the chronicler Nabíl-i-Aʻzam relates, "that when His companions gathered to drink their morning tea in His presence, they would be unable to see each other across it." Nightingales were said to sing loudly in
5612-434: The garden was never owned by the Baháʼís. It was purchased by the government in 1870, and was used as a guest house for Nasruddin-Shah —who was responsible for Baháʼu'lláh's imprisonment and exile —when he visited Iraq in 1870. The park was further developed during the governorship of Midhat Pasha (1869–1872), who leveled the road leading to the garden and built another road, approximately 400–500 meters in length. The garden
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#17328545881885704-420: The garden, which, together with the fragrance of the roses, "created an atmosphere of beauty and enchantment". By the side of the river, upstream from Najib Pasha's palace, was an open space in the garden where one of Baháʼu'lláh's companions raised a tent for him, around which a small village of tents was later raised for the rest of his family. In travelling to Constantinople, Baháʼu'lláh's caravan would take
5796-439: The gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness. Once a Mormon family starts dwelling in a home, a special prayer is given by the head of the family (or a close member of the church) asking for the residence to be a shelter against temptation , and dedicating
5888-582: The graves of some of Bahá'u'lláh's family – as well as a house in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá lived , and the resting place of Rúhíyyih Khánum (8 August 1910 – 19 January 2000; born Mary Sutherland Maxwell; the wife of Shoghi Effendi). Bahá'u'lláh decreed pilgrimage in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas to two places: the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, Iraq and the House of the Báb in Shiraz, Iran. While these major pilgrimages were later replaced (at least in terms of religious significance) by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, many Baháʼís still flocked to Bahá'u'lláh's home for pilgrimage until
5980-651: The growth of secularism in the western world have given rise to this broader view of spirituality. The term "spiritual" is now frequently used in contexts in which the term "religious" was formerly employed. Both theists and atheists have criticized this development. Spirituality in Judaism ( Hebrew : רוחניות , romanized : ruhniyut ) may involve practices of Jewish ethics , Jewish prayer , Jewish meditation , Shabbat and holiday observance, Torah study , dietary laws , teshuvah , and other practices. It may involve practices ordained by halakhah or other practices. Kabbalah (literally "receiving")
6072-411: The house was confiscated by Muslim authorities hostile to the Baháʼí Faith in 1922. It has yet to be returned to the Baháʼí community. The House of the Báb was completely destroyed by Iranian Muslims during a state-sponsored persecution of Baháʼís . A road and mosque were built over the house and a telephone pole now marks the spot where the Báb proclaimed his prophethood. The city of Baghdad also includes
6164-416: The life of Jesus include areas around the Sea of Galilee – for instance Cana and the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha – as well as the Mount of Temptation (in the Judean desert ), Mount Tabor , Jacob's Well , Bethany and Bethabara (on the Jordan River ). The town of Sepphoris is where the Virgin Mary spent her childhood. Still other revered places may exist within or outside
6256-489: The lived experience of spirituality over historical dogmatic claims, and accepts that the faith is both true and a human construction, and that spiritual experiences are psychologically and neurally real and useful. An inner spiritual struggle and an outer physical struggle are two commonly accepted meanings of the Arabic word jihad : The "greater jihad" is the inner struggle by a believer to fulfill his religious duties and fight against one's ego . This non-violent meaning
6348-461: The most masses in the world are celebrated daily in the Byzantine Rite . Mount Athos arguably comprises the largest community of Christian monastics , ascetics , and mystics (specifically hesychasts ) in the world. It is home to twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils –
6440-423: The most holy place for members of the mainstream LDS Church are the numerous temples around the world, particularly the " celestial room " located inside each temple. The purpose of these ordinance rooms is to act as a symbolic representation of the presence of God himself. Additionally, a room inside the Salt Lake Temple , designated as the Holy of Holies , is considered highly sacred due its primary function as
6532-426: The original shape of man", oriented at "the image of God " as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. The term was used within early Christianity to refer to a life oriented toward the Holy Spirit and broadened during the Late Middle Ages to include mental aspects of life. In modern times, the term both spread to other religious traditions and broadened to refer to
6624-562: The original true proponents of this pure original form of Islam. They are strong adherents to the principal of tolerance, peace and against any form of violence. The Sufi have suffered severe persecution by more rigid and fundamentalist groups such as the Wahhabi and Salafi movement . In 1843 the Senussi Sufi were forced to flee Mecca and Medina and head to Sudan and Libya. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective
6716-696: The place to God as long as the family inhabits it. Other venerated sites for Latter-day Saints include historical locations throughout the United States , due to their particular connection to Mormon history and theology. Examples include the Sacred Grove ( Palmyra, New York ), Cumorah , the Kirtland Temple ( Kirtland, Ohio ) and Adam-ondi-Ahman ( Daviess County, Missouri ). However, no mandatory ceremonies are performed in such places. Mormon breakaway sects, sub-sects and fundamentalist groups sometimes hold
6808-653: The point where the Persian government feared he might use it to threaten their sovereignty from abroad. In response, the Persian ambassador in Constantinople demanded Baháʼu'lláh be banished from Baghdad, to which the Ottoman government eventually acceded. Baháʼu'lláh entered the Najibiyyih Garden on April 22, 1863, in order to receive visitors and allow his family to prepare for his upcoming trip to Constantinople . He crossed
6900-599: The remains of Bahá'u'lláh and is near the spot where he died in the Mansion of Bahji . Baháʼís regard Acre (He.: עַכּוֹ Akko ; Ar.: عكّا ʻAkkā ) itself as their holy city , mostly due to the fact that it serves as the location of Bahá'u'lláh and his family's many affairs. Within Acre, Baháʼí sites include the House of 'Abbúd , the House of 'Abdu'lláh Páshá , the Garden of Ridván and the Prison cell of Bahá'u'lláh – where Bahá'u'lláh
6992-511: The revival of Theravada Buddhism , and Buddhist modernism , which have taken over modern western notions of personal experience and universalism and integrated them in their religious concepts. A second, related influence was Anthroposophy , whose founder, Rudolf Steiner , was particularly interested in developing a genuine Western spirituality, and in the ways that such a spirituality could transform practical institutions such as education , agriculture , and medicine . More independently,
7084-619: The spiritual and the religious became more common in the popular mind during the late 20th century with the rise of secularism and the advent of the New Age movement. Authors such as Chris Griscom and Shirley MacLaine explored it in numerous ways in their books. Paul Heelas noted the development within New Age circles of what he called "seminar spirituality": structured offerings complementing consumer choice with spiritual options. Among other factors, declining membership of organized religions and
7176-455: The spiritual practice often includes chanting, singing and music – such as in kirtans – in front of idols, or images of one or more deity, or a devotional symbol of the holy. Karma marga is the path of one's work, where diligent practical work or vartta ( Sanskrit : वार्त्ता , profession) becomes in itself a spiritual practice, and work in daily life is perfected as a form of spiritual liberation and not for its material rewards. Rāja marga
7268-605: The surrounding areas each year during a pilgrimage known as the Hajj – the fifth and final pillar of Islam – during which they circumambulate the Kaaba as part of the ritual. Other significant areas within or surrounding Mecca include areas in which the Hajj takes place, including the Well of Zamzam , Mina and its bridge , Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat . The second holiest place for Muslims
7360-429: The twenty-third tirthankara Parshvanatha , whom historians date to 9th century BCE; and the twenty-fourth tirthankara, Mahavira around 600 BCE. Jainism is considered to be an eternal dharma with the tirthankaras guiding every time cycle of the cosmology . Buddhist practices are known as Bhavana , which literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" in the sense of "calling into existence". It
7452-409: The way of devotion; and Karma yoga , the way of selfless action. In the 19th century Vivekananda , in his neo-Vedanta synthesis of Hinduism, added Rāja yoga , the way of contemplation and meditation, as a fourth way, calling all of them "yoga". Jñāna marga is a path often assisted by a guru (teacher) in one's spiritual practice. Bhakti marga is a path of faith and devotion to deity or deities;
7544-450: The western world and Asia, which also influenced western religiosity. Unitarianism, and the idea of Universalism, was brought to India by missionaries, and had a major influence on neo-Hinduism via Ram Mohan Roy 's Brahmo Samaj and Brahmoism . Roy attempted to modernise and reform Hinduism, from the idea of Universalism. This universalism was further popularised, and brought back to the west as neo-Vedanta, by Swami Vivekananda . After
7636-547: The year. The Kaaba , a cuboid structure located within the Masjid al-Haram ( Sacred Mosque ) in Mecca , Saudi Arabia , is the holiest site of Islam. According to Islamic tradition, it was rebuilt by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael). The Islamic prophet Muhammad laid the Black Stone in one of the corners of the building. Many millions of Muslims visit Mecca and
7728-424: Was Neo-Vedanta , also called neo-Hinduism and Hindu Universalism , a modern interpretation of Hinduism which developed in response to western colonialism and orientalism . It aims to present Hinduism as a "homogenized ideal of Hinduism" with Advaita Vedanta as its central doctrine. Due to the colonisation of Asia by the western world, since the 19th century an exchange of ideas has been taking place between
7820-531: Was a wooded garden in what is now Baghdad 's Rusafa District , on the banks of the Tigris river. It is notable as the location where Baháʼu'lláh , founder of the Baháʼí Faith , stayed for twelve days from April 21 to May 2, 1863, after the Ottoman Empire exiled him from Baghdad and before commencing his journey to Constantinople . During his stay in this garden, Baháʼu'lláh announced to his followers that he
7912-661: Was cleared during the early twentieth century, to make way for the Royal Hospital. Baghdad Medical City , a large complex of teaching hospitals, now stands in its place. Baháʼu'lláh, after being imprisoned in Persia for his involvement with the Bábí community, was exiled to Baghdad by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar , arriving in the spring of 1853. Over the next decade in Baghdad, his influence grew to
8004-556: Was crucified, died , buried and resurrected from the dead along a temporal pathway known as the Via Dolorosa (from the Latin ; lit. "way of sorrows"). The first eight Stations of the Cross can be followed along the route leading up to the Church, inside of which are the final five Stations. The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem , Roman Catholic Church , and Armenian Apostolic Church form
8096-532: Was held, incarcerated, before his Passion), a treasure room which holds relics including fragments of the True Cross , and of course Calvary or Golgotha (where Christ was crucified) and the Sepulchre itself – to name a few. Many Protestant and nontrinitarian denominations regard the nearby Garden Tomb to be the actual crucifixion and resurrection site of Jesus. Still others have claimed that Jesus's tomb
8188-660: Was incarcerated. The second holiest site in the Baháʼí Faith ;– which is also revered by the few remaining Azalis (post-Baháʼí/Bábi split followers of Bábism, who number just several thousand worldwide) – is the Shrine of the Báb , located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. The Báb's Shrine contains within its walls the temporary Shrine of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá . The BWC also contains the Monument Gardens – wherein can be found
8280-504: Was named for Muhammad Najib Pasha , the wāli (governor) of Baghdad from 1842 to 1847, who built the garden and an attached palace in what was originally an agricultural area outside the city. Although Najib Pasha died in May 1851, the garden was presumably in the hands of his heirs when it was used by Baháʼu'lláh , during the period of April–May 1863. Despite its importance to the Baháʼí community,
8372-438: Was not able to join him until April 30, the ninth day, since the river had risen and made travel to the garden difficult. On the twelfth day of their stay in the garden, Baháʼu'lláh and his family left the garden and started on their travel to Constantinople. It was Baháʼu'lláh who gave the garden the name of Ridván ("paradise") during his stay, and the name was thereafter applied to the twelve-day Festival of Ridván —known as
8464-524: Was the messianic figure of He whom God shall make manifest , whose coming had been foretold by the Báb . These events are celebrated annually during the Festival of Ridván . The garden was located in a large agricultural area immediately north of the walls of the city of Baghdad, about 450 metres (1,480 ft) from the city's northern Mu'azzam gate. Located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in what
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