Church Pilgrimage Tips: Do's and Don'ts

So much of European travel revolves around art, and at its center are museums and churches. The most renowned painters and sculptors of their day left much of their work in the church, the most powerful institution of the time. Like it or not, you'll end up in churches. To banish the "one church looks like the next" feeling, here's a guide to what you can do in a church, and what you shouldn't.

**What you can do**

- Read the stories in the stained glass. There was a time when being able to read and write was a privilege. To help ordinary people who couldn't read deepen their faith and find salvation, scenes from the Bible and religious rules were painted as pictures, and the finest of these are the stained-glass windows. Guessing which passage a window shows, or which saint and disciples are pictured, is great fun. Knowing a few basic iconographic symbols is enough to get started. - Look for important relics and the tombs of famous people, saints and kings. Churches were originally built over the relics or remains of saints. After the Black Death struck, people believed that staying as close to God as possible would keep them safe, which is why tombs lie beneath churches. - Climb a tower for the city view. Looking out over a destination while listening to a favorite song feels completely different from seeing it from the ground. Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur are good choices. - Catch a concert. Churches large and small in Paris frequently host classical concerts and organ recitals. Check the church website or the notice boards inside. Our top pick is Sainte-Chapelle, followed by Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, which the narration ties to Victor Hugo, and Saint-Sulpice are also recommended. - Attend a Mass. It's the best way to experience a church fully. You don't have to be a believer, and it doesn't matter if you can't follow a foreign language, because you're here to experience the culture. Outside of Mass, most churches allow photography.

**What you shouldn't do**

A church may be artistically valuable, but it is first and foremost a place of worship.

- Don't make noise or run around. - Avoid clothes that are too short or low-cut. - Don't enter or touch restricted areas, such as areas reserved for clergy or where sacred objects are kept. - Eating and drinking are considered disrespectful. - At Mass, only baptized believers who have been to confession may receive Communion. - For the collection, a few coins as a modest gesture is fine.