Loretta Slepikas, about to turn 70, planned a pilgrimage in Spain to walk 240 miles of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage that is over a thousand years old.“What I learned while walking the Camino was totally unexpected,” says Slepikas. Learn more about her pilgrimage at the East Bend and Sisters Libraries as part of the Know Go series throughout the month of March. Both presentations are free and open to the public.

According to Slepikas, pilgrimages are a way to get away from the daily routine life demands. “Since they involve walking, thinking and believing, pilgrimages have always been used as a sort of meditation on the move,” says Slepikas. “The ritual and repetitiveness of walking long miles clears the mind from daily tasks and forces pilgrims to deal with a more simple way of life.”

El Camino de Santiago was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times. At the end of the trail pilgrims find themselves at the site where the body of St. James the Apostle is believed to be buried. “I may have thought the Camino was a time for solitude and reflection but it had something else in mind for me.”

During her presentation, Slepikas, who is also a photographer, will present slides and share stories from her experience on the Camino. She will bring the pack she carried, filled with the items from her journey. She will also share tips on the practical side of a planning a pilgrimage.

March 6, 6pm, East Bend Library and March 19, 12pm, Sisters Library. www.deschuteslibrary.org.

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