My name is Alex, I'm 31 years old. 2 years ago I started a hike that changed my life... It changed my life because I changed myself from the ground up. I was lucky enough to walk the Jerusalem Way from Le Puy-en-Velay in France all the way to Jerusalem. During this 14 month pilgrimage I have experienced fear, anger and loneliness. But the most important thing was love from strangers, from strangers willing to help me with food or a bed. My path took me through different countries. I discovered different cultures, met many people and discovered a "treasure": People are friendly and loving, no matter where they come from or what religion they belong to. When you arrive in a village hungry, thirsty and tired, you always find a warm heart and a wonderful soul to help you. This is what makes such a great hike possible. Other. I also visited many holy sites on the Jerusalem route and it was a blessing. Every day that I hiked I was able to strengthen my belief in something greater. Inner peace came day by day, trust and confidence in life grew stronger. That's the beauty of a pilgrimage. I'm getting to know myself in a way I've never experienced before. Hiking is healing, I say, and I wish everyone to have this experience. Please contact me with any questions, if you need any information or just want to have a conversation about the trail!

Facebook: Alex Lafon / E-mail, whatsapp and photos see JERUSALEM WAY website

Claudia (66): Gifts that the path gives you...  "I went to Jerusalem." Whenever I say or think this sentence, whenever I dream of it, everything comes back immediately. 5200 km, once 4 months (2022) and once 3,5 months (2023), brought me from my hometown Koblenz/Rhein to the geographic goal of the Jerusalemweg. But in fact it was once again the path itself that I experienced as the goal and that gave me so many gifts: The departure into the unknown, the freedom, the incredible goodness of the people along the way, the beauty and diversity of nature, the countless historical sites, the uninterrupted time with God, the discovery of biblical places, the attitude of deep gratitude, the new lessons in self-acceptance, the daily ambivalence of events and situations and the one task "Bring peace into every home!" are the gifts, that the Jerusalem Way has made me. “I don't know what it is, but you're so radiant!” people who have sought my closeness have often said. It must have been fulfillment and joy that literally overflowed from me. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to Johannes Aschauer for his tireless work and his help at the right moment. Also a gift! What remains? A lot of transfer into everyday life, changes, peace work and daily prayer on the go: God protect me, I trust you. You show me the way to life. With you there is joy, joy in abundance.”

Facebook: Claudia Schilde / Instagram: claudia.schilde

Uwe (51) started walking at Lake Constance / Germany in 2023 and is currently on the Jerusalemweg in Kosovo... Pilgrimage is my vocation and the path is my home! It started with the first long-distance hikes with the scouts, that's where the first roots were laid. Disoriented after a traumatic family event, I set out on my first Camino in 2009. Of course I had to break it off about halfway through Fromista, also for health reasons. That was the beginning and since then I have made a pilgrimage on more than 10 different Caminos more than 8000 KM and have arrived in Santiago 7 times. It seems I'm crying out for the remission of sins. No, the path called me and after a special path in 2015 or 2016 I saw the Jerusalemweg sticker for the first time in Finisterre. I am deeply grateful that this special path also called me and that I was able to follow this call. Pilgrimage is lived peace, peace with yourself and peace with your environment. As a pilgrim you are "naked", no masks that veil your true self. Your inside determines your outside and with every step you come more and more to yourself. Pilgrims bring peace and international understanding, because pilgrims know no imaginary borders. Let's bring peace and love to this world still deeply divided by cultural or religious prejudice; when you find your peace within you the world will find peace. Ultreia et Suseia

Facebook: Pilgrim Danni | Instagram: pilgrim_danni | E-mail: uwe@jerusalemway.org

Hello, we are Estelle and Charlène from France, two friends who met in 2021 on the way to Compostela. It is certainly on this path that our project to walk to Jerusalem was born. Two years later, on April 10, 2023, we leave Paris for a nine-month journey to the Holy Land. Each of us goes for personal reasons, we go for peace in the world but also for peace within ourselves. We go to discover other countries, other cultures, other traditions. We make a begging pilgrimage, which means we have no money, neither for food nor for lodging. We chose to trust in providence because we believe in life. A sacred challenge that requires adaptation, patience and humility. We also have a humanitarian approach as we have set up our own association called A Little Closer to the Stars. We are collecting money so that we can donate it to three different areas of the association after our arrival in Jerusalem. This money will also be used to fund our trip if needed. This way is the way of our life. We like to say that together we are getting closer to the stars and that our way is your way. For his reasons, we like to share our path through different social networks. Please support us through our online donation campaign: Open here

Instagram: unpeu_pluspresdesetoiles / YouTube: open link /Facebook: Estelle Charlene

Gustav (66) started the Jerusalem Way in Finisterre / Spain (!!) and is currently in Skopje... Hello, I'm from Austria, Carinthia, and currently living in Zurich; I've been in banking for 40 years; since autumn 2017 my professional career has been part of my past. In 2018 I hiked in 5 months approx. 4.000 km from Klagenfurt via Vienna to Santiago de Compostela. In 2019 I traveled 10 months throughout South America, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. 2020 Pilgrim hike approx. 7.500 km from Santiago de Compostela to Jerusalem, canceled after 900 km due to Corona. 2021 on foot from Salzburg over the Alps to Trieste: about 500 km, 25.000 m up, 25.000 m down... and now since March 15, 2023 the continuation of my pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Pamplona in Spain, where I came 3 years ago because of the pandemic was stopped. I've now been on the Jerusalem Way for 127 days and 3.400 km and still have about XNUMX days left. 3.500 km ahead of me. I'm fascinated by meeting people from other cultures and so far I've had great experiences in all the countries I've wandered through; the willingness to help, the hospitality and the warmth that I was shown by the people in these countries is unique. How it all began: In the summer of 2013 I hiked the classic Way of St. James over the Pyrenees to Santiago. That was about 830 km, for which I needed 28 walking days. At that time I almost had to give up this hike after 300 km in Burgos because of an injury. But things turned out differently: an American I met on the Camino fully motivated me in a 5-minute conversation, so that there was no sign of giving up, because this American, named John, gave me crucial tips on how I can get my injury under control. It was only because of his motivation and meeting him that I made it to Santiago. This Camino in 2013 changed a lot for me. When I got home I questioned everything; we live in luxury here, have everything, and on the Way of St. James I only did five things a day, namely: hike, eat, drink, wash things in the evening and sleep. It took me about ten days before I was able to get back into my everyday office life. That's how the idea came up back then to do another pilgrimage on the Way of St. James from Carinthia, but only at a time when I'd finished my job. I wanted to experience that great feeling again without having to have an appointment afterwards or having to return to my office. Spring 2018 was the right time to start this project. Originally I wanted to start the Way of St. James from Carinthia. During a vacation a year earlier in Salzburg, I saw a board with a "pilgrim menu" in front of an inn. When I inquired about it, I was told that the Austrian Way of St. James passes by here. After researching on the Internet, I changed my plan and wanted to hike the entire Austrian Way of St. James, via Switzerland, via France to Santiago. And because you should start the Way of St. James on your doorstep, I finally decided to hike from Klagenfurt to Vienna as well.

Facebook: Gustav Stangl / Blog: www.experimentalpaths.com / YouTube: open link

A call is a call (Rose Marie 57)... After an intense phase of my life, I urgently needed a break to clear myself up. I manage best when I have time to myself and wander through nature. In January 2023, I read a Facebook post about the Jerusalem Way and got violent heart palpitations and goosebumps. The Jordan-Jerusalem leg called me. In the middle of the melting pot of religions, where the holy places are, that's where I wanted to go. As is well known, goosebumps don't lie and yet fears and doubts swelled to monsters and gave me sleepless nights. What do you want alone as a woman in the Orient? Do you still have them all? But resist a call for once! The GPS and the Jerusalemway community have given me direction and support when I have strayed off path or lost confidence. The fact that other women had walked the path before me alone cheered me up when fears crept up. I was never in danger. The only thing I had to be careful of was dogs in the open field, and I got sick twice. I went on anyway. The unexpected help and hospitality along the way strengthened my confidence in life. "You are a different woman", say family and friends since my return. Yes, that's right. I have not only arrived at the destination of Jerusalem. But also in me. I found deep inner peace, the lost connection with creation and everywhere people who opened their hearts and their homes. The Jerusalem way is truly a way of peace.

Facebook: Rose-Marie Gasser / Travel Blog: open link / YouTube: open link
Instagram: rose.marie.gasser / WhatsApp: +41 79 568 01 66

My name is Sigrid (67), I am a pilgrim guide and sponsor of the “Via Romea” route and I live in Stade (Germany). After the Way of St. James, I made a pilgrimage together with my girlfriend from Mainz in stages from Stade via Mainz to Rome from 2009. From there I made my way to Jerusalem alone. I finally reached Albania and North Macedonia in 2019 via the "Via Francigena del Sud" and the "Via Egnatia". The flight to Skopje in North Macedonia is now booked and I will continue my pilgrimage for the first time on the “Jerusalem Way” in September 2023. I already find the personal support from Johannes and the contact with other pilgrims very pleasant and helpful.

Facebook: Sigrid Strueber | E-mail: info@sigrid-strueber.de | WhatsApp: +49 170 402088

My name is Johann, exactly 10 years ago (at the age of 63) I made the pilgrimage in one piece from St. Wolfgang in Upper Bavaria (Germany) to Jerusalem. Before that, I had never been on a pilgrimage or hike for more than one day. The pilgrimage to Jerusalem was initiated in Easter 2012 by the TV report “On foot to Jerusalem”. It was about the pilgrimage of Johannes Aschauer, David Zwilling and Otto Klar. The motto of my pilgrimage was peace, religious and international understanding. At the same time, people were able to donate to the Betlehem Baby Hospital (EUR 2.600 and EUR 1.000) and the hospice in Erding. Citizens also gave me 80 prayer requests. I started at Pentecost 2013 with a blessing service with about 150 people, and with Catholic, Evangelical and Muslim clergy in the parish church of my home parish. I was the first pilgrim to mark the path with the peace dove sticker. I was also the first Jerusalem Way pilgrim to receive the first Jerusalem Way pilgrim pass. This was signed by Cardinal Schönborn in Vienna and handed to me. Since it was also about international understanding, I was allowed to ring the peace bell in the UNO-City Vienna as the first Jerusalem pilgrim. Johannes Aschauer had organized and made both possible. I walked about 80% of the way alone. So I was able to experience the path, nature, people, etc. very intensively and experience a great expansion of my heart. In Turkey and Israel in particular I had wonderful religious encounters, which was very good for mutual understanding. I prayed Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd” every day on the way for the prayer requests that had been given, and the prayer of thanksgiving “Thank you, O God, that you are my light and my salvation and the strength of my life.” The goal came to me only Jerusalem in question. Been there 17 times before and had a very intimate relationship with this city and the Biblical Land. Other religious goals would have been out of the question for me. I have now become a wanderer in nature. Since then I have made a pilgrimage to the Wolfgangweg from Regensburg to St. Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut and several other longer routes. I received the best support on my way to Jerusalem from Johannes Aschauer and partly from David Zwilling and Otto Klar. Thank you very much.

Facebook: Johann Grasser | E-mail: johann.grasser@web.de | WhatsApp: +49 151 50487353