PRILOG POZNAVANJU HODOČASNIČKIH PUTOVANJA OD VENECIJE DO SVETE ZEMLJE U XVI. STOLJEĆU

U ovom radu nastoji se dati doprinos spoznajama o hodočasničkim putovanjima s početka ranoga novog vijeka. Naglasak nije isključivo na poznavanju plovidbenih ruta, koje su znatnim dijelom bile uhodane i slijedile one zacrtane još tijekom srednjeg vijeka. U razmatranje je uzeto niz ostalih aspekata, od priprema za putovanje, i materijalnih i duhovnih, do teškoća s kojima su hodočasnici bili suočeni tijekom puta te pri dolasku na konačno odredište – Kristov grob u Svetoj zemlji. Ovdje se u nešto većoj mjeri konzultiralo onodobne talijanske putopise, našoj historiografiji pretežno nepoznate, koji su se u izradi ove teme pokazali kao prvorazredni izvori.
During the sixteenth century Venice was one of the most important harbours regarding pilgrimages to the Holy Land. This can be corroborated by numerous sources, among which the most important are Italian travelling accounts that were used for this investigation. Pilgrims’ routs mostly coincided with trade routs of that time, especially since ships of that time often transported pilgrims together with trading goods. Navigation of that time preferred eastern Adriatic coast. Pace of the sailing depended on the season of year. Thus, it was not unusual that during summer some ships sailed also along the western Adriatic coast. After leaving the Adriatic Sea, Venetian ships used Venetian emporia placed on the Mediterranean islands. The fi rst one was Corfu, and than Cephalonia (Keefallanía) and Zante (Zákinthos) in Ionian Sea. On the south of the Pelopónnisios there was Kíthira which was important station on the way to Crete. From this point ships with pilgrims often continued towards Rhodes, Asia Minor and Cyprus – which was major Venetian emporium on Levant. However, there also existed a northern naval route across the Aegean Sea but this way was more appropriate for those who travelled to the Ottoman residence in Jerusalem. In the second half of the sixteenth century the number of the islands kept by Christians was signifi cantly reduced. Namely, in 1522 knights of St. John (Hospitalers) lost island of Rhodes, which was important station in the pilgrims’ routes. Similarly, in 1570 Venice lost Cyprus. This was an important obstacle regarding pilgrimages to the Holy Land, since Cyprus was harbour from which ships sailed directly to the ports of Palestine and further towards Holy Land and Jerusalem. Similarly to the naval route from Venice to Levant, pilgrims’ itinerary towards Palestine harbours and Jerusalem was rather uneasy and dangerous. Therefore, one should not be surprised that pilgrims often had numerous spiritual and material preparations before their trips. Thus, author also investigates pilgrims’ preparations, and problems they came across during their pilgrimages.