#Person1#: Hi! What are you watching?
#Person2#: It's a program about islam. It's very interesting.
#Person1#: Wow! So many people! Where are they and what are they doing?
#Person2#: They are muslims on a pilgrimage to mecca. Muslims call this pilgrimage 'haj'.
#Person1#: Why do they go there?
#Person2#: Muslims believe that every man who is able should go on a haj at least once in his life. Mecca is the spiritual centre of the muslim faith.
#Person1#: When muslims pray, they face towards mecca.
#Person2#: That's right. Unfortunately, so many people go on the haj each year that there are often stamped and people get killed.
#Person1#: I heard about that. The pilgrims must walk around a large, sacred black stone.
#Person2#: That's right. That's when accidents often happen. The Saudi government tries to limit the number of pilgrims, to reduce the chances of accidents.
#Person1#: Pilgrimages are common in many faiths.
#Person2#: Yes. In England, Christian pilgrims might go to Canterbury and many Christians go to the Vatican on pilgrimages.
#Person1#: Isn't there a place in france where people go to get healed?
#Person2#: I think that place is Lourdes. There are many stories of people being healed after visiting there.
#Person1#: Do you think that there is something magical about that place?
#Person2#: Personally. I think that people believe they will be healed and that faith causes a change in their mind that cures them. I don't think place is magical in any way.
pilgrimage