Techno-Nostalgic Forms of Digital Pilgrimage: Online Journeys into and out of Mount Athos

This study introduces the concept of 'techno-nostalgic digital pilgrimage,' highlighting how online journeys into Mount Athos blend traditional pilgrimage practices with modern digital engagement. By extending Helland’s model, it identifies two key dimensions: outward movement towards the material history of the site and inward paths focusing on intersubjective spiritual experiences. The research employs ethnographic methods to examine the digitization of Athos’ landscape, revealing how virtual representations in a metaverse-like environment reshape pilgrimage as both a tourist experience and a spiritual practice. This work contributes to the emerging field of 'digital religion,' particularly in understanding the intersection of pilgrimage tourism and digital monasticism.

Paganopoulos, M. (2024). Techno-Nostalgic Forms of Digital Pilgrimage: Online Journeys into and out of Mount Athos. Media Watch, 15(3), 278–296. https://doi.org/10.1177/09760911241263276