Paper short abstract:

More-than-human agency, within maritime pilgrimage in Perast (Montenegro), enabled this practice to absorb other meanings and draw participants that are religiously and identitarian different than members of the local community. This way the pilgrimage transcends countries political crisis.

Paper long abstract:

Contemporary Montenegro has become a country of political crisis in which state and church institutions have an active role. This crisis on all levels overflows into everyday life. National, religious and family identity are being questioned on a daily basis. By looking at maritime pilgrimage to the Madonna of the Rock in Perast (Boka Bay) I want to address so far neglected relational aspect between the locals (in some case pilgrims) and their environment. I consider the relational perspective as one of the main reasons that custom of Fašinada, as a part of the pilgrimage, transcend it religious and political context and became a space for interreligious encounters. I argue that Fašinada’s more-than-human agencies enabled this practice to absorb other meanings and draw participants that are religiously and identitarian different than members of the local community. However, I do not neglect the social aspect and human agency that I considered important in order to understand the true role more than human agents play in this pilgrimage site and practices.