This paper examines a new religious initiative of the Catholic Church in Poland, known as the Extreme Way of the Cross (Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa). Launched in 2009 by Fr. Jacek Stryczek, one of the most recognizable Catholic priests in the country, the EDK has been announced as a "new form of spirituality". Usually taking place a week before Easter, it is based on a few clear-cut principles: participants are to walk during the night in silence, individually or in small groups, along routes of 30 to 100 km, mostly through forests and fields. On the road, fourteen Stations of the Cross are designated where participants pray and read texts contemplating the Passion of the Christ and its relevance for Christians today. Started as a small-scale event, in just few years EDK has become a nation-wide phenomenon, with more than 200 routes and 26000 registered participants in 2016. The paper examines this apparent success of EDK in the context of (post)modern culture with its focus on bodily movement and embodied experience. In particular, the author shows how EDK draws on this modern bias to promote a specific set of religiously motivated values, which

Эта работа является результатом проекта Wielozmysłowe imaginaria religijne w wybranych sanktuariach katolickich południowo-wschodniej Polski [Multisensory Religious Imageries in Selected Catholic Shrines in South-Eastern Poland], руководитель проекта Магдалена Лубаньска. Проект был профинансирован Национальным центром науки, на основе решения номер DEC-2013/11/B/HS3/01443. Этнографическое исследование, которое легло в основу статьи, я провел в 2015-2016 гг. в Лежайске, Соколове-Малопольском, Жешове и окрестностях этих городов. Ключевым моментом исследования было мое участие в Экстремальном крестном пути на трассе Соколов-Малопольский - Лежайск - Соколов-Малопольский (март 2016) и последующие беседы с его участниками.

Секерски К. "Пора покончить с этой религией комфорта!" Текст и тело в Экстремальном крестном пути // Государство, религия, церковь в России и за рубежом. 2016. N 3. С. 132-147.

Siekierski, Konrad (2016) "‘It's Time to Quit with Religion of Small Comforts!': Body and Text in the Extreme Way of the Cross", Gosudarstvo, religiia, tserkov' v Rossii i za rubezhom 34(3): 132-147.

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combines subordination to the will of God with worldly activism and achievement motivation.

Keywords: Catholic Church, Poland, religion, body, movement, experience, testimony.

Сегодня пятница. Добавляем нагрузку.
Пора покончить с этой религией комфорта!1

Введение

СТАТЬЯ посвящена так называемому Экстремальному крестному пути (Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa, далее - ЭКП)2 - "новому виду духовности", как утверждают его организаторы, который с каждым годом становится все более популярным среди польских католиков. Что скрывается под этим названием и что является залогом успеха ЭКП? Чтобы ответить на этот вопрос, я сначала представлю основные правила, формулу и историю этого нового движения, появившегося на карте польской религиозности. Затем я рассмотрю примеры особого жанра нарративов, создаваемых участниками, - так называемые "свидетельства". Наконец, я проанализирую ЭКП в контексте современного внимания к телу, к телесному (соматическому) опыту. Для этого я приведу примеры двух явлений, имеющих в моем понимании сходные черты с ЭКП: паломничеств и любительского бега. Одним из лейтмотивов настоящей работы будет вопрос о соотношении в ЭКП христианской традиции и современной культуры. Второй целью работы будет попытка показать, как ЭКП, будучи своего рода ритуалом (по известному определению Виктора Тернера, "формальным действием, предписанным для определенных случаев... связанных с верой в мистические существа и силы"3), совмещает в себе два момента: ключевой в христианстве, особенно начиная со времен Реформации, ак-

1. Такими словами о. Яцек Стрычек, инициатор Экстремального крестного пути, начал в 2014 г. проповедь для его участников, собравшихся в церкви св. Иосифа в Кракове (Stryczek WIOSNA, J. (2014) "Kazanie na Ekstremalną Drogę Krzyżową 2014", YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYpRSjUxNM, accessed 12.09.2016]).

2. Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa (n.d.) http://www.edk.org.pl/

3. Turner, V. (1967) The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual, p. 19. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

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цент на "Слове, воспринимаемом через слушание и чтение"4, и возрастающее сегодня значение тела в религиозном познании и опыте5.

Экстремальный крестный путь - идея и практика

The Extreme Way of the Cross is one of the projects of Fr. Jacek Strycek, a charismatic priest best known as the organizer of the largest charity event in Poland to date called "Szlachetna Paczka ". Father Stryczek is reputed to be a spiritual mentor to business people and the founder of Catholic mission societies (duszpasterstwo), such as the Society of Open Individuals (Wspólnota Indywidualności Otwartych), The Male Side of Reality (Męska Strona Rzeczywistości) and the Pearl of Femininity (Perła Kobiecości), as well as the Extreme Priest project (Ekstremalny Ksiądz). All these initiatives, including the ECP, are ways to implement the general idea of a priest, which can be briefly described as creating a Catholic who combines deep personal religiosity with life success. This task should be facilitated by a commitment to a set of principles, many of which are associated with Protestant ethics in the classical interpretation of Max Weber6: deep personal religiosity, hard work, resourcefulness, striving for self-improvement and overcoming one's own weaknesses, as well as asceticism and good physical fitness. According to the priest himself ," before a person takes an important place in the Kingdom of God, he must show his determination and honesty in his earthly life... Con is important to God-

4. Belting, H. (2010) Obraz i kult. Historia obrazu przed epoką sztuki, p. 22. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Słowo/Obraz Terytoria.

5. The same interest in the body and, in a broader sense, in everything material, is evident in the latest research on religion. Manuel Vásquez (M. A. (2011) More than Belief) writes about this in detail: A Materialist Theory of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press) и Соня Хазард (Hazard, S. (2013) "The Material Turn in the Study of Religion", Religion and Society: Advances in Research 4).

6. Weber, M. (2010) Etyka protestancka a duch kapitalizmu. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Aletheia. Father Strychek himself considers his "teaching" to be the author's interpretation of the gospels, which, by the way, can also be regarded as a typically Protestant undertaking.

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specific information. Our relationship with God is not based on intentions, but on measurable indicators, fruits. " 7
This message is given a modern form in the Extreme Way of the Cross and other projects of Fr. Strychek, which arouses both interest and controversy. 8 Because of this complexity, Ryszard Kantor's groundbreaking but rather superficial anthropological assessment of the ECP presents this project in the context of "consumer entertainment culture"9. Kantor even writes about "religion in the treacherous embrace of consumer culture," 10 and sums up his discussion of ECP with the following words: "Young people are looking not only for religious experiences, but also for good entertainment. It is probably no exaggeration to say that extreme pilgrimage brings both; hence its success. "11 Undoubtedly, ECP is a well-built and promoted "brand", easily recognizable and with a large "symbolic capital" 12, which has everything to successfully exist in the religious market: from the enticing name and easily recognizable face of the project (O. Strychek), to advertising on the Internet 13 and" word of mouth " (whisper marketing). However, is it necessary, following Cantor, to perceive all this as a deliberately negative phenomenon, or is it better to look at it as an element of the historical evolution of religious forms? As Mara Einstein puts it, "we shouldn't be surprised... that religion... it takes on a market dimension in modern commercialism-

7. Stryczek WIOSNA, J. (2015) Pieniądze. W świetle Ewangelii. Nowa opowieść o biedzie i zarabianiu, ss. 19, 26. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie.

8. O. Strychek is also known as an activist who could put a confessional at the entrance to a shopping center, light mourning candles at the stock exchange building, and ride a gym bike in a church.

9. Kantor, R. (2013) Zabawa w dobie społeczeństwa konsumpcyjnego. Szkice o ludyźmie, ludyczności i powadze, a w istocie o jej braku, s. 19. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. It should be noted here that the author does not analyze the ECP as such, but cites it as one of many examples to illustrate his more general discussion of consumer culture in Poland.

10. Kantor, R. (2013) Zabawa w dobie społeczeństwa konsumpcyjnego. Szkice o ludyźmie, ludyczności i powadze, a w istocie o jej braku, ss. 225-248.

11. Ibid., s. 242.

12. Bourdieu, P. (1984) Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste, p. 291. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

13. The ECP is promoted through its own Internet sites, as well as many films available on the YouTube channel.

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a specialized culture. In order to be heard in society and preserve itself, religion must participate in a market society. " 14
The ECC, in its annual form, usually takes place on the Friday before the beginning of Holy Week, on the same day that the Way of the Cross service is traditionally held in or near Catholic churches. First of all, ECP is the preparation of believers for the approaching mystery of the Passion of Christ. However, according to the founder's intentions, its results should go far beyond this framework: it is held under the slogan "It is not worth living normally, it is worth living extremely" and promises participants "a real spiritual practice, after which a person can really change"15. This goal is achieved by the form and content of reflections on the way of the Cross, as well as by the there is also a lot of physical effort that is required from the participants.

The extreme way of the Cross is a night march that begins after the evening Liturgy, with a length of 30 to 100 km (the length of most trails is from 40 to 50 km). The routes of the route run as far as possible from the main roads and settlements. It is necessary to go in silence, alone or in small groups, rather "parallel" to other participants than "together" with them. Following the suggestion of the organizers, some participants take crosses with them on the road: from manual to huge, up to one and a half meters long, made of solid wood. The rhythm of movement is determined by the fourteen stations of the Way of the Cross (their markers can be churches, chapels, crosses or "secular" elements of the landscape, such as bridges and hills), when the "reflections" (rozważania)16. Most of the routes of the Way lead to pilgrimage centers, but this is not an absolute rule. At the same time, the end points of the Path do not become the location of the spacecraft-

14. Einstein, M. (2008) Brands of Faith: Marketing Religion in a Commercial Age, p. 9. London, New York: Routledge.

15. "Spotkanie" (n.d.), Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa [http://www.edk.org.pl/edk/o-nas/spotkanie.html, accessed 12.09.2016].

16. This refers to the traditional Catholic practice of standing on the Way of the Cross. The one who registered in advance in the ECP using the site www.edk. org.pl, receives a reflection book, map, route description, and reflective bracelet before starting the Journey. You can also download free text and audio files with reflections, maps, and route descriptions on the site.

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any religious practices organized specifically for ECP participants.

The extreme Way of the Cross was first organized in 2009 on the route from Krakow to Kalvaria-Zebrzydowska 17. At that time, it was mainly attended by people connected with the" Male Side of Reality "- the religious community of Fr. Strychek, whose goal is to "change the standard view of the role of men in the Church"18. Since 2011, participants who are not affiliated with this or other charismatic priest communities have been invited to the ECP. From this point on, the ECP also began to develop dynamically outside of Krakow. Every year, the number of participants of the Route increases approximately twice: from 150 people in the first year of its existence to 300 in 2010, 600 in 2011, 1200 in 2012, 2000 in 2013, 6000 in 2014, 11,000 in 2015 and 26,000 in 2016 19. In 2016 d. participants could choose from 214 routes, of which 177 were routes that meet all the requirements of the organizers in Poland, the rest were less complex routes in Poland (26) and routes outside the country (11)20. The largest number of routes were offered in south-eastern Poland: in Krakow (15), Mielc (11) and Rzeszow (7), as well as in Warsaw (7). As for the endpoints, the most popular was Kalwaria-Zebrzydowska, where 20 routes led. The largest number of ECP participants gathered in Lublin - approximately 2000; in other places, up to 1000 people took part in the Journey.21
17. In Kalvaria-Zebrzydowska there is a sanctuary founded in the early 17th century, known as" Polish Jerusalem": the monastery of the Bernardines (Franciscans), where the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Kalvaria is located, as well as several dozen chapels reflecting the sacred geography of Jerusalem. Calvary is visited annually by approximately one million pilgrims.

18. Męska Strona Rzeczywistości (n.d.) Wspólnota Indywidualności Otwartych [http://www.wio.org.pl/projekty-wio/meska-strona-rzeczywistosci.html, accessed 12/09/2016].

19. These and the following statistics are provided in accordance with an internal report prepared by the organizers of the ECP, as well as on the basis of a conversation with them held in Krakow in June 2016. The report is based mainly on the results of a survey conducted in 2016, to which all ECP participants were invited, and approximately 4,000 people participated.

20. In addition to Poland, in 2016 the ECP was organized in the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, the United States and Antarctica.

21. It is worth remembering that the ECP is the largest and fastest growing initiative of its kind in Poland, but it is not the only one. However, due to the local nature of such events, it is difficult to say how many similar ways of the cross are organized in the country and what is the total number of participants.

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Despite the fact that the ECP was initially targeted at 22 men, in 2016 they accounted for only about half of those who entered the Route routes 23. The vast majority of participants (78%) are people aged 18 to 45 years. In terms of declared faith and participation in religious life, approximately 58% consider themselves deeply religious, 38% - believers, 4% - doubters, 0.5% - non-believers. More than two-thirds (70%) participate in the Liturgy at least once a week, one in five (21%) skips the Sunday Liturgy no more than a few times a year, 4% skip the Sunday Liturgy more than ten times a year, 2% participate only occasionally, and 1% do not practice at all. Almost two-thirds (62%) of ECP participants are also involved in other types of church practices. Of these, 60% participate in pilgrimages, and 32% are members of some church community. These data show that statistically, the average ECP participant is significantly more active in religious life than a typical Polish Catholic (in recent years, the percentage of people attending Mass on Sundays (dominicantes) in Poland does not exceed 40% of the total number of Catholics, 24 and members of church communities make up 7-9% 25). On the other hand, among the participants of the Journey, you can also find, though in a small number, people who are far from Catholicism.

For example, no fewer than four local religious routes took place in the area of my research; a well-known event in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship is also the day-long way of the Cross to Tarnica, the highest peak in southeastern Poland (it has been organized since 1982 and has recently attracted approximately 5,000 participants).

22. According to O. Strycek, the ECP was created as a "response to the crisis of masculinity" ("Odpowiedż na kryzys męskości / EDK 2016"). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUzfWXjGA0E, accessed 12.09.2016).

23. On some routes, women significantly predominated; for example, in Sokolov-Malopolsky, 44 out of 120 participants were men.

24. "Praktyki niedzielne Polaków (dominicantes)" (n.d.), Instytut Statystyki Kościoła Katolickiego [http://iskk.pl/kosciolnaswiecie/211-praktyki-niedzielne-polakow-dominicantes.html, accessed 12.09.2016].

25. Przeciszewski, M. (2014) "Wizyta biskupów polskich ‘ad limina' - świeccy w życiu Kościoła", Niedziela. Tygodnik Katolicki [http://www.niedziela.pl/artykul/7711/Wizyta-biskupow-polskich-ad-limina, accessed 12.09.2016]; "Aktywność świeckich w para-fiach" (n.d.) Serwis Ruchów Katolickich. Ogólnopolska Rada Ruchów Katolickich [http://www.orrk.pl/754-aktywnosc-swieckich-w-parafach http://www.orrk.pl/754-aktywnosc-swieckich-w-parafach, accessed 12.09.2016].

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Testimonials for and testimonials from Extreme the godfather ways

The Word - the main vehicle and driving force of the Christian religion-is present in the Extreme Way of the cross mainly in the form of so-called " testimonies "(świadectwo). Two types of such narratives can be distinguished: evidence for and evidence from the ECP. The testimonies for are the basis of reflections specially prepared for the way of the Cross, which participants should read at the stations of the Passion of Christ and "work out" during the movement. The authors of these testimonies are secular persons associated with the aforementioned associations founded by O. Strychek. The theme changes every year, for example: "Defeat evil with good", "Ideals and donation", "Christian leader". These reflections differ significantly from what believers can usually hear during the traditional ways of the Cross. As one of my interviewees put it, "In the ECP, I value reflection because it is more relevant to everyday life, as opposed to the theology-rich ones that are heard all the time in the church... There is a vitality here, these reflections relate to specific situations and people " 26. Below I give as an example a passage of such reflection from the ninth stand of the Way of the Cross (the Third Fall of Christ):

The fall of Christ shows His desire to fulfill the mission of life. It seems that the answer to the question of how many times you can fall to achieve your goal is simple: as many times as necessary. If Jesus fell, you can also fall many times, if you only find the strength to get up... The Christian leader reaches the top... How convinced was Christ that he should ascend to Calvary if he did so, even though he knew that he would be martyred there? I was on Mont Blanc every time I got up [after multiple falls. - K. S.] waiting for victory, reaching the top, success... This is a character trait of Christ that every leader should have a part of: striving to save yourself and others in spite of all difficulties and failures. [Close-

26. Participant of the ECP in Sokolov-Malopolsky, March 2016

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opening prayer:] Jesus, help me give up on myself so that I can reach my goal 27.

Together with a lot of physical activity, reflection-testimonies are designed to help achieve catharsis, the experience of which will help in moments of personal crisis and will be an impetus for correcting religious life. This experience, in turn, contributes to the emergence of evidence from the ECP that is not only designed to attract new participants, but also legitimizes the decision to participate in the ECP a posteriori and justifies the efforts invested in the path. 28 Numerous testimonies of this kind can be found on the websites of the ECP, as well as parishes and religious communities, members of which took part in it. It is worth noting that similar testimonies can often be heard from those who have experienced "internal conversion" (from "attributed" Catholic identity to belonging "by choice" 29), especially from members of the Catholic charismatic movement.30 On the other hand, the desire to share your experience publicly, especially on Internet sites and forums, is an integral part of modern popular culture. Below I give some examples of typical testimonies of ECP participants, which well illustrate their reflection on the experience they have experienced:

At first it was easy, even "nice"... Then I got tired. I thought: my Journey begins. I walked by myself, silently and with a prayer in my heart. After the next few kilometers, my unaccustomed body began to struggle: my knees, thighs, spine, and callused feet all said" enough is enough, " and I continued to walk.-

27. "Stacja 9. Trzeci upadek Chrystusa" (2016) Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa. Chrześcijański Lider [http://www.edk.org.pl/uploads/rozwazania/2016/EDK_2016_do%20internetu_wer_PL.pdf, accessed on 12.09.2016].

28. Here I draw on a groundbreaking analysis of the dual nature of religious evidence by Simon Coleman (S. (2003) " Continuous Conversion? The Rhetoric, Practice, and Rhetorical Practice of Charismatic Protestant Conversion", in A. Buckser, D. Glazier (ed.) The Anthropology of Religious Conversion. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield).

29. For more on this dichotomy, see Borowik, I., Zdaniewicz, W. (red.) (1996) Od Kościoła ludu do Kościoła wyboru. Religia a przemiany społeczne w Polsce. Kraków: Nomos.

30. Siekierski, K. (2012) "Catholics in the Holy Spirit: the Charismatic Renewal in Poland", Religion, State and Society 40(1).

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Chti gave up. The last four standing pains were very severe. I struggled with myself. But I prayed and said: God, as a human being, I'm already exhausted and unable to continue, but with Your help, I'll reach my goal. And I got there. I can do everything with the One Who gives me strength 31.

It was probably the first time during the ECP that I had the opportunity to feel my weaknesses so clearly and experience what a real struggle is, what it means to go forward despite the pain, cold and huge fatigue. ECP is an opportunity to reflect on yourself, on your life, on how to be a real man. Thank the Lord!32

During the road, especially around 5-6 in the morning, you start to think about what You are doing here, why You decided to take this test. And then it comes to You: You came out to be closer to God, to feel at least a little of His torment... You begin to understand how He sacrificed himself for You. And step by step you change your life ... 33

Movement and body color experience in Extreme godfather ways

The human body and its movement are at the center of those cultural phenomena and processes that are often referred to as late modern or postmodern. On the one hand, mobility in the broadest sense of the word has become a symbol of our time. On the other hand, in the words of Tim Ingold, "a society fully adapted to the chair"has emerged.34 In such a "sedentary society", the importance of physical labor has significantly decreased; it is gradually being transferred to the sphere of leisure and recreation. At the same time

31. "Sławek l. 32" (2016), Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa [https://www.edk.pielgrzymka.lublin.pl/multimedia/swiadectwa/358-slawek-l-32, accessed 12.09.2016].

32. "Świadectwo Jakuba" (n.d.) Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa. Bielsko-Biała / Beskidy [http://edkbielsko.eu/aktualnosci/swiadectwa-uczestnikow-edk/159-swiadectwo-jakuba, accessed 12.09.2016].

33. "Stwórz EDK w swoim rejonie" (2016) Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa [http://www.edk.org.pl/stworz-edk/stworz-edk-2016.html, accessed 12.09.2016].

34. Ingold, T. (2004) "Culture on the Ground: The World Perceived through the Feet", Journal of Material Culture 9(3): 323.

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the body as a "project" 35 finds itself at the center of a modern culture that focuses on personal experience 36 and offers a huge amount of all kinds of bodily pleasures, products for the body, but also challenges for it.

The focus on physical experience is also evident in the sphere of modern religiosity. The body, which for many centuries in Christian history was viewed with distrust and discrimination under the dominance of Cartesian dualism, 37 "came out of the shadows" when, contrary to the thesis of secularization in Europe, pilgrimages (such as the way of St. James) were growing in popularity, 38 and when the charismatic movement "returned the body" to Western Christianity. 39. The creation of the ECP and its popularity are difficult to explain without taking into account these contemporary cultural phenomena. According to the Path coordinator, it "is the answer to what turns people on right now." 40 Since in this work I am primarily interested in the body in motion, which takes on physical burdens, I will try to look at this body-mobile aspect of ECP in the context of two modern phenomena: the surge of interest in amateur running in Poland and the already mentioned spread of pilgrimages.

An interview with Dorota Olko, a sociologist who studies the sports hobbies of Poles, begins with the words: "Today in Poland, jogging is more than a fashion: it is almost a duty. A new, secular religion " 41. In 2013, the number of

35. Turner, B. S. (2000) "The Body in Western Society: Social Theory and its Perspectives", in S. Coakley (ed.) Religion and the Body, p.33. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.

36. Motak, D. (2010) "Religia - religijność - duchowość. Przemiany zjawiska i ewolucja pojęcia", Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, MCCCXVII, Studia Religiologica 43: 210.

37. Vásquez, M.A. (2011) More than Belief: A Materialist Theory of Religion, p. 36. New York: Oxford University Press.

38. Numerous branches of the Way of St. James lead pilgrims from all over Europe to the shrine of St. James. St. James's Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

39. Charismatic Christianity focuses on the human body and manifests itself in a number of ways, from the practice of laying on hands to resting in the Spirit, thereby emphasizing the direct link between health, religious life, and salvation (Csordas, T. J. (1990) "Embodiment as a Paradigm for Anthropology", Ethos 18(1): 18-23).

40. ECP Coordinator, Krakow, June 2016

41. Fal, M. (n.d.) "Biegam, więc jestem, czyli jak pozwoliliśmy, by jogging zawładnął naszym życiem (wywiad)", naTemat [http://natemat.pl/77963,biegam-wiec-jestem-czyli-jak-pozwolilismy-by-jogging-zawladnal-n aszym-zyciem-wywiad, accessed 12.09.2016].

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There are more than 2,000 running events in Poland, but their participants are just a small part of the growing mass of Poles involved in running. Not only half-marathons and marathons are popular, but also extreme runs such as Bieg Rzeznika and Runmagedon. Among the ECP adherents, there are also a considerable number of people who take part in such events. It is appropriate to quote one of them: "I have been to several mountain ultramarathons, but I have never been so exhausted and have not learned so much about myself. A cleansing and great experience!!! Thank you to the organizers and the Lord!!!"42 It is easy to see the common need for both phenomena-to test yourself in extreme conditions. This need, according to Olko, is caused by "a set of phenomena that is called the culture of individualism" 43. Is it possible to compare the experience of participating in a marathon and in an ECP? When I asked this question to a practicing Catholic who has been participating in the ECP for a couple of years and is also a big fan of running, he answered:

These kilometers, these calluses on the feet - the price for the state of mind that captures a person. People who think that they can explain everything will say that this is not God, but only a natural phenomenon, when the body releases endorphin under stress. You can simplify it this way. But, on the other hand, for some reason, a person has such a design that he gets his share of happiness for work. Perhaps it is God who created us in such a way that we get happiness for work and heaven for torment 44.

The organizers and participants of the Extreme Way of the Cross, with whom I spoke, refused to equate it with a pilgrimage. At first glance, this may seem strange, but their skepticism is easily explained by the specific nature of modern Catholic pilgrimages in Poland, which usually take place in organized, compact groups, under the guidance of a priest, with speakers, guitar or even a record player. As one of my interlocutors said:

42. "Tomek l. 46" (2016), Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa [https://www.edk.pielgrzymka.lublin.pl/multimedia/swiadectwa/359-tomek-l-46, accessed 12.09.2016].

43. Fal, M. (n.d.) "Biegam więc jestem, czyli jak pozwoliliśmy, by jogging zawładnął naszym życiem (wywiad)".

44. Participant of the ECP in Sokolov-Malopolsky, March 2016

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The pilgrimage is an incredible joy, we play, we fool around, we have fun. When it's time for fun, it's fun! Then, when we take the rosary in our hands, we need to calm down. Sometimes it turned out that we did not walk, but danced along the street. We had two priests with us, one for prayer and the other for entertainment... The extreme way of the cross is something else, you have to go in silence, but for this silence you need to mature 45.

The similarities between the ECP and the pilgrimage are more obvious if we compare the Path with the Protestant pilgrimages in Sweden that Anna Davidson Bremborg researched.46 Like the ECP, it is a completely modern phenomenon, created "from scratch" in the 1990s by a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Sweden.47 True, Swedish pilgrimages are made during the day and sometimes last several days, but what is similar to the ECP is the presence of reflections, as well as rules of silence that allow pilgrims to " formulate their own theology (how to interpret reflections) and their own practices (how to lead their lives)"48. It is equally important that the ECP and Swedish pilgrimages focus on the road itself, on the process of movement. It is walking, overcoming the next kilometers that create the conditions for "finding the meaning of life, for a temporary stop in everyday life or for changing life" 49, while the question of having a certain shrine at the end of the road fades into the background.

As the testimonies of the ECP participants show, the goal and often the result of such a long journey is for many to feel the divine presence and gain a deeper understanding of the truth of faith through physical exertion, which to some extent resembles the suffering of Christ on the road to Calvary. According to my interlocutor, " the relationship with the Lord is best built when a person is like this

45. Participant of the ECP in Sokolov-Malopolsky, March 2016

46. Davidsson Bremborg, A. (2013) "Creating Sacred Space by Walking in Silence: Pilgrimage in a Late Modern Lutheran Context", Social Compass 60(4).

47. Pilgrimages have been banned in Sweden since 1544, when the country converted to Protestantism (Davidsson Bremborg, A. (2013) "Creating Sacred Space by Walking in Silence: Pilgrimage in a Late Modern Lutheran Context", p. 545).

48. Ibid., p. 555.

49. Ibid., p. 552.

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twisted and crumpled. Then it really is you. " 50 This idea is supported by the following passage from the ECP participant's testimony: "At the XII stand, when I reached my physical limit... my self-sufficiency died there... On the night of the Extreme Way of the Cross, I met the Lord "51. Thus, in the ECP, it is the body that becomes the "place of religion"52 - the center of religious experience and those "dispositions that are characteristic of this religious environment" 53, while pain in the muscles and joints leads to direct contact with the sacrum, with the suffering Christ.

Conclusion

Anthropologists who study the contemporary cultural significance of walking as a form of leisure observe that walking "can be a means of resisting modernity." 54 On the one hand, in the case of ECP, such a diagnosis seems to be correct. The "devotional labor" 55 undertaken by the participants of the Journey - a long march combined with reflections on the passion of Christ-should promote the adoption or strengthening of principles and values that do not fit into the canons of consumer culture and individualism. Although, in the words of Brian S. Turner, " within the framework of modern capitalism, there is almost no room for a Weberian personality... which would combine asceticism, activity and the desire for success " 56, the Extreme way of the cross contributes to the creation of a new culture.

50. Participant of the ECP in Sokolov-Malopolsky, March 2016

51. "Justyna l. 28" (2016) Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa [https://www.edk.pielgrzymka.lublin.pl/multimedia/swiadectwa/350-justyna-l-28, 12.09.2016].

52. Morgan, D. (2010) "Materiality, Social Analysis and the Study of Religion", in D. Morgan (ed.) Religion and Material Culture. The Matter of Belief, p. 60. London, New York: Routledge.

53. Lubańska, M., Baraniecka-Olszewska K. (n.d.) Wielozmysłowe imaginaria religijne w wybranych miejscach kultu południowo-wschodniej Polski [Multisensory Religious Imageries in Selected Catholic Shrines in South-Eastern Poland]. Warszawa: Instytut Etnologii i Antropologii Kulturowej UW (unpublished research project).

54. Klekot, E. (2014) "Walking in National Park of Fruška Gora", Ethnologia Fennica 41: 26.

55. Peña, E.A. (2011) Performing Piety: Making Space Sacred with the Virgin of Guadalupe, p. 37. Berkeley, Los Angeles: California University Press.

56. Turner, B.S. (2000) "The Body in Western Society: Social Theory and its Perspectives", p. 33.

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such a space. On the other hand, as I have tried to show, ECP would not have appeared and would not have enjoyed such popularity if it had not been embedded in modern culture with its emphasis on the body, mobility and personal experience.

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