The Anglican Church in Southern Africa is to commemorate the coming of the new Millennium with a number of pilgrimages.

A decision to do this was taken by the Provincial Standing Committee of the Church at its meeting being held in Modderpoort in the Free State.

Moving a resolution calling for the pilgrimages, the Rt Revd Peter Lee, Bishop of the Diocese of Christ the King, recalled that the pilgrimage of reconciliation and hope to Robben Island undertaken by the Church in March this year had enabled it to rediscover the value of public acts of witness, prayer and proclamation.

Pilgrimages will be held at Provincial (national), diocesan and parish level.

The Church will celebrate the arrival of the first Bishop of Cape Town, the Rt Revd Robert Gray, and his wife, Sophy, 150 years ago, during 1998 with a pilgrimage in Cape Town. This will be the first of a series of pilgrimages, culminating in the Jubilee 2000 Provincial Synod in 2000.

Next year's pilgrimage will be the launching pad for other pilgrimages throughout Southern Africa. The pilgrimages will include visits to places of pain -- such as District Six, Sharpeville, the room in which Steve Biko was tortured -- where prayer for healing and reconciliation is needed, and celebrations where churches are dedicated or thanksgivings are planned.

Amongst the pilgrimages planned will be one by the Anglican bishops to Angola for the founding of the Church's 24th diocese.