Document Type : Scientific-Research Article

Abstract

Nowadays the cyberspace capabilities have provided the possibility for the enthusiasts to go on pilgrimages to holy shrines without the constraints of time and place. The purpose of this paper is to study pilgrimage in virtual space and design a conceptual model for it. This model explains the components associated with virtual pilgrimage and the possibility for designing more efficient and effective virtual pilgrimage in cyberspace. Hence we took the viewpoints of 41selected citizens of Kerman, whose long distance to Mashad and Imam Reza's shrine justifies their virtual pilgrimage.The data were taken with depth interviews and analyzed with thematic analysis method with Atlas.ti software. The results show that virtual pilgrimage due to its special features is influenced by four groups of factors, namely supporting, psychological, aesthetic and technical ones. Each of these factors has different elements that can be used in optimal virtual pilgrimage design. Optimal virtual pilgrimage increases the users' sense of presence followed by benefiting from its other positive functions. In case of a non-optimal virtual pilgrimage and the feeling of non- presence, cyberspace can function negatively.
 

Keywords

• Imam Reza (peace be upon him)
• Virtual pilgrimage
• Holy places
• Conceptual Model
• Virtual Space