Abstract. The article presents a brief history of the revival and development of Orthodox pilgrimage in Russia in the early 21st century. The author justified and outlined the definitions of pilgrimage and religious tourism. The article reflects the activities aimed at legislative support of religious pilgrimage in Russia, as well as the work on the creation of a system of worship, which could meet the new legal norms.

Key words: Orthodox pilgrimage, religious tourism, Russian Orthodox Church, Pilgrimage center of the Moscow Patriarchate, history of pilgrimage, Holy places, Christian shrines, pilgrimage infrastructure, traditional religions.