Pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, Spain
The
Camino de Santiago
(
Latin
:
Peregrinatio Compostellana
,
lit.
'
Pilgrimage of Compostela
'
;
Galician
:
O Camino de Santiago
),
[1]
or in English the
Way of St. James
, is a network of
pilgrims' ways
or
pilgrimages
leading to the shrine of the
apostle
James
in the
cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
in
Galicia
in northwestern
Spain
, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.
As
Pope Benedict XVI
said, "It is a way sown with so many demonstrations of fervour, repentance, hospitality, art and culture which speak to us eloquently of the spiritual roots of the Old Continent."
[2]
Many still follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also popular with hikers, cyclists, and organized tour groups.
Created and established after the discovery of the relics of Saint James the Great at the beginning of the 9th century, the Way of St. James became a major pilgrimage route of
medieval Christianity
from the 10th century onwards. But it was only after the
end of the Granada War in 1492
, under the reign of the
Catholic Monarchs
Ferdinand II of Aragon
and
Isabella I of Castile
, that
Pope Alexander VI
officially declared the Camino de Santiago to be one of the "three great pilgrimages of
Christendom
", along with Jerusalem and the
Via Francigena
to Rome.
In 1987, the Camino, which encompasses several routes in Spain,
France
, and Portugal, was declared the first
Cultural Route of the Council of Europe
. Since 2013, the Camino has attracted more than 200,000 pilgrims each year, with an annual growth rate of more than 10 percent. Pilgrims come mainly on foot and often from nearby cities, requiring several days of walking to reach Santiago. The
French Way
gathers two-thirds of the walkers, but other minor routes are experiencing a growth in popularity.
The French Way and the Northern routes in Spain
were inscribed on the
UNESCO
World Heritage List
, followed by the
routes in France
in 1998, because of their historical significance for Christianity as a major pilgrimage route and their testimony to the exchange of ideas and cultures across the routes.
[3]
[4]
Major Christian pilgrimage route
[
edit
]
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The reliquary of Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago
The Way of St. James was one of the most important
Christian pilgrimages
during the later
Middle Ages
, and a pilgrimage route on which a
plenary indulgence
could be earned;
[5]
other major pilgrimage routes include the
Via Francigena
to
Rome
and the pilgrimage to
Jerusalem
. Legend holds that
St James
's remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried in what is now the city of
Santiago de Compostela
[6]
(according to Spanish legends, Saint James had spent time preaching the gospel in Spain, but returned to Judaea upon seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary on the bank of the
Ebro River
).
[7]
[8]
Pilgrims on the Way can take one of dozens of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Traditionally, as with most pilgrimages, the Way of Saint James begins at one's home and ends at the pilgrimage site. However, a few of the routes are considered main ones. During the
Middle Ages
, the route was highly travelled. However, the
Black Death
, the
Protestant Reformation
, and political unrest in 16th century Europe led to its decline.
Whenever St James's
Day
(25 July) falls on a
Sunday
, the cathedral declares a Holy or
Jubilee
Year. Depending on leap years, Holy Years occur in 5-, 6-, and 11-year intervals. The most recent were 1993, 1999, 2004, 2010 and 2021. The next will be 2027, and 2032.
[9]
History
[
edit
]
Pre-Christian history
[
edit
]
The main pilgrimage route to Santiago follows an earlier Roman trade route, which continues to the
Atlantic
coast of
Galicia
, ending at
Cape Finisterre
. Although it is known today that Cape Finisterre, Spain's westernmost point, is not the westernmost point of Europe (
Cabo da Roca
in
Portugal
is farther west), the fact that the Romans called it
Finisterrae
(literally the
end of the world
or
Land's End
in
Latin
) indicates that they viewed it as such. At night, the
Milky Way
overhead seems to point the way, so the route acquired the nickname "Voie lactee" ? the Milky Way in French.
[10]
Scallop symbol
[
edit
]
St. James's shell, a symbol of the route, on a wall in
Leon, Spain
A stylised scallop shell, the modern sign post of the Way
A marker indicating the route of the Way of St. James
Traditional St James pilgrim accessories
The
scallop
shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on a variety of meanings, metaphorical, practical, and mythical, even if its relevance may have actually derived from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir.
One myth says that after James's death, his body was transported by a ship piloted by an angel, back to the
Iberian Peninsula
to be buried in what is now Santiago. As the ship approached land, a wedding was taking place on shore. The young groom was on horseback, and, upon seeing the ship's approach, his horse got spooked, and horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, the horse and rider emerged from the water alive, covered in seashells.
[11]
: 71
From its connection to the Camino, the scallop shell came to represent pilgrimage, both to a specific shrine as well as to heaven, recalling Hebrews 11:13, identifying that Christians "are pilgrims and strangers on the earth".
[12]
The scallop shell symbol is used as a waymarker on the Camino, and is commonly seen on pilgrims themselves, who are thereby identified as pilgrims. During the medieval period, the shell was more a proof of completion than a symbol worn during the pilgrimage.
The pilgrim's staff
is a walking stick used by some pilgrims on the way to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
[13]
Generally, the stick has a hook so that something may be hung from it; it may have a crosspiece.
[14]
The usual form of representation is with a hook,
[15]
but in some the hook is absent.
[16]
The pilgrim's staff is represented under different forms and is referred to using different names, e.g. a pilgrim's crutch, a crutch-staff. The crutch, perhaps, should be represented with the transverse piece on the top of the staff (like the letter "T") instead of across it.
[17]
Medieval route history
[
edit
]
Saint James with his pilgrim's staff. The hat is typical, but he often wears his emblem, the scallop shell, on the front brim of the hat or elsewhere on his clothes
Way of St. James pilgrims (1568)
The earliest records of visits paid to the shrine at
Santiago de Compostela
date from the 9th century, in the time of the
Kingdom of Asturias
and
Galicia
. The pilgrimage to the shrine became the most renowned medieval pilgrimage, and it became customary for those who returned from Compostela to carry back with them a
Galician
scallop
shell as proof of their completion of the journey. This practice gradually led to the scallop shell becoming the badge of a pilgrim.
[18]
The earliest recorded pilgrims from beyond the
Pyrenees
visited the shrine in the middle of the 11th century, but it seems that it was not until a century later that large numbers of pilgrims from abroad were regularly journeying there. The earliest records of pilgrims that arrived from
England
belong to the period between 1092 and 1105. However, by the early 12th century the pilgrimage had become a highly organized affair.
[19]
One of the great proponents of the pilgrimage in the 12th century was
Pope Callixtus II
, who started the Compostelan Holy Years.
[20]
Early 18th century facade of the San Marcos Monastery in Leon, which provided care for pilgrims over many centuries
The daily needs of pilgrims on their way to and from Compostela were met by a series of
hospitals
. Indeed, these institutions contributed to the development of the modern concept of 'hospital'. Some Spanish towns still bear the name, such as
Hospital de Orbigo
. The hospitals were often staffed by Catholic orders and under royal protection. Donations were encouraged but many poorer pilgrims had few clothes and poor health often barely getting to the next hospital. Due to this,
Maria Ramirez de Medrano
founded one of the earliest hospitals of San Juan de Acre in
Navarrete
and a
commandery
for the protection of pilgrims on the Compostela route.
[21]
Romanesque architecture
, a new genre of ecclesiastical architecture, was designed with massive archways to cope with huge crowds of the devout.
[22]
There was also the sale of the now-familiar paraphernalia of
tourism
, such as badges and souvenirs. Pilgrims often prayed to
Saint Roch
whose numerous depictions with the
Cross of St James
can still be seen along the Way. On the Camino, the cross is often seen with a
Pilgrim's scallop
to mark the way of the pilgrimage.
[23]
The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela was made possible by the protection and freedom provided by the
Kingdom of France
, from which the majority of pilgrims originated. Enterprising French (including
Gascons
and other peoples not under the French crown) settled in towns along the pilgrimage routes, where their names appear in the archives. The pilgrims were tended by people like
Domingo de la Calzada
, who was later recognized as a saint.
Pilgrims walked the Way of St. James, often for months and occasionally years at a time, to arrive at the great church in the main square of Compostela and pay homage to St James. Many arrived with very little due to illness or robbery or both. Traditionally pilgrims lay their hands on the pillar just inside the doorway of the cathedral, and so many now have done this it has visibly worn away the stone.
[24]
The popular Spanish name for the astronomical
Milky Way
is
El Camino de Santiago
. According to a common medieval legend, the
Milky Way
was formed from the dust raised by travelling pilgrims.
[25]
First official guide book
[
edit
]
The official guide in those times was the
Codex Calixtinus
. Published around 1140, the 5th book of the codex is still considered the definitive source for many modern guidebooks. Four pilgrimage routes listed in the codex originate in France and converge at
Puente la Reina
. From there, a well-defined route crosses northern Spain, linking
Burgos
,
Carrion de los Condes
,
Sahagun
,
Leon
,
Astorga
, and Compostela.
Legends of the discovery of the Tomb of St. James
[
edit
]
Another legend states that when a hermit saw a bright star shining over a hillside near San Fiz de Solovio, he informed the bishop of Iria Flavia, who found a grave at the site with three bodies inside, one of which, he asserted, was that of St James. Subsequently, the location was called "the field of the star" (
Campus Stellae
, corrupted to "Compostela").
[26]
Another origin myth mentioned in
Book IV
of the
Book of Saint James
relates how the saint appeared in a dream to
Charlemagne
, urging him to liberate his tomb from the
Moors
and showing him the direction to follow by the route of the Milky Way.
[
citation needed
]
Pilgrimage as penance
[
edit
]
The Church employed (and employs) rituals (the sacrament of confession) that can lead to the imposition by a priest of
penance
, through which the sinner atones for his or her sins. Pilgrimages were deemed to be a suitable form of expiation for sin and long pilgrimages would be imposed as penance for very serious sins. As noted in the
Catholic Encyclopedia
:
In the registers of the Inquisition at Carcassone ... we find the four following places noted as being the centres of the greater pilgrimages to be imposed as penances for the graver crimes: the tomb of the Apostles at Rome, the shrine of St. James at Compostella [sic], St. Thomas' body at Canterbury, and the relics of the Three Kings at Cologne.
Pilgrimages could also be imposed as judicial punishment for crime, a practice that is still occasionally used today. For example, a tradition in
Flanders
persists of pardoning and releasing one prisoner every year
[27]
under the condition that, accompanied by a guard, the prisoner walks to Santiago wearing a heavy backpack.
Enlightenment era
[
edit
]
During the
American Revolution
,
John Adams
(who would become the second President of the United States) was ordered by
Congress
to go to
Paris
to obtain funds for the cause. His ship started leaking and he disembarked with his two sons at
Finisterre
in 1779. From there, he proceeded to follow the Way of St. James in the reverse direction of the pilgrims' route, in order to get to Paris overland. He did not stop to visit Santiago, which he later regretted. In his autobiography, Adams described the customs and lodgings afforded to St James's pilgrims in the 18th century and he recounted the legend as it was told to him:
[28]
I have always regretted that We could not find time to make a Pilgrimage to Saintiago de Compostella. We were informed ... that the Original of this Shrine and Temple of St. Iago was this. A certain Shepherd saw a bright Light there in the night. Afterwards it was revealed to an Archbishop that St. James was buried there. This laid the Foundation of a Church, and they have built an Altar on the Spot where the Shepherd saw the Light. In the time of the Moors, the People made a Vow, that if the Moors should be driven from this Country, they would give a certain portion of the Income of their Lands to Saint James. The Moors were
defeated and expelled
and it was reported and believed, that Saint James was in the Battle and fought with a drawn Sword at the head of the Spanish Troops, on Horseback. The People, believing that they owed the Victory to the Saint, very cheerfully fulfilled their Vows by paying the Tribute. ... Upon the Supposition that this is the place of the Sepulchre of Saint James, there are great numbers of Pilgrims, who visit it, every Year, from France, Spain, Italy and other parts of Europe, many of them on foot.
Modern-day pilgrimage
[
edit
]
A Camino milestone by St Leonard's church,
Wojnicz
, Poland
A boardwalk on the Portuguese coastal Way: Coastal sand dunes of
Povoa de Varzim
Although it is commonly believed that the pilgrimage to Santiago has continued without interruption since the Middle Ages, few modern pilgrimages antedate the 1957 publication of Irish
Hispanist
and traveller
Walter Starkie
's
The Road to Santiago
.
[11]
The revival of the pilgrimage was supported by the Spanish government of
Francisco Franco
, much inclined to promote Spain's Catholic history. "It has been only recently (1990s) that the pilgrimage to Santiago regained the popularity it had in the Middle Ages."
[29]
Since then, hundreds of thousands (over 300,000 in 2017)
[30]
of Christian
pilgrims
and many others set out each year from their homes, or from popular starting points across Europe, to make their way to Santiago de Compostela. Most travel by foot, some by
bicycle
, and some even travel as their
medieval
counterparts did, on horseback or by
donkey
. In addition to those undertaking a religious pilgrimage, many are hikers who walk the route for travel or sport. Also, many consider the experience a spiritual retreat from modern life.
[31]
Routes
[
edit
]
Here, only a few routes are named. For a complete list of all the routes (traditional and less so), see:
Camino de Santiago (route descriptions)
.
The
Camino Frances
, or
French Way
, is the most popular. The
Via Regia
is the last portion of the Camino Frances.
[
citation needed
]
Historically, because of the
Codex Calixtinus
, most pilgrims came from France: typically from
Arles
,
Le Puy
,
Paris
, and
Vezelay
; some from Saint Gilles.
Cluny
, site of the celebrated medieval abbey, was another important rallying point for pilgrims and, in 2002, it was integrated into the official European pilgrimage route linking Vezelay and Le Puy.
Most Spanish consider the French border in the
Pyrenees
the natural starting point. By far the most common, modern starting point on the Camino Frances is
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
, on the French side of the Pyrenees, with
Roncesvalles
on the Spanish side also being popular.
[32]
The distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela through
Leon
is about 800 km (500 mi).
The
Camino Primitivo
, or
Original Way
, is the oldest route to Santiago de Compostela, first taken in the 9th century, which begins in
Oviedo
.
[33]
It is 320 km (199 miles) long.
Camino Portugues
, or
Portuguese Way
, is the second-most-popular route,
[32]
starting at the cathedral in
Lisbon
(for a total of about 610 km) or at the cathedral in
Porto
in the north of
Portugal
(for a total of about 227 km), and crossing into Galicia at
Valenca
.
[34]
The
Camino del Norte
, or
Northern Way
, is also less travelled and starts in the Basque city of
Irun
on the border with France, or sometimes in
San Sebastian
. It is a less popular route because of its changes in elevation, whereas the Camino Frances is mostly flat. The route follows the coast along the
Bay of Biscay
until it nears Santiago. Though it does not pass through as many historic points of interest as the Camino Frances, it has cooler summer weather. The route is believed to have been first used by pilgrims to avoid traveling through the territories occupied by the Muslims in the Middle Ages.
[35]
From Irun the path is 817 km (508 miles) long.
The Central European Camino was revived after the Fall of the
Berlin Wall
. Medieval routes, Camino Baltico and the Via Regia in Poland pass through present-day
Poland
reach as far north as the
Baltic states
, taking in
Vilnius
, and Eastwards to present-day
Ukraine
and take in
Lviv
,
Sandomierz
and
Krakow
.
[36]
Accommodation
[
edit
]
In Spain, France, and Portugal, pilgrims'
hostels
with beds in dormitories provide overnight accommodation for pilgrims who hold a
credencial
(see below). In Spain this type of accommodation is called a
refugio
or
albergue
, both of which are similar to
youth hostels
or hostelries in the French system of
gites d'etape
.
Hostels may be run by a local parish, the local council, private owners, or pilgrims' associations. Occasionally, these
refugios
are located in monasteries, such as the one in the
Monastery of San Xulian de Samos
that is run by monks, and the one in Santiago de Compostela.
The final hostel on the route is the famous
Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos
, which lies in the
Plaza del Obradoiro
across the Cathedral. It was originally constructed as hospice and hospital for pilgrims by
Queen Isabella I
of
Castile
and
King Ferdinand II
of
Aragon
, the
Catholic Monarchs
. Today it is a luxury 5-star
Parador
hotel, which still provides free services to a limited number of pilgrims daily.
Credencial
or pilgrim's passport
[
edit
]
St. James pilgrim passport stamps in Spain for the Camino Frances
Most pilgrims purchase and carry a document called the
credencial
,
[37]
which gives access to overnight accommodation along the route. Also known as the "pilgrim's passport", the
credencial
is stamped with the official St. James stamp of each town or
refugio
at which the pilgrim has stayed. It provides pilgrims with a record of where they ate or slept and serves as proof to the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago that the journey was accomplished according to an official route and thus that the pilgrim qualifies to receive a
compostela
(certificate of completion of the pilgrimage).
Compostela
[
edit
]
The
compostela
is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way. To earn the
compostela
one needs to walk a minimum of 100 km or cycle at least 200 km. In practice, for walkers, the closest convenient point to start is
Sarria
, as it has good bus and rail connections to other places in Spain. Pilgrims arriving in
Santiago de Compostela
who have walked at least the last 100 km (62 mi), or cycled 200 km (120 mi) to get there (as indicated on their
credencial
), and who state that their motivation was at least partially religious, are eligible for the
compostela
from the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago.
[38]
The
compostela
has been
indulgenced
since the Early Middle Ages and remains so to this day, during
Holy Years
.
[39]
The English translation reads:
The CHAPTER of this holy apostolic and metropolitan Church of Compostela, guardian of the seal of the Altar of the blessed Apostle James, in order that it may provide authentic certificates of visitation to all the faithful and to pilgrims from all over the earth who come with devout affection or for the sake of a vow to the shrine of our Apostle St. James, the patron and protector of Spain, hereby makes known to each and all who shall inspect this present document that [Name]
has visited this most sacred temple for the sake of pious devotion. As a faithful witness of these things I confer upon him [or her] the present document, authenticated by the seal of the same Holy Church.
Given at Compostela on the [day] of the month of [month] in the year of the Lord [year].
Deputy Canon for Pilgrims
The simpler certificate of completion in Spanish for those with non-religious motivation reads:
La S.A.M.I. Catedral de Santiago de Compostela le expresa su bienvenida cordial a la Tumba Apostolica de Santiago el Mayor; y desea que el Santo Apostol le conceda, con abundancia, las gracias de la Peregrinacion.
English translation:
The Holy Apostolic Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela expresses its warm welcome to the Tomb of the Apostle St. James the Greater; and wishes that the holy Apostle may grant you, in abundance, the graces of the Pilgrimage.
The Pilgrim's Office gives more than 100,000 compostelas each year to pilgrims from more than 100 countries. However, the requirements to earn a compostela ensure that not everyone who walks on the Camino receives one. The requirements for receiving a compostela are:
1) make the Pilgrimage for religious/spiritual reasons or at least have an attitude of search, 2) do the last 100 km on foot or horseback or the last 200 km by bicycle. 3) collect a certain number of stamps on a credencial.
[40]
Pilgrim's Mass
[
edit
]
Pilgrims finishing the Camino, 1985?2022
Green bars are holy years
|
Year
|
Pilgrims
|
2023
|
446,035
|
2022
|
437,507
|
2021
|
178,912
1, 4
|
2020
|
54,144
4
|
2019
|
347,578
|
2018
|
327,378
|
2017
|
301,036
|
2016
|
277,915
|
2015
|
262,458
|
2014
|
237,886
|
2013
|
215,880
|
2012
|
192,488
|
2011
|
179,919
|
2010
|
272,703
1
|
2009
|
145,877
|
2008
|
125,141
|
2007
|
114,026
|
2006
|
100,377
|
2005
|
93,924
|
2004
|
179,944
1
|
2003
|
74,614
|
2002
|
68,952
|
2001
|
61,418
|
2000
|
55,004³
|
1999
|
154,613
1
|
1998
|
30,126
|
1997
|
25,179
|
1996
|
23,218
|
1995
|
19,821
|
1994
|
15,863
|
1993
|
99,436
1
|
1992
|
9,764
|
1991
|
7,274
|
1990
|
4,918
|
1989
|
5,760²
|
1988
|
3,501
|
1987
|
2,905
|
1986
|
1,801
|
1985
|
690
|
1
Holy Years (
Xacobeo
/
Jacobeo
)
2
4th World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela
3
Santiago named European Capital of Culture
4
Years of
COVID-19 pandemic
Source: The archives of Santiago de Compostela.
[41]
[42]
[43]
[44]
[45]
|
A Pilgrim's
Mass
is held in the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
each day at 12:00 and 19:30.
[46]
Pilgrims who received the
compostela
the day before have their countries of origin and the starting point of their pilgrimage announced at the Mass. The
Botafumeiro
, one of the largest
censers
in the world, is operated during certain
Solemnities
and on every Friday, except
Good Friday
, at 19:30.
[47]
Priests administer the
Sacrament of Penance
, or confession, in many languages. In the
Holy Year
of 2010 the Pilgrim's Mass was exceptionally held four times a day, at 10:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 19:30, catering for the greater number of pilgrims arriving in the Holy Year.
[48]
Pilgrimage as tourism
[
edit
]
The
Xunta de Galicia
(
Galicia
's regional government) promotes the Way as a tourist activity, particularly in Holy Compostela Years (when 25 July falls on a Sunday). Following Galicia's investment and advertising campaign for the Holy Year of 1993, the number of pilgrims completing the route has been steadily rising. The most recent Holy Year occurred in 2021, 11 years after the last Holy Year of 2010. More than 272,000 pilgrims made the trip during the course of 2010. The next Holy Year pilgrimage will occur in 2027.
In film, television & literature
[
edit
]
(Chronological)
- The pilgrimage is central to the plot of the film
The Milky Way
(1969), directed by
surrealist
Luis Bunuel
. It is intended to critique the Catholic church, as the modern pilgrims encounter various manifestations of Catholic dogma and heresy.
- In Part Four of the novel
The Pillars of the Earth
(1989), one of the main characters, Aliena, travels the Camino in search of her lost love, Jack, who is also the father to her child. She travels the route from England through France (specifically
Tours
and
Saint Denis
) and Spain, eventually reaching
Santiago
and continuing on to
Toledo
.
- The Naked Pilgrim
(2003) documents the journey of art critic and journalist
Brian Sewell
to Santiago de Compostela for the UK's Channel Five. Travelling by car along the French route, he visited many towns and cities on the way including Paris,
Chartres
,
Roncesvalles
,
Burgos
,
Leon
and
Fromista
. Sewell, a lapsed Catholic, was moved by the stories of other pilgrims and by the sights he saw. The series climaxed with Sewell's emotional response to the Mass at Compostela.
- The Way of St. James was the central feature of the film
Saint Jacques... La Mecque
(2005) directed by
Coline Serreau
.
- In
The Way
(2010), written and directed by
Emilio Estevez
,
Martin Sheen
learns that his son (Estevez) has died early along the route and takes up the pilgrimage in order to complete it on the son's behalf. The film was presented at the
Toronto International Film Festival
in September 2010
[49]
[50]
and premiered in Santiago in November 2010.
- On his
PBS
travel Europe television series,
Rick Steves
covers Northern Spain and the Camino de Santiago in series 6.
[51]
- In 2013,
Simon Reeve
presented the "Pilgrimage" series on BBC2, in which he followed various pilgrimage routes across Europe, including the Camino de Santiago in episode 2.
[52]
- In 2014, Lydia B Smith
[53]
and Future Educational Films released
Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago
[54]
in theatres across the U.S. and Canada. The film features the accounts and perspectives of six pilgrims as they navigate their respective journeys from France to Santiago de Compostela. In 2015, it was distributed across the World, playing theatres throughout Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It recently aired on NPTV and continues to be featured in festivals relating to the Spirituality, Mind Body, Travel, and Adventure.
- In the 2017 movie
The Trip to Spain
, the Camino de Santiago is mentioned as
Rob Brydon
quizzes
Steve Coogan
about what the Camino is and proceeds to explain what it is with a brief history of it.
- In 2018, series one of
BBC Two
's
Pilgrimage
followed this pilgrimage.
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
Monument to pilgrims in Burgos
-
A pilgrims hostel in Mansilla de las Mulas
-
A pilgrim on the barren and impressive meseta, which offers a long and challenging walk
-
A pilgrim near San Juan de Ortega
-
View on el Camino del Norte. San Sebastian, playa de la Concha
-
Sea view on el Camino del Norte, approaching Onton
-
A pilgrim along the northern route of the Camino de Santiago
Selected literature
[
edit
]
(Alphabetical by author's surname)
- Carson, Anne
(1987).
Kinds of Water
.
- Coelho, Paulo
(1987).
The Pilgrimage
.
- Hemingway, Ernest
(1926).
The Sun Also Rises
.
- Hitt, Jack
(1994).
Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain
.
- Kerkeling, Hape
(2009).
I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago
.
- Lodge, David
(1995).
Therapy
.
- MacLaine, Shirley
(2001).
The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit
.
- McCarthy, Andrew
(2023).
Walking with Sam: A father, a son and five hundred miles across Spain
.
- Michener, James
(1968).
Iberia
.
- Moore, Tim
(2004).
Spanish Steps: Travels With My Donkey
.
- Nooteboom, Cees
(1996).
Roads to Santiago
.
- Rudolph, Conrad
(2004).
Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela
.
- Simsion, Graeme
; Buist, Anne (2017).
Two Steps Forward
.
- Starkie, Walter
(1957).
The Road to Santiago
. E. P. Dutton & Company, Inc.
- Whyte, David
(1 May 2012).
Santiago
. Many Rivers Press. p.
[1]
.
ISBN
978-1932887259
.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
In other languages:
Spanish
:
El Camino de Santiago
;
Portuguese
:
O Caminho de Santiago
;
French
:
Le chemin de Saint-Jacques
;
German
:
Der Jakobsweg
;
Italian
:
Il Cammino di san Giacomo
.
- ^
"Message to the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) on the occasion of the opening of the Compostela Holy Year 2010 (December 19, 2009) | BENEDICT XVI"
.
www.vatican.va
. Retrieved
17 June
2021
.
- ^
"Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Frances and Routes of Northern Spain"
.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
. Retrieved
4 November
2021
.
- ^
"Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France"
.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
. Retrieved
4 November
2021
.
- ^
Kent, William H. (1913).
"Indulgences"
. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
Catholic Encyclopedia
. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
This entry on indulgences suggests that the evolution of the doctrine came to include a pilgrimage to shrines as a trend that developed from the 8th century A.D.: "Among other forms of commutation were pilgrimages to well-known shrines such as that at
St. Albans
in
England
or at Compostela in Spain. But the most important place of pilgrimage was Rome. According to
Bede
(674?735) the
visitatio liminum
, or visit to the tomb of the Apostles, was even then regarded as a good work of great efficacy (Hist. Eccl., IV, 23). At first the pilgrims came simply to venerate the relics of the
Apostles
and
martyrs
, but in course of time their chief purpose was to gain the indulgences granted by the pope and attached especially to the
Stations
."
- ^
"Santiago de Compostela | Spain"
.
Encyclopedia Britannica
. Retrieved
16 February
2021
.
- ^
Chadwick, Henry (1976),
Priscillian of Avila
, Oxford University Press
- ^
Fletcher, Richard A. (1984),
Saint James's Catapult : The Life and Times of Diego Gelmirez of Santiago de Compostela
, Oxford University Press
- ^
"Holy Years at Santiago de Compostela"
. Archived from
the original
on 16 September 2014
. Retrieved
6 March
2014
.
- ^
"
Medieval footpath under the stars of the Milky Way
Archived
17 December 2006 at the
Wayback Machine
".
Telegraph Online
.
- ^
a
b
Starkie, Walter
(1965) [1957].
The Roads to Santiago: Pilgrims of St. James
. University of California Press.
- ^
Kosloski, Philip (25 July 2017).
"How the scallop shell became a symbol of pilgrimage"
.
- ^
"
"Pilgrim's Way to Santiago: Curiosities"
.
Navarre Tourist Board
.
- ^
Pilgrim's or Palmer's Staff
French
:
bourdon
: this was used as a device in a coat of arms as early at least as Edward II's reign, as will be seen. The Staff and the Escallop shell were the badge of the pilgrim, and hence it is but natural it should find its way into the shields of those who had visited the Holy Land.
- ^
"figure 1"
.
heraldsnet.org
.
- ^
"figure 2"
.
heraldsnet.org
.
- ^
"J"
.
A GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN HERALDRY
.
- ^
Waldron, Thomas (1979). "The Sign of the Scallop Shell".
The Furrow
.
30
(10): 646?649.
JSTOR
27660823
.
- ^
Billington, Rachel (1 October 1989).
"Santiago's Golden Legend"
.
The New York Times
Magazine
.
- ^
"Brief history: The Camino ? past, present & future"
. Archived from
the original
on 1 March 2012
. Retrieved
6 March
2014
.
- ^
Maria Ramirez de Medrano and the Foundation of San Juan de Acre Hospital in Navarrete
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/8373680.pdf
- ^
"Romanesque Architecture - Durham World Heritage Site"
.
www.durhamworldheritagesite.com
.
- ^
"The symbolic power of the Way of St. James"
.
Five Sensations
. 25 August 2015
. Retrieved
25 August
2015
.
- ^
Davies, Bethan; Cole, Ben (2003).
Walking the Camino de Santiago
. Pili Pala Press. p. 179.
ISBN
0-9731698-0-X
.
- ^
Bignami, Giovanni F. (26 March 2004). "Visions of the Milky Way".
Science
.
303
(5666): 1979.
doi
:
10.1126/science.1096275
.
JSTOR
3836327
.
S2CID
191291730
.
- ^
Aruna Vasadevan (5 November 2013).
"Santiago de Compostela (La Coruna, Spain)"
. In Trudy Ring; Noelle Watson; Paul Schellinger (eds.).
Southern Europe: International Dictionary of Historic Places
. Taylor & Francis. pp. 621?624.
ISBN
978-1-134-25965-6
.
- ^
"Huellas espanolas en Flandes"
. Turismo de Belgica. Archived from
the original
on 1 April 2012.
- ^
"John Adams autobiography, part 3, Peace, 1779?1780, sheet 10 of 18"
. Harvard University Press, 1961. August 2007.
- ^
Mitchell-Lanham, Jean (2015).
The Lore of the Camino de Santiago: A Literary Pilgrimage
. Two Harbors Press. p. xv.
ISBN
978-1-63413-333-3
.
- ^
Erimatica.
"Estadistica de peregrinos del Camino de Santiago a 2018"
.
Camino de Santiago. Guia definitiva: etapas, albergues, rutas
(in European Spanish)
. Retrieved
25 July
2018
.
- ^
"The present-day pilgrimage"
. The Confraternity of Saint James. Archived from
the original
on 15 July 2006.
- ^
a
b
"Informe estadistico Ano 2016"
(PDF)
. Oficina del Peregrino de Santiago de Compostela. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 9 August 2017
. Retrieved
18 September
2017
.
- ^
"Primitive Way-Camino de Santiago Primitivo"
. Retrieved
15 December
2015
.
- ^
The Confraternity of Saint James.
"The Camino Portugues"
. Archived from
the original
on 30 June 2016
. Retrieved
17 May
2016
.
- ^
"Camino del Norte"
.
Camino Ways
.
- ^
Camino Polaco. Teologia - Sztuka - Historia - Tera?niejszo??
- Edited by Fr. dr. Piotr Roszak and professor dr. Waldemar Rozynkowski. published by Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika (
Toru?
); volume 1 (2014), volume 2 (2015), volume 3 (2016) in Polish.
- ^
Barry Smith, Olimpia Giuliana Loddo and Giuseppe Lorini, "On Credentials",
Journal of Social Ontology
, DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1515/jso-2019-0034
| Published online: 07 Aug 2020.
- ^
"▷ The Compostela . What is it. How to get it. Minimum distance required"
.
Pilgrim
. Retrieved
15 February
2021
.
- ^
"The Compostela"
.
Confraternity of Saint James
. Archived from
the original
on 29 January 2015
. Retrieved
6 August
2016
.
- ^
"The Compostela"
. Oficina del Peregrino de Santiago de Compostela.
- ^
"Pilgrims by year according to the office of pilgrims at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela"
. Archived from
the original
on 1 January 2010.
- ^
"Pilgrims 2006?2009 according to the office of pilgrims at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela"
. Archived from
the original
on 19 January 2012.
- ^
"Statistics"
. Archived from
the original
on 14 August 2014.
- ^
"Statistics"
. Oficina del Peregrino de Santiago de Compostela.
- ^
"Statistics"
. Oficina del Peregrino de Santiago de Compostela.
- ^
"Masses Hours"
.
catedraldesantiago.es
. Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Archived from
the original
on 12 August 2016
. Retrieved
6 August
2016
.
- ^
"The Botafumeiro"
.
catedraldesantiago.es
. Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Archived from
the original
on 12 August 2016
. Retrieved
6 August
2016
.
- ^
"The Holy Year: When Does the Holy Year Take Place?"
.
catedraldesantiago.es
. Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Archived from
the original
on 16 August 2016
. Retrieved
6 August
2016
.
It is Holy Year in Compostela when the 25th of July, Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Saint James, falls on a Sunday.
8 December 2015 ? 20 November 2016, Pope Francis's
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
, was also a Holy Year.
- ^
"The Way (2010)"
. IMDb
. Retrieved
8 June
2012
.
- ^
"The way official movie site"
. Theway-themovie.com. Archived from
the original
on 16 July 2011
. Retrieved
10 July
2011
.
- ^
"Rick Steves travel show, episode: "Northern Spain and the Camino de Santiago"
"
. ricksteves.com. Archived from
the original
on 27 April 2011
. Retrieved
8 June
2012
.
- ^
"YouTube"
.
YouTube
. Archived from
the original
on 31 May 2014.
- ^
"Lydia B Smith"
. IMDb
. Retrieved
25 November
2019
.
- ^
"Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago"
.
External links
[
edit
]
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Routes
| Spain
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France
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Portugal
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Poland
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- Pre-Romanesque art in Asturias is framed between the years 711 and 925, the period of the rise and extension of the Kingdom of Asturias.
|
Architecture
| 1st period (737 to 791)
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2nd period (791 to 842)
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3rd period (842 to 866)
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4th period (866 to 910)
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