The Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James

In my second book - The Divine Dance of Diani, i have briefly mentioned The Way of St. James -

“El Camino de Santiago, Saint James Way, is the name given to the road the pilgrims followed in the middle age to get to Santiago, now considered by UNESCO, a World Heritage Site. Today, the city attracts visitors from all over the world thanks to its fantastic monuments. Many institutions such as hospitals and hotels were founded to help the pilgrims on their way to the holy city. The oldest description of the journey is from the 12th century ‘Kitab Ruyyar’ by the Arab author Idrisi,”

“What is the big deal in the walk?”

“It is a memorable pathway and a profound spiritual experience. Basically, it is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain where the remains of the apostle Saint James the Great, are said to be buried.”

“Is that it?”

“Were you expecting more?”

“How did it all start and end up being of such significance to Christians in Europe?” I asked.

“The Church created a system of rituals to atone for sins and these included confession, absolution, and penance. According to this system, pilgrimages were a suitable form of expiation for some sins, and they could be used as acts of penance for those who were guilty of certain crimes. Penance in this context meant, repentance of sins. In the catholic traditions of sacrament, penance is reconciliation and confession of sins. To ultimately be forgiven.

“More interesting is that there is still a tradition in Belgium to this day of freeing one prisoner a year on the condition that he walks to Santiago wearing a heavy backpack, accompanied by a guard.”

“How long is the walk?’

“The entire ‘Camino’, which is about 900 km long from France to Santiago, takes about 30 days, an average of 30 km a day. If you just want to receive the official certificate of pilgrimage, the Compostella, you’ll have to walk at least 100km. A network of shelters along the way in old monasteries, inns and seminaries, offer free lodging to the genuine pilgrims but not tourists. The pilgrims’ passports are stamped to give evidence of completion.

Many who walk ‘The Way of St James’ are not experienced walkers at all. They have never done any serious walking in their lives neither are they likely to do so in future. Here, it can simply be undertaken for the pleasure of it.

“It is very refreshing to walk. And even more refreshing to walk with a spiritual purpose,”

“Does the Muslim pilgrimage ring a bell?”

“Of course it does?”

“You have not seen or heard anything yet.”

“Try me,”

“Ever heard of Kumbh Mela?”

“You’ve got me. No I haven’t,”

The Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James is a spiritual journey that pilgrims of all faiths and backgrounds have traversed for over a thousand years. The pilgrimage originally began at one’s doorstep, though modern trekkers today would find that rather difficult, particularly American pilgrims needing to cross the Atlantic. While there are a number of established routes leading to Santiago from all directions, the most popular is the Camino Frances, which crosses the Pyrenees Mountains along the Spanish-French border starting in St. Jean Pied de Port.

This Camino route covers 800 kilometers that traverses an idyllic northern Spanish countryside. By following the yellow painted arrows marking the road, a pilgrim can expect to walk 12-15 miles a day to reach the next town for the night. At this pace, a pilgrim can reach the Cathedral de Santiago in 6 to 8 weeks time to attend the Pilgrim's Mass held at noon each day. Some take more time, others less. Some choose to travel by bike, and some have done the Camino on horseback. Along the way travelers encounter albergues, refugios and casa rurals that cater specifically to the thousands of pilgrims of all ages that take this journey each year, immersing themselves in the local food, culture and history dedicated to this experience.

Pilgrims walk the Camino for various reasons. Some to seek penance, others enlightenment, and still others for a sense of adventure, yet all progress toward the Cathedral in Santiago where it is believed the remains of the apostle St. James are held. Most pilgrims choose to carry a scallop shell with them to symbolize their journey in honor of St. James. According to legend, scallop shells are said the have covered St. James’ body after it was found on the shores of the Galician coast. Another, perhaps more useful symbol is a walking stick to aid a weary pilgrim on his or her journey. Most pilgrims also carry a document called the credencial, purchased for a few euros from a Spanish tourist agency, a church on the route or from their church back home. The credencial is a pass which gives access to inexpensive, sometimes free, overnight accommodation in refugios along the trail. 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 walking pilgrims with a record of where they ate or slept, but also serves as proof to the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago that the journey is accomplished according to an official route. The credencial is available at refugios, tourist offices, some local parish houses, and outside Spain, through the national St. James organisation of that country. The stamped credencial is also necessary if the pilgrim wants to obtain a compostela, a certificate of completion of the pilgrimage.

Regardless of whether a pilgrim’s journey begins for religious, spiritual or cultural reasons, the meditative nature of the Camino offers the perfect landscape in which to dedicate contemplation. Pilgrims follow the path amidst the villages, towns, rivers, mountains and fertile valleys that have changed the lives of millions of pilgrims who walked before them.

 Paul Coelho - did a pilgrimage - so did Pope John Paul II

I will tell you something about Kumbh Mela ..