Photo by Nicole Pensiero
On any other trip, a dusty duo of twentysomething men hiking along the edge of a remote highway in Spain would hardly have caught my eye. But this is the third day of my trip from Barcelona to the sacred destination of Santiago de Compostela, and I’m on the lookout for authentic pilgrims. I know these two are the real deal because they carry several tell-tale markers: walking sticks and a white scallop shell —the symbol of Saint James — attached to each of their backpacks.
Their journey fascinates me because I’m traveling similar ground, albeit by much different transport — mine, a comfortable, air-conditioned bus, theirs largely by foot. Our reasons for making this journey, I surmise, also are different. While I consider myself a spiritually sound person, my decision to travel to Santiago isn’t a religious quest; it just happens to be on the itinerary of my 14-day visit to northern Spain.
By contrast, their journey is part of a tradition stretching back to the 9th century. Legend has it that a vision led a monk to Santiago de Compostela, where he found the remains of Saint James the Great, one of Jesus Christ’s original disciples. That discovery led to the establishment of a shrine to the Catholic saint in the crypt of the 12th century cathedral — and ever since has inspired true believers to make the trek there.
Their route is called the Camino de Santiago, or “The Way of Saint James”— a network of well-marked foot paths leading to this capital city in the Celtic-infused region of Galicia. While most pilgrims still travel the 500-mile Camino Francés (“The French Way”) through the Pyrenees by foot — it’s become increasingly acceptable to make part of the journey along any route by bus. Some go by bicycle, horse, donkey — or even a package tour.
Photo by Nicole Pensiero
Along the way, the faithful are entitled to inexpensive lodging by presenting a “pilgrim’s passport,” which is stamped at each location. No matter their route, all “true” pilgrims must walk or ride horseback for the final 62 miles (or 125 miles by bike) to the cathedral. There, they trade in their “passport” for a Vatican-issued certification of completion. Each year, about 100,000 people receive such a certificate; that number is expected to more than double in 2010, a Holy Year for the July 25th Feast of Saint James.
At each of my stops, locals ask if I’m a pilgrim heading to Santiago. At the outset, I say I’m just a regular tourist. Yet by the time we walk into Santiago’s ornate cathedral — where the battered backpacks of pilgrims are piled four and five deep against the church’s massive stone pillars — I feel an inner shift; a connection to a deeper sense of spirituality, history and religious reverence.
Afterwards, my guide, Rafi, hands me a large painted scallop shell on a cord to wear around my neck. The trinkets are sold in all of the local souvenior shops, but I never thought of buying one.
“You may not have walked here, but you are all pilgrims now,” she says, matter-of-factly. And, without a trace of irony, I drape the scallop shell around my neck and wear it proudly the rest of the day.
For a look at another European pilgrimage, check out Mary Alice Downie’s experience in Trondheim, Norway.
Our Readers Comment…