CAMINO DE SANTIAGO COMPOSTELA CAMINO DE SANTIAGO COMPOSTELA (The Way of St. James)

El Camino de Santiago The Way of St. James or St. James' Way (Galician: O Camiño de Santiago,Spanish: El Camino de Santiago) is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried. During medieval times, it was one of the 3 great pilgrimages Christians made: – 1. Rome – 2. Jerusalem – 3. Santiago de Compostela, Spain It was believed that all ones’ sins were forgiven after making a pilgrimage.

Legend holds that St. James‘ remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela. The main pilgrimage route to Santiago follows an earlier Roman trade route, which continues to the Atlantic coast of Galicia, ending at Cape Finisterre.

Beginning in France the routes stretch more than 800 kl into Spain. It takes more than a month to walk the ENTIRE route. Pilgrims have to cross the Pyrenees mountains.

St. James the Greater With Peter and John, James was clearly one of Jesus's closest friends during his ministry, and as such, it is instructive to look for traces of him outside the canonical gospels. Yet, there is no known information about him in the apocryphal gospels. James's absence from the apocryphal gospels is odd, given his pre-eminence in the canonical gospels, but might be explained in part by his early martyrdom, and in part by his departure from Jerusalem: legend has it that when the Apostles divided the known world into missionary zones, the Iberian peninsula fell to James. There is nothing intrinsically implausible about this: Spain was already a well-established part of the Roman world, and Paul, writing in 56 or 57 (Romans 15, 24 & 28), is clear about his own desire to make a missionary journey to Spain.

Walking the Via de la Plata (which follows the Roman road north from Seville) today gives you a vivid impression of the Spain James (or Paul) would have known.

7th and 8th century documents (i.e. prior to the discovery of the tomb) refer to the belief that James spent a number of years preaching in Spain before returning to Jerusalem, and martyrdom. His followers are believed to have carried his body down to the coast and put it into a stone boat, which was carried by angels and the wind beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the straits of Gibraltar), to land near Finisterre, at Padrón, on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain. The local Queen, Lupa, provided the team of oxen used to draw the body from Padrón to the site of the marble tomb (Arca Marmorica), a little way inland, which she had also provided. The saint was believed to have been buried with two of his own disciples, Athanasius and Theodore. The site of his tomb was forgotten for some 800 years.

Early in the 9th century a hermit, Pelayo, was led by a vision to the spot. The tomb was rediscovered, and the relics authenticated as those of St James by the local bishop. Spain at this period sorely needed a new champion or focus to inspire Christians against the invading Moors. The rediscovery came therefore at a most propitious moment. And the pilgrimage began...

Pilgrims receive stamped record at Pilgrimage Office.

Walking the Camino

The Hill of Joy – 5 Miles before Destination!

The Pillar

Inside the Cathedral

SCALLOP SHELL 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 mythical, metaphorical and practical meanings, even if its relevance may actually derive from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir. After James' death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain, a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, it washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops

The scallop shell also acts as a metaphor. The grooves in the shell, which meet at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of James in Santiago de Compostela. The shell is also a metaphor for the pilgrim: As the waves of the ocean wash scallop shells up onto the shores of Galicia, God's hand also guides the pilgrims to Santiago A marker in the pavement indicates the route of the Way of St. James through Navarrete, La Rioja, Spain.

PILGRIM STORIES In the Middle Ages Santiago de Compostela first became a popular sight for pilgrimage. The pilgrimages to the Shrine of St. James at Santiago de Compostela led to the construction of a network of roads, churches, and lodging for the convenience of travelers. Churches along the way functioned as stops for pilgrims traveling the route. These churches were designed to contain the mass audiences that traveled the routes. Pilgrims in the tens of thousands traveled throughout Europe to make pilgrimage. These pilgrims were drawn to churches to see the relics that they housed.

Pilgrims stopped at Churches and homes and told stories – catechized the illiterate. Myths arose Legends Miracle stories (Read 30 Pilgrims) Illustrated books. Guide books.

A Legend I have always regretted that We could not find time to make a Pilgrimage to Saint Iago de Compostella. We were informed,... that the Original (story about) the 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. ” —Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society

JPII - PILGRIM

THE WAY THE WAY (starring Martin Sheen) EXTRA CREDIT: Watch this and write a 700 word reflection on the movie for 25 extra credit points!

Videos uiZU uiZU Botafumeiro: anA anA Light show: QUjc QUjc