Camino de Santiago
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The Camino de Santiago is also known as the “Way of the Saint” and is a pilgrimage to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain, where pilgrims walk tracing the route of Saint James. It is believed by the devout that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, and the event of participating in the Camino de Santiago is seen as a spiritual undertaking by many people throughout the world.
The Camino de Santiago was a popular pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages and was considered to be one of the ways to earn a plenary indulgence. A plenary indulgence was a way for the pilgrim to earn a remission from the punishment of a sin after guilt has been forgiven. Each pilgrim on the walk could start at different locations, although the main route was considered to be the actual Camino de Santiago. In current times many thousands of pilgrims make the trip every year, some traveling by foot and others by bicycle, while still others make the trip either by horseback or donkey.
People on the walk will find accommodation at hostels along the pilgrim’s routes, many which are very low cost. Each pilgrim can purchase a credencial, which identifies them as a participant on the Camino de Santiago. This passport or credencial is provided to the hostel staff, which then gives the holder a very low cost room rate. Traditionally the pilgrims will wear robes and will carry few if any personal supplies with them, so the hostels provide most items as part of the service. Most pilgrims will take weeks or even months to complete the full Camino de Santiago but consider the route to be a holy pilgrimage that brings them closer to their spirituality. Pilgrims that complete the route or walk at least 100 km or cycle for 200 km are presented with a compestola or a certificate of participation from the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago.
A traditional symbol used to mark both the pilgrims as well as the route of the Camino de Santiago is the scallop shell. The exact historical reasons for the use of the shell have been lost, but several theories indicate that the shell was used as a drinking tool, digging tool and even as a dish for eating, making it a very versatile and practical tool for the pilgrims to carry on the route. In addition the lines on the back of the shell indicate the many routes of the pilgrimage that all lead to Santiago de Compostela, where the scallop shells are found on nearby beaches.