Feast of Saint James the Apostle in Spain Home Calendar Holidays Spain Feast of Saint James the Apostle Feast of Saint James the Apostle in Spain Many people in Spain celebrate the life and deeds of James, son of Zebedee, on Saint James' Day (Santiago Apostol), which is on July 25. Saint James was one of Jesus' first disciples. Some Christians believe that his remains are buried in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. ©iStockphoto.com/Javier García Blanco What Do People Do? Many events are organized on and before Saint James' Day in the Basque Country and Galicia. These include: Special church services to honor the life and work of Saint James. Exhibitions of art work by artists born or living in or near Santiago de Compostela. Theatre productions and street shows.

Concerts of modern and traditional music, including bagpipe performances. Traditional dance events held outside. Special services are held in the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela on July 25. Church officials swing a large incense burner at full speed during this service. They fill the whole church with incense smoke. Public Life Saint James' Day is a public holiday in the autonomous communities of the Basque Country and Galicia on July 25. Public life is generally quiet. Many businesses and other organizations are closed. Many stores are closed but some bakers and food stores may be open. Public transport services generally run to a reduced schedule, although there may be no services in rural areas. Large events may cause some local disruption to traffic, particularly in Santiago de Compostela. Regional or local authorities may move the public holiday to a different date, particularly if July 25 falls on a Sunday. If July 25 falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many businesses and organizations are also closed on Monday, July 24, or Friday, July 26. In the rest of Spain, July 25 is not a public holiday.

Background St James, son of Zebedee, was an apostles and a brother of John the Apostle, according to Christian belief. He lived at the same time as Jesus. He may have traveled to the area that is now Santiago de Compostela. St James was beheaded in Judea in the year 44 CE. Some Christians believe that his disciples carried his body by sea to Padrón on the Galician coast. They then buried his body under what is now the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. St James' relics were discovered sometime between 791 CE and 842 CE. Santiago de Compostela then became a place of pilgrimage. Pope Leo XIII asserted that the relics of St James at Compostela were authentic in a papal bull. This papal bull was published on November 1, 1884. Symbols Common symbols of St James include a traveler's hat and a scallop shell. The scallop shell is used to mark a network of pilgrimage routes. These routes lead to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela from many European countries, including: Austria. Portugal. Switzerland.

Thousands of people walk, cycle or ride a horse along the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela each year. Many people hope to arrive just before Saint James' Day. Feast of Saint James the Apostle Observances Select another year-range: Trial over theft of Codex Calixtinus begins in Spain | World news | The Guardian Trial over theft of Codex Calixtinus begins in Spain Ex-electrician stole manuscript, described as Europe’s first travel guide, from Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, say prosecutors The Codex Calixtinus was found in the garage of José Manuel Fernández Castiñeiras along other missing ancient books and more than €1m in cash. Photograph: Xurxo Lobato/Getty Images Monday 19 January 2015 11.03 EST Last modified on Monday 19 January 2015 19.40 EST Close This article is 2 years old A former electrician appeared in a court in Spain on Monday accused of stealing one of the country’s most important cultural treasures – a 12th-century manuscript described as Europe’s first travel guide.

In what was dubbed the theft of the century by Spanish media, José Manuel Fernández Castiñeiras, prosecutors say, took the Codex Calixtinus from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain in July 2011 . The 225-document includes travel advice for those following the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage that attracts hundreds of thousands each year, as well as sermons and homilies to Saint James. After hours of frantic searching turned up nothing, staff at the cathedral contacted police. The cathedral had five security cameras overseeing the archives area, but not one of them was directed at the safe where the medieval manuscript was kept. Facing mounting criticism about lax security, staff insisted the theft had been an inside job. The dean of the cathedral, José María Díaz, told reporters: “Whoever took it knew what it was, knew its incalculable value and knew how to get to it, or at least find out to how get to it.” His remarks were backed by reports that the keys to the safe had still been dangling from the lock when staff noticed the codex missing. A year later, it was found in the garage of the cathedral’s former electrician.

The discovery put an end to speculation in Spanish media that the theft had been commissioned by an international art collector and that the illustrated manuscript had been smuggled out of the country. The codex was found “in good condition”, according to Spain’s interior ministry. Police said they also found more than a €1m in the garage and other ancient books missing from the cathedral’s archives. Castiñeiras had worked at the cathedral for more than 25 years before being made redundant in 2011. At the time of the codex theft, he had been suing cathedral authorities for wrongful dismissal. He now faces charges of theft and money laundering, with prosecutors calling for a 15-year jail term and a €300,000 fine. More than 60 witnesses, including senior clergy from the cathedral, are expected to be called during the trial. On Monday, Castiñeiras’s lawyer, Carmen Ventoso, asked that the evidence gathered so far in the case be thrown out – including a confession by the former electrician and a video, recorded by cathedral’s security camera, allegedly showing him cramming stacks of cash into his pockets.

The case against Castiñeiras, she said, was full of “mistakes” and left him the victim of a “Guantánamo-like process.” Santiago de Compostela - Camino de Santiago Tours | On Foot in Spain Tab 10 Maria, Bakersfield, California, USA ( 4th time On Foot Walker – Camino, Galicia, Basque, Portugal) Slow travel... Like "slow food" made with care, presented with reverence and savored over time amongst friends. Your walking tours are the "slow travel" - unique and amazingly special. Each moment, each thought, each view is something worth having. This is why I keep coming back *smile*. Pat, Shingle Springs, California, USA All in all this Pilgrim’s journey was deeper, fuller and richer from the gift of On Foot in Spain and the love and commitment of Nancy and Jose to the El Camino de Santiago and to each of us on our pilgrimages shared.

Lesley, Melbourne, Australia (4th time On Foot Walker – Camino, Galicia, Portugal, Basque) The sights, the sounds; the misty morning light and starry sky at night at Axpe; the picnics, and idyllic settings; the going up and the going down of the trails; the enchanting forests and the panoramic rural and coastal views; the history, the myths, the saints, the culture and even the jokes!; the storytelling, the card games and the camaraderie of the group; and the helping hands when the going got tough. And so much more!. Maureen, Sydney, Australia Your love for this magical walk certainly shows in everything you do, and it is something that I will always remember and draw strength from. Ann-Maree, Sydney, Australia, April 2013 Compostela I loved your particular way of doing things Nancy and Jose - your care and gentleness not only with everyone but with all you do was inspiring for me. Judy, Darien, Connecticut, USA (2nd time On Foot Walker – Private Camino & Private Camino in Portugal) I want to thank you, Jose and Sam for such a meaningful and rich experience.

I hardly know where to begin to talk about how much I felt expanded in mind, spirit and even body (all that fabulous food!) So much beauty all around us! Your choice of sights and experiences was fabulous. I loved the variety and contrasts in terrain, in lodgings and in your choices of readings and music especially. I continue to be impressed with your intentional approach to living and learning together. Gratefully…, Kelly, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (Camino) On a scale of 1-5 I gave the tour a 10! You and Jose do such an amazing job! The organization, down to every last detail, is impeccable. The food, lodging choices, history, tours and every aspect was better than I could have ever imagined! Thank you again! SV, London, UK (3rd time On Foot Walker – Camino twice, Portugal) It was wonderful to see you, talk to you, walk and eat with you and be generally spoilt by you and by Spain. Susan and Brian, Novato, California, USA (2nd time On Foot Walkers – Compostela & Camino) We hope that we have conveyed along the way how really blessed we feel to have known you both.

The Camino is a magical place and we have felt more peace and serenity there than we thought possible. You made that happen for us (and countless others) and we are so grateful for the experience of it, and you. Thank you! Dale, Toronto, Canada Even without the small miracle of a highly compatible group of merry folk, it would have been a wonderful trip. WITH them -- and you and Jose -- it was magical. Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain Christian legends tell that St. James the Elder, one of the twelve apostles of Christ, had traveled widely on the Iberian Peninsula, bringing Christianity to the Celtic peoples. Following his martyrdom in Jerusalem around 44 AD, his relics were supposedly taken back to Spain and enshrined. Due to Roman persecution however, the early Spanish Christians were forced to abandon the shrine and, with the depopulation of the area following the fall of the Roman Empire, the location of the shrine was forgotten. In 813 or 838 AD, so the legend goes, a hermit led by a beckoning star and celestial music discovered the location of the buried relics.

Historians however, doubt that St. James ever visited Spain and the idea that his relics were transported to Iberia is thought to be a fabrication of the Church. The 'discovery' of the relics provided a convenient rallying point for Christian Spain, then confined to a narrow strip at the north of the Iberian Peninsula, most of which was occupied by the Moors. In addition to the story of the relics discovery there were also reports of Santiago Matomoro, or St. James the Moorslayer, appearing on a white horse in 844 AD to lead Christians into battle against the Moors. These two legends are interpreted by scholars of the Age of Medieval Pilgrimage as attempts by ecclesiastical authorities to gather popular support for the overthrow of the Arabs. Furthermore, it is known that officials of the Cathedral of Santiago actually hired storytellers to travel about the European countryside spreading 'news' of the miracles of St. James and his relics. While this deceit and corruption of the Church may shock some readers, it is a well-authenticated historical fact that many of the founding legends of medieval pilgrimage shrines were nothing more than tall tales.

Such stories were conjured up by enterprising church administrators who recognized that the number of pilgrims visiting and donating money to a shrine was proportional to the miraculous nature of the founding legend and the degree to which that legend was promoted. Over the tomb where St. James' relics were 'found', the first church was constructed in 829 AD and within 100 years Santiago de Compostela was attracting pilgrims from throughout Europe. By the twelfth century it had become the center of the greatest pilgrimage in medieval Europe. While Jerusalem and Rome were considered the two most important pilgrimage destinations for Christians, because Santiago de Compostela was closer and much safer to visit, it received far more visitors. Four major land routes to Santiago developed over the centuries. Originating in northern France and meandering south through other pilgrimage sites, the routes joined, crossed the Pyrenees Mountains, and then headed to northwestern Spain. The Benedictines built monasteries and hostels to host the pilgrims journeying the routes to Santiago, creating what is perhaps the first major European tourist industry. The emotional appeal and morale boost provided by the cult of the saint swept through Europe as pilgrims journeyed to the 'Field of the Star' for centuries.

While most came as true believers, a large number came as a stipulation to inheritance, as an alternative to prison, or simply in hopes of doing a brisk trade with the great numbers of visitors. The photograph shows a stone sculpture of St. James in the garb of a wandering pilgrim. The seashells fastened on his cloak were the badges of the medieval age, signifying a pilgrim's visit to the shrine of Santiago. The old city of Santiago de Compostela and its grand cathedral are among the most beautiful medieval artifacts in all of Europe. Besides the visual beauty of the place, the atmosphere is charged with devotion and holiness. The institution of the Church may have resorted to some unscrupulous tactics in advertising the site yet the many millions of pilgrims who visited the shrine came with love and sincerity in their hearts. The presence of that love is still strongly felt at Santiago de Compostela. Statue of St. James the Elder, Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain The Role of St. James on the ‘Esoteric Camino de Santiago’ While the Camino de Santiago is generally considered a Catholic pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle St.

James, buried at the great Cathedral of Composela, a closer look at the Camino and the figure of James reveals that, behind the official Road to Compostela, lies another Camino, sometimes called the ‘Route of the Stars’. Being esoteric in nature, its meaning –indeed its existence- lies hidden in place names and sacred sites, and in the trajectory of the Camino itself; it is also accessed through the signs and symbols used in art and architecture, through myth and legend, and by natural features. In order for these elements to speak, they must be considered alongside their associations with other traditions and varying aspects of medieval and esoteric thought and belief. Here, we will briefly consider but some of the ideas and symbols that are associated with James to see, though this also but partially, where they might lead. The legend of St. James in Spain tells of his years teaching the Gospel in this country and his subsequent return to Palestine where, in 44 CE., he was martyred by Herod Agrippa, whereupon his remains returned to Spain, by way of a boat guided by destiny, and accompanied by two of his disciples.

Drifting in a rudderless boat through the Pillars of Hercules, the party arrived to Galicia where the body of James was buried, lying undiscovered for some 800 years. The legendary nature of this account seems not to have concerned the Church, which instead accepted the authenticity of the remains at Compostela as undisputed truth; its meaning, however, can perhaps better be sought by noting the similarity of this legend with others that tell of heroes and gods who arrived by sea, bringing with them knowledge of an ‘Ancient Wisdom’ which they taught to the natives where they landed. From the Babylonian Oannes – half of whose body is a fish -; to Osiris –meaning, ‘ocean’-; and the Judaic Noah, these journeyers from the West brought with them the seeds of civilization and also of a new religion. In this sense, the arrival of James must be seen as a corollary to another; that of ‘Noah’s Ark’, said also to have touched shore in Spain: the site was Mt. Aro, located near the arrival place of James and the town of Noya, to which Noah gave his name.

If we expand the context of this legend of James to yet other traditions, we find that the direction of the West is not only the abode of souls in the sky -as is the Milky Way, which the Camino is said to ‘mirror’-, but to notions of an ‘earthly paradise’, known by names such as ‘The Blessed Isles’ or the ‘Garden of the Hesperides’. It has often been thought that this ‘paradise’ –called Pardes’, in Chaldean and Paradesha, in Sanscrit- was, in actuality, Atlantis, that advanced civilization which, destroyed by a worldwide, cataclysmic Flood, was the true ‘Land of the Dead’, and whose priests and teachers –the ‘Noah’s’ and ‘Wise Men’ of old-, were the recipient of a certain ‘Divine Wisdom’ that became the origin of certain secret, oral traditions which, even today, are said, by some, to constitute the hidden source of all the world’s religions.

But if such a distinction can be found, on the esoteric Camino, between some earlier forms of Christianity and their Judaic roots and the later Church of Rome, we are then obliged to ask: What connection might there be between the historical St. James and such an Ancient Wisdom? We must first say, for those wondering whether by ‘St. James’ we mean the ‘Son of Zebedee’ or ‘The Just’, that, as Robert Eisenman has shown, they were the same man, to wit, the brother of Christ and both Bishop of the Church of Jerusalem and leader of the Community at Qumran (1). We also point to the very important eponym of James, ‘The Pillar’, by which he is associated with the ‘Tzaddik’ tradition, as a successor in a lineage that, in fact, continues through some Gnostic groups today.

In this regard, we can note that the first ‘Tzaddik’ is said to be Noah, who was, according to the Zohar: “a Righteous One, Assuredly so after the heavenly pattern …”: he is also the “Pillar that upholds the world” and he who “acted so as to be a Perfect copy of the Heavenly ideal… an embodiment of the worlds’ Covenant of peace”. In this sense, we read in the Zohar as well that James was he “for whose sake Heaven and Earth came into existence” (2). We may also note the discovery of “mysterious works” from the library of Qumran that concerned Enoch and Noah, said to have been the guardians of Divine secrets of Heaven and Earth that had, moreover, been “passed down through certain initiates”. Lomas and Knight add: “There is an ancient belief that the mythical ancestors of the human race were men of superb wisdom, and there are many tales concerning Enoch and Noah as holders of divine secrets. These stories occur in much of the apocalyptic literature and although as ancient as the book of Genesis, they clearly come from some other unidentified source ”(3).

That James might have known such ‘secrets of Heaven and Earth’ is suggested by the fact, as Eisenman points out, that he was associated with ‘Hechalot Mysticism’, that is, the mysticism of ‘Heavenly Ascents’, as would be further suggested by the (lost) Anabathhmoi Jacobou of Epiphanius, ‘the Ascents of James’. (4). The etymological link between the word, ‘Hechalot,’ and the Egyptian ‘heka’, or magical energy, is also significant in the context of the present discussion. Another important, and related, role that is associated on the Camino with James is his appearance, as ‘Matamoros’, or ‘Slayer of Moors’, on a white horse at the Battle of Clavijo, where he bears all the symbolism of the Apocalypse. Here he is, in addition, guardian of the ‘Cycles of Time’, where, like Janus -the double headed ‘janitor’ who holds the keys to the Gates of Capricorn and Cancer-, he is associated, through his original Feast Day on Dec. 30th, with St.

John, said to be born on June 24th, so that together they hold the solstice axis. But James’ association with Janus extends also to the precession of the equinoxes and the Great Year: in this sense, it is said that one look from the ‘the third face of Janus’, that of the present, reduces all to ashes. And it is in this way that James and John are also associated with Castor and Pollux, the former being known as the ‘Boanerges’, or ‘Sons of Thunder’, while the Gemini Twins are the ‘Sons of Zeus’. Further correspondences can be found in their mutual association with –again- the sea, the Dioscuri being protectors of mariners and James are John of fishermen. Significantly as well, Castor and Pollux ride white chargers at the Battle of Lake Regillus, wearing helmets surmounted by stars and holding each a half of the eggshell from which they were born, a symbol of the ‘egg of the world’. James –like St. John- was author of apocalyptic works: the First and Second Apocalypse of James were discovered at Nag Hammadi.

He was also considered, in Gnostic circles, to be the guide that escorted souls to the ‘Door’ of the Heavenly Kingdom, located at the ‘Gates’ of Capricorn and Cancer. We can point out here as well that the symbol of the ‘Heavenly Twins’ refers, like the Zodiacal ‘Gates’ with which they are identified, to the dual nature of man, as both human and Divine, so that James, as ‘Pillar’ between Heaven and Earth, is not only charged with preserving intact what Guenon calls the ‘deposit of sacred tradition’ but is as well the archetype of universal man and thus the ‘Great Initiator’ into the secrets of the Ancient Wisdom, which function brings us, finally, to why St. James is considered ‘guide to pilgrims’. In like manner, Atlantis, too, is an ‘Earthly copy of a Heavenly Paradise’.

In relation to this idea, we might observe that James, as Bishop and leader of the Church of Jerusalem, was non only in charge of the liberation of the Holy City from Rome, but, as ‘The Just’, with providing ‘stability’, which is to say, ‘Justice’, ‘Righteousness’, which alone, being rooted in a celestial source, can provide a ‘union of Heaven and Earth’. As ‘Tzaddik’, James becomes thus an earthly manifestation of Melki-Tsedeq, ruler of Salem, who is “the Source of all legitimate power” and “the origin and dissolution of all beings of the cyclical manifestation whose Law he represents” (4). That the principle symbols of James as pilgrims’ guide are the staff of authority and the scallop shell of Venus is in consonance with this idea, for it is by this planet that the wisdom of Melchizedek is said, in esoteric thought, to be transmitted.

Reference Notes Santiago de Compostela Cathedral - Santiago de Compostela, Spain - History and Visitor Information Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Site information Santiago de Compostela Cathedral HISTORY Santiago de Compostela Cathedral (Catedral de Santiago de Compostela), or simply “Santiago Cathedral”, in Spain is believed to house the tomb of one of the Twelve Apostles, Saint James the Greater, making it one of the most important places of pilgrimage within Catholicism. In fact, since the Middle Ages, millions of pilgrims have made their way along the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral to pay their respects and visit his relics. Whilst the grand and ornately carved Romanesque structure which today makes up Santiago de Compostela Cathedral was built from 1075, it is not the first such church on this site. The earliest incarnation of this cathedral was built in the ninth century AD atop the saint’s tomb under the orders of King Alfonso II. Over the centuries, several additions have been made to the architecture of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, which is considered to be a masterpiece of Romanesque construction, a view shared by UNESCO, who listed it as a World Heritage site in 1985.

Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela: The Route "A delightful read and a work of real literary qualities. Light of touch, evocative and brimming with rich detail, it is at the same time a highly serious effort. In a book both personal and affecting, the author offers us something of a journal of his own internal spiritual development along the route to one of Europe's most important pilgrimage destinations. Filled with shrewd insights about the agonies and ecstasies that come from weeks upon weeks of physically grueling walking over the back roads of France and Spain, the book also serves as practical travel guide to those who would follow in Rudolph's footsteps."—Ivan Strenski "If you plan to emulate his example, and require a preparation for that elusive inner expansion, then this modest and likeable book should be among your gear."—Salley Vickers, Times Helpful websites: The Road to Santiago de Compostela Conrad Rudolph Doing the Pilgrimage The pilgrimage to Santiago is a journey like nothing else you've ever done. On this journey, every day has the potential of presenting something completely new.

In order to be receptive to this experience, the attitude of the pilgrim has to be free, spontaneous, unstructured. The pilgrimage is not free of contradictions, however, and one of its many little ironies is that the first step toward this state entails a certain amount of very practical preparation ahead of time. It doesn't take much, but it must all be done. The Route The pilgrimage to Santiago can begin from anywhere. But on the basis of the twelfth-century Pilgrim's Guide, there are said to be four classic starting points. While modern guide books exist for all four routes, by far the most beautiful is the one from Le Puy, in the heart of the Massif Central. It's also the route with the best-preserved pilgrimage churches from the Romanesque period and the one taken by the vast majority of pilgrims today. This is the route that I took and that I have in mind when I describe the pilgrimage. Although a medieval pilgrim from north of the Pyrenees might follow any route he or she chose to Santiago, the twelfth-century Pilgrim's Guide tells us that pilgrims traditionally followed four main routes, all of which eventually joined in Spain at Puente-la-Reina.

The exact roads were based on a combination of simple geographic logic and the strength of attraction of whatever holy places happened to be in their general vicinity. Sometimes they took advantage of the Roman and medieval road systems, and at other times they completely disregarded the practical in pursuit of the sacred. The Le Puy to Santiago route is indicated by a straight line, the other three traditional routes by dashed lines. (Map: Claire Clement) The entire pilgrimage from Le Puy, in south-central France, to Santiago, in northwestern Spain, is around a thousand miles (sixteen hundred kilometers) and takes about two and a half months. This includes getting to Le Puy, the occasional rest day along the way (I had rest days at Conques, Moissac, Burgos, and León because of their interest), a three-day hike beyond Santiago to Finisterre, a day or two at the celebrations of the Feast of Saint James, and the return. It's my personal belief that some of the sensations I describe elsewhere in my book, Pilgrimage to the End of the World, are experienced only with more than a month of walking (that is, more than just the Spanish route). Very few people, however, can manage such a long trip.

Most people walk a small part of the way, usually on the Spanish route (typically finishing at Santiago), although other parts of pilgrimage route are done as short walks as well. A popular yet more challenging alternative is to undertake all of the Spanish route—called the camino francés because so many French pilgrims took it in the Middle Ages—at one time, typically beginning at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or Roncesvalles. If you choose to do this, I recommend beginning at Saint-Jean (on the French side of the border) rather than at Roncesvalles (on the Spanish side), so that you will have the experience of crossing the Pyrenees. Still others do all of one of the "classic" pilgrimage itineraries—such as that of Le Puy to Santiago—but in shorter segments, breaking the entire trip down into however many parts they have the time and energy for. For example, some who do the Le Puy to Santiago route by these still demanding segments break it down into France and Spain, with the French leg being a little over four weeks and the Spanish a little over five.

Those who are really pressed for time—that is, almost everyone—but who nevertheless want to walk all of the "classic" Le Puy to Santiago route further break down each of the longer legs into two, for a total of four segments of roughly two and a half weeks each. For example, the first segment might be from Le Puy to Moissac (around halfway from Le Puy to the Pyrenees). The second segment might be from Moissac to Roncesvalles (the first Spanish town after crossing the Pyrenees, and about halfway from Le Puy to Santiago). The third might take the pilgrim from Roncesvalles to León, one of the great cities of Spain (around halfway across Spain from Roncesvalles). And the fourth might be from León to Santiago—and for the truly obsessed, beyond Santiago to Finisterre. These four segments more or less correspond to the four main geographical regions of the Le Puy to Santiago pilgrimage route. A satellite image of the pilgrimage routes provides a little reality check to the bland abstractions of a traditional map. But even this isn't enough to convey the toughness of the trail.

The daunting mountain ranges of the Pyrenees and the Cantabrians speak clearly enough of the great challenges the pilgrim must overcome. But the lower elevations of Gascony, just north of the Pyrenees in southwestern France, appear fairly tame from five hundred miles up when, in fact, their broken ground can, at times, be as demanding as any of the more visibly imposing trials of the way. (Image: NASA/Claire Clement) The Le Puy to Moissac segment leads through one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, the Auvergne and the Lozère, as stunning in their own ways as the most magnificent parts of Wyoming and Colorado. Except for the occasional village, you may travel for days through the high plateaus and herds of grazing sheep and cattle without seeing more than a handful of people.

Along the way, you might stay at the twelfth-century Knights Templar grange of Le Sauvage; visit Conques, one of the most evocative Romanesque pilgrimage monasteries in France; see any number of enchanting villages you've never heard of before and never will again; and wind up at Moissac, a few days out of the Massif Central, where the greatest extant Romanesque sculpted cloister survives intact. Food is one of the great experiences of travel, and the food in this region is exceptional. The Moissac to Roncesvalles stretch sticks out in my mind as the most challenging part of the whole pilgrimage. Running mostly through Gascony, I thought it had both the most difficult geography—a rough and sometimes wild region of low, rolling terrain—and people among the most receptive to pilgrims of the entire trip. Once in a while there may be problems finding a place to stay on this stretch.

But this is all part of the fun—like stopping at Saint-Antoine, a little town with no hotel, no restaurant, no café, and no stores, only an unattended gîte, where a woman about thirty-five years of age cooked us dinner at her home and brought it to us for no apparent reason other than that someone had to do it; in clothes, manner, personal appearance (disarmingly beautiful), and mode of transportation (Volvo station wagon, of course), she would have fit right in in my hometown of Brentwood, California. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port—with its quaint old church and winding streets made festive with window boxes of bright, colorful flowers—is the last town on the route in France and an old pilgrimage and mountain-pass trading town very picturesquely situated at the mouth of the pass of Roncesvalles. It is from here that the pilgrim begins the ascent of the Pyrenees, an experience not to be forgotten.

(Be sure to take the ancient upper road that goes over the mountains, not the easier one that runs through the bottom of the pass.) Shortly after the summit, the descent leads to Roncesvalles, one of the greatest of the old pilgrimage monasteries and the legendary place of the death of the epic hero Roland. Just over the Spanish border, in the very heart of the Pyrenees, lies Roncesvalles, shrouded in both fog and time. In sharp contrast, the weary pilgrim is energized by the urban air of Pamplona, only a few days out of the mountains on the route from Roncesvalles to León. In this sophisticated regional capital, the whole city seems to come out at night to stroll the ancient but very fashionable and lively center of town. This is Basque country, and it is noticeably different from what you will encounter before and what you will encounter after it. The pilgrimage route in general is lined with the ruins of the past, but nowhere are they more plentiful and fascinating than on this stretch—something that in no way is made any less interesting by the fact that this part of the route runs through La Rioja, the most famous wine-producing region of Spain.

It can be a bit hot in Spain in the summer, especially along the stretch of the route from Burgos to León. But the rich historical layering of this segment of the pilgrimage route more than makes up for it. This is the country of El Cid, and both Burgos and León are among the great cities of Spanish history and culture, with stunning cathedrals, great urban architecture, fine museums, and marvelous food. It is also the heartland of the pilgrimage, with long stretches of sun-beaten trail straggling across the Meseta, the famous tableland of Castile and León, and here the pilgrim finds out just what the pilgrimage is all about. One thing that makes the pilgrimage different is the attitude toward it of the people who live along the way. Whether the eccentrics who live in the hills and who have devoted their lives to the pilgrimage, or simply the wonderful Spanish people, the last segment, León to Santiago, has them in droves. This largely mountainous segment, which begins toward the end of the Meseta, is one of the regions of western Europe least touched by modern times and among the most beautiful of the entire trip.

Two of the great stops here are Rabanal del Camino and O Cebreiro, both situated on the ridges of mountain ranges that must be crossed. At Rabanal, the pilgrim is greeted by one of the most welcome refugios of the trip, a fifteenth-century house beautifully restored and run by the British Confraternity of Saint James. And it may have just been my frame of mind at the time, but O Cebreiro seemed to be a very special place, both for its general feeling of existing in another time and for the fact that I seemed to run into interesting people one after another. The wise pilgrim plans the trip so that he or she will arrive in Santiago a few days before the feast day of Saint James, July 25. The city virtually explodes with activity for several days previous, culminating in a great spectacle in the plaza in front of the cathedral on the eve of the feast day.

During all this time, the city is alive with fireworks, parades of gigantes and cabezudos (giant puppets), plays, people running around in costumes, and every kind of music imaginable, including Spanish Celtic folk music, in which the bagpipe is a central instrument and which is perhaps most easily described as the Galician counterpart to traditional Irish Celtic music. (This part of Spain, Galicia, is an old Celtic region.) One of the most popular events of the elaborate half-week of festivities is the swinging of the centuries-old, solid silver censer called the botafumeiro. The trip is not really complete, in my opinion, without the final three-day journey on foot to Finisterre. This was where in ancient times the known world reached its westernmost extent, and the destination of a pagan pilgrimage from which the Christian pilgrimage to Santiago took its symbol, the scallop shell. It's also a place of astonishing beauty. For those who do the long-term pilgrimage, and even for those who do the shorter segments, the length and difficulty combine with the special treatment given the pilgrim to create an experience unlike any other. Yes, it's difficult to find the time and money, and even more difficult to do.

But for those who want something more, you'll find it on the long, hard trails of the pilgrimage to Santiago. Copyright notice: Excerpt from pages 95-104 of Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela by Conrad Rudolph, published by the University of Chicago Press. ©2004 by the University of Chicago. All rights reserved. This text may be used and shared in accordance with the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law, and it may be archived and redistributed in electronic form, provided that this entire notice, including copyright information, is carried and provided that the University of Chicago Press is notified and no fee is charged for access. Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this text on other terms, in any medium, requires the consent of the University of Chicago Press. Conrad Rudolph 14 Fascinating Facts & Figures About the Camino de Santiago | Discover the World with Academic Arrangements Abroad Discover the World with Academic Arrangements Abroad For the intellectually curious traveler Menu / Academic Arrangements Abroad Camino de Santiago by Albert Rodriguez For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago (Way of St.

James), seeking penance, enlightenment, and adventure. Their destination was Santiago de Compostela, Spain, where it is believed the remains of St. James, Apostle and patron saint of the country, are buried. Here are some of our favorite facts and figures about the famous pilgrimage trail. Number of people each year who visit Santiago de Compostela (primarily by modes of transportation such as train, plane, etc): 2.5 million Most popular route: The Camino Frances, which begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France and passes through Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, and Astorga. The pilgrimage to Santiago concludes at the Tomb of Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Length of Camino de Santiago from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela: 800 km (497 miles) Average time taken to walk this route: 30 days The scallop shell, commonly found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. The shell is frequently seen along the trail to help guide pilgrims.

In addition, pilgrims often wear shells or attach them to backpacks to denote that they are travelers on the famous trail. How do you document your pilgrimage? The official document used by pilgrims to record their journey to Santiago de Compostela is called a credencial. Pilgrims need to have at least two sellos (stamps) per day for at least the last 100 kilometers if they are walking or traveling on horseback, and 200 kilometers if they are cycling, to qualify for a Compostela .

Number of Pilgrims who received the Compostela in 2013: 215,880 Percentage of Pilgrims who were over 60 in 2013: 15.5% Percentage of pilgrims who received the Compostela by bicycle in 2013: 12.34% Number of pilgrims who received the Compostela by horse in 2013: 977 Percentage of pilgrims in 2013 who were Spanish: approximately 49% Services offered by the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela include: Welcoming pilgrims and issuing the Compostela, bicycle parking, toilets for pilgrims, and a service returning bicycles home. Capacity of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela: 1,200 Size of the Botafumiero: The famous Botafumiero, which is one of the largest censers in the world, weighs 80 kilograms (176 pounds) and is 1.60 meters (more than 5 feet) in height. Want to hike along the Camino de Santiago?

Join Academic Arrangements Abroad and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in August to explore the history, legends and legacy of Europe’s most famous walking trail. Additional tours are being organized in 2016. Please call our office at 1-800-221-1944 for details and availability. Share this: Santiago de Compostela Travel Guide to Santiago in Spain Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela Leslie 2016-11-27T13:31:47+00:00 Santiago de Compostela is Northern Spain’s only major tourist attraction. After days of walking paths and visiting towns practically devoid of holidaymakers, it is rather a surprise to enter a city almost wholly devoted to the business of tourism, with its souvenir shops, beggars and the rest of the baggage that travels in the wake of today’s tourist. But tourism is certainly no newcomer to Santiago; in fact, the city can lay claim to being the world’s first major tourist destination.

At the peak of Santiago’s attraction as a place of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages, from the 9th to the 16th century, up to two million people a year (around 5,000 a day) came to worship at what was believed to be the burial place of St James (as a holy place, Santiago was almost the equal of Rome and Jerusalem). For many pilgrims, Santiago was the end of a long and tiring journey; they came not only from Spain, but from France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia. Recognised pilgrimage routes grew up from France through Northern Spain. The pilgrims identified themselves by wearing a uniform of heavy cape, long stave, sandals and a felt hat turned up in front and bearing the scallop-shell emblem of St James. (The scallop shell crops up all over Northern Spain, and its adoption as the emblem of pilgrimage is said to date back to the crusade against the Moorish invaders. The Lord of Pimentel was forced to swim across a ria; he miraculously emerged from the sea on the other side covered in scallop shells, which were taken to be the emblem of St James).

On their difficult and sometimes dangerous route, the pilgrims were taken care of by Benedictine and Cistercian monks and the Knights Templar of the Spanish Order of the Red Sword, who undertook to guarantee the safety of pilgrims in Northern Spain. Hospitals and hospices were set up to take care of sick and weary pilgrims. At the end of the 16th century the Reformation in Europe and finally Spain’s war with England saw the decline of Santiago as a place of pilgrimage. In 1589 Sir Francis Drake attacked La Coruna, and in a panic the Bishop of Compostela took the cathedral’s relics away to a place of safe-keeping. He must have been in too much of a panic, because the relics got lost and remained lost for the next 300 years; they were rediscovered only in 1879, allowing the pilgrimages to start once more. Pilgrimages reach their peak in those years when the feast day of St James, 25 July, falls on a Sunday. It matters little whether or not you believe in the legend of St James and the value of pilgrimages: Santiago still remains one of Spain’s finest cities.

Emerging from Calle Franco into Santiago’s cathedral square is an incredible sight. The square is made of golden granite. In front of you there stands euphonious of name and princely of posture, the Hostal de Los Reyes Catolicos, founded by Isabel and Ferdinand as a hostel for pilgrims, and now perhaps the most beautiful hotel in Europe. Santiago cathedral is like nowhere else. At one end of its enormous block there rises a pyramidal tower of apparently Hindu genesis. In front of its great door two staircases rise so jauntily from the level of the square that they seem to be leading you to some blithe belvedere. And in the centre of the composition the twin west towers of the cathedral soar into the blue in a sensational flourish of Baroque, covered everywhere with balls, bells, stars, crosses, and weathercocks, speckled with green lichens and snapdragons in the crevices, and exuding a delightful air of cheerful satisfaction. The legend of St James and Santiago de Compostela The legend has it that the Apostle James the Greater came to Spain to convert the country to Christianity and preached for seven years before returning to Judaea, where he was martyred by Herod.

Forced to leave the country, his disciples smuggled St James’s body back to Spain and buried it near the spot where they were supposed to have first landed in Spain, near Padron (a few miles from Santiago). The site of this tomb was unknown for many years but according to legend a star revealed its location to Theodomir, Bishop of Ira Flavia, in 813. (`Compostela’ means literally ‘field of a star’ — from the Latin ‘campus stella’ — and Santiago is the Spanish for St James.) An alternative legend has it that St James appeared on the battlefield at Clavijo near Logrotio, to help the Spaniards in their fight against the Moors; after which time St James became known as `Matamore’ or Slayer of the Moors. However St James, so all the best scholars seem to agree, never came to Spain at all. He was never a soldier. There is no earthly reason why his body should be brought to Galicia, and nothing of the sort is suggested in the Acts of the Apostles, where his death is recorded.

He died several centuries before Islam was conceived, probably never mounted a horse in his life, and certainly never slew an infidel. There is no historical reason why Santiago should be a place of pilgrimage, though it is. What to See in Santiago The cathedral without a doubt is one of the great buildings of the world; its façade is a Baroque masterpiece, and there are even greater treasures within. The façade stands in front of the original Romanesque exterior, which can be seen as soon as you step inside the doors. Immediately before you is the Door of Glory, an astonishing doorway carved in the 12th century by Master Mateo. At this point, the exhausted pilgrims knew they had reached their journey’s end; gratefully they reached out and touched the central pillar, which has become quite worn away from centuries of touching. Master Mateo is also represented on the central pillar beneath St James, and those who pass through the Portico de la Gloria sometimes bump heads with Mateo in the hope of absorbing some of his genius! The focus of attention within the dark interior of the cathedral is the gleaming 13th-century statue of St James; those pilgrims permitted to climb the stairs behind the altar kiss his richly worked mantle.

The cathedral’s museum and treasury are well worth a visit, to see some of the library’s valuable religious works and collection of tapestries. In the library you will see a huge incense burner called a botafumeiro; on feast days this is hung from the transept dome keystone and, with half a dozen men clinging desperately to the other end of the rope, is swung to the eaves — one year, it is said, the men lost control and the incense burner flew into the square outside. Plaza de Espana This magnificent square is bordered on one side by the Baroque façade of the cathedral and the bishop’s palace, on the opposite side by the impressive 18th-century town hall, formerly Raxoy Palace. On the square’s south side is San Jeronimo College —opposite this, on the north side, is perhaps Santiago’s second greatest asset, the Hotel de Los Reyes Catolicos. The old streets are one of the great pleasures of Santiago, to walk through the old streets that run up to the cathedral.

The best are the Rua del Villar, Rua Nueva and Calle Franco; fashionable clothes shops stand next to ancient grocery shops run by wizened old ladies swathed in black. If you’re planning to do much walking, remember your umbrella; the rain in Spain seems to stay mainly in Santiago! Nearby Cape Finisterra – this is Spain’s Land’s End; it was once significant not only as the westernmost extremity of Spain — it also represented the western edge of the known world, until Columbus discovered America. Unlike our Land’s End, Cabo Finisterra has no souvenir shops or places claiming to be the first and last house in Europe — it is simply a place of wild, unspoilt beauty. A Medieval Pilgrimage in Modern Times by Rick Steves A Medieval Pilgrimage in Modern Times By Rick Steves Pilgrims hike from all over Europe to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. (photo: Rick Steves) Standing on the main square of Santiago de Compostela, I share the joy of pilgrims who’ve completed the Camino de Santiago (Spainish for "Way of St. James").

With sunburned faces and frayed walking sticks, they triumphantly end their long trek by stepping on a scallop shell carved into the pavement in front of the city's magnificent cathedral. For over a thousand years, this cathedral in the far northwest corner of Spain has been the ritualistic last step for pilgrims who've hiked here from churches in Paris and all over Europe. Today, most take a month to walk the 450 miles from the French border town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. To enjoy the scene, be on the square about 10 a.m. The last overnight stop on the Camino (or pilgrimage) is two miles away, and most pilgrims arrive at the cathedral in time for the 12:00 Mass. It’s great fun to chat with pilgrims who’ve just completed their journey. They seem very centered, content with the experience, and tuned in to the important things in life...like taking time to talk with others. James, Santiago’s namesake and symbol, was a Christian evangelist — one of Jesus' original "fishers of men." But judging from the way he's portrayed here, his main activity was beheading Muslims with his busy sword.

Propagandistic statues of James are all over town — riding in from heaven to help the Spaniards defeat the Muslim Moors. Police guard the square. Security here has been tight ever since September 11, 2001 — and even more so since March 11, 2004, when Madrid’s commuter trains were bombed. Santiago’s cathedral, as one of the leading pilgrimage sites in Christendom, is a high-profile target for Islamic fundamentalists. It doesn’t help that St. James is depicted taking such joy in butchering Muslims. Historians figure the “discovery” of the remains of St. James in Spain was a medieval hoax. It was designed to rally Europe against the Muslim Moors, who had invaded Spain and were threatening to continue into Europe. With St. James — a.k.a. "the Moor Slayer" — buried in Iberia, all of Europe would rise up to push the Muslims back into Africa...which, after a centuries-long “Reconquista,” they finally did in 1492.

All this commotion dates back about 1,200 years to a monk who followed a field of stars (probably the Milky Way) to this distant corner of Europe and discovered what appeared to be the long-lost tomb of St. James. Church leaders declared that St. James’ relics had been found, built a church, and named the place Santiago (St. James) de Compostela (campo de estrellas, or “field of stars”). Imagine you’re a medieval pilgrim. You’ve just walked from Paris — more than 700 miles — to reach this cathedral. Your goal: to request the help of St. James in recovering from an illness. Or maybe you’ve come to honor the wish of a dying relative...or to be forgiven for your sins. Whatever the reason, you know the pope promised that any person who walked to Santiago in a Holy Year, confessed their sins, and took communion here would be forgiven. After weeks of hiking, the spire of the cathedral comes into view and jubilation quickens your tired pace. Finally you stand upon the shell in the pavement and gaze up at the awe-inspiring cathedral. You step inside, squint down the nave, and see the statue of St.

James that marks his tomb. Kneeling at the silver tomb of St. James, you pray and make your request. Then you climb the stairs behind the altar up to the saint’s much-venerated statue — gilded and caked with precious gems — and wait your turn to embrace him from behind while gazing thankfully out over the cathedral. You have completed the Camino de Santiago. Walking the Way of St. James has changed little over the centuries. The gear still includes a cloak, a floppy hat, a walking stick, a gourd (for drinking from wells), and a scallop shell (symbolizing where you're going). The walk itself is a kind of hut-hopping. At regular intervals along the route, you’ll encounter humble government-subsidized hostels called albergues, where pilgrims can rest for the night (free bunks, though small donation often requested). Recently the route has enjoyed a huge renaissance of interest, with nearly 100,000 pilgrims trekking to Santiago last year. Bikers and horse riders are now joining hikers.

Whether you hike the entire route or just the last stretch — or even if you're just there to vicariously enjoy the thrill of the latest in a thousand years of pilgrims finishing the Camino de Santiago — it's an experience that will stay with you forever.

Question: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is in which country?
Answer: Spain