The Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela
In his superbly inspiring book The Art of Pilgrimage Phil Cousineau reminds us of the potential for experiencing the sacred on our travels. To set out on the Way to Santiago de Compostella / Saint-Jacques de Compostelle is a spiritual adventure - for on the Camino we may draw on the imprinted energy of the countless pilgrims who have passed this way before us over so many centuries. For the Way of St James has existed for more than a thousand years, and in 1993 the Camino de Santiago was declared a world heritage site. In fact the Way of St James consists of many pilgrim routes which traverse Europe, as witnessed by the scallop shells of St James which adorn wayside crosses, drinking fountains and monasteries as far afiels as northern Britain and Poland. These routes all converge in the Pyrenées before traversing Spain. Our ancestors made their way to Santiago using the sun, moon and stars for navigation - indeed the Way is sometimes also referred to as the Via Lactea (the Milky Way). So throughout all of Europe there are many routes and shrines which claim a history of welcoming and caring for pilgrims en route to Santiago, where waymarks of brass and tile scallop shells or distinctive yellow arrows all guide the pilgrim towards Santiago de Compostella. Perhaps the most famous routes through France are the Chemin du Puy / Via Podiensis and the Chemin de Vézelay / Via Lemovicensis which commence at Le Puy and Vézelay respectively. The Chemin du Puy / Via Podiensis is a continuation of "l'Oberstrasse" (the high road) way which crosses central Europe. Many pilgrims come from Poland, Hungary, Germany, Austria and Switzerland via "l'Oberstrasse" to the shrine of the black madonna at Le Puy. Thus the Chemin du Puy / Via Podiensis is the busiest (and consequently the most developed) of all the routes which cross France. The countryside through which the Chemin du Puy / Via Podiensi passes is exceptionally varied, from the spent volcanoes of the Velay, through the immense wild plateaus of the Aubrac, then to the valleys of the Lot, the Quercy and on to Gascony. The Chemin de Vézelay / Via Lemovicensis comes from Namur in Belgium, visiting many shrines en route - including those of Sainte-Madeleine at Vézelay, Saint-Martial at Limoges and Saint-Léonard de Noblat. Between Vézelay and Ostabat the way crosses many rivers - the Loire, Vienne, Isle, Dordogne, Garonne - and many, such as the Adour and Gaves were especially perilous for medieval pilgrims. The Chemin de Tours / Via Turonensis / Voie de Paris brings pilgrims from the northern Europe and France togather in Paris. Tours, a major staging point on the route, has long been a place of pilgrimage to the shrine of the 4th century St Martin. Pilgrims came here from as far as Spain to visit his shrine. Unlike the other Chemins St Jacques which pass through France, the Chemin de Tours is comparatively easy, passing through the valley of the Loire, the Touraine, Poitou, Angoumois, Saintonge, Bordelais, and the Landes. The chemin du Piémont pyrénéen brings pilgrims from the Mediteranean regions, passing through the Corbières, l'Ariégeois, Comminges, Bigorre, and the pays des Gaves. North/South axes through the Pyrénées via the valleys of the Aure, Ossau and Aspe provide links from the col du Somport and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. This route is little known and may be joined by leaving the Voie d'Arles at Montpellier towards Narbonne via Saint-Thibéry and Béziers (Via Domitia). The Chemin d'Arles or "Via Aegidiana", the route from Saint-Gilles or "Via Arletanensis" / "Via Tolosana" takes it's names from the
principal towns and shrines along the way. La Voie du Sud / Camin Romieu is also the route followed by pilgrims (known as "Romieux")
heading for Rome.
The northern route, Camino del Norte - also referred to as the Chemin Côtier / Camino primitivo / Camino de la Costa - follows the atlantic coast, from Donostia Sao Sebastian via Bilbao, Santander, Ribadeo and Lugo passing through the Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias. This route has been popular with pilgrims arriving by sea at the Basque and Cantabrian ports since the 14th century, when churches were built and and staging points were created along the Way. At Oviedo pilgrims venerated the relics of la Camara Santa. Nowadays the Camino del Norte is favoured by those who seek a quieter, wilder route than the somewhat overcrowded Camino Francès, as it traverses mountainous regions, rivers and creeks with little development and few hostels. The climate is mild and humid all year round. The Camino Inglés brings british pilgrims from the port of A Coruña in Galicia, north of Santiago. El Camino de Fisterra /chemin du Cap Finisterre, is an extension of the Camino, linking Santiago de Compostella with cap Finisterre -
Land's End / End of the World. This mythical promontory is the most westerly point of western Europe, and for many pilgrims it
symbolises the end of the terrestrial way and the beginning of a spiritual renewal. It is the tradition of pilgrims who continue to cap
Finisterre to burn their clothes and sandals as a sign of this renewal.
Aymerie Picaud, a twelvth century monk, wrote a comprehensive guide to the Camino, the Codex Calixtinus - one of the earliest travel guides known - describing the route from the French border to Santiago de Compostela, and giving information of accomodation, shrines and possible dangers to be aware of along the route. This guide is still incredibly relevant and accurate today, almost a thousand years later. Upon arrival at the great Cathedral in the Plaza Obradoiro of Santiago de Compostella, pilgrims follow time-honoured rituals as follows: Firstly, the pilgrim places his hand on the Tree of Jesse, the masterpiece of Master Mateo, at the Portico de Gloria (Entrance of Glory). Next the pilgrim knocks his forehead on the statue of Santos dos Croques before proceeding to the rear of the altar by the right-hand stairs, to embrace the statue of St James and give thanks for their safe arrival and to commune with the saint. Next the pilgrim descends the steps through the entrance to the reliquary which is below the altar, to kneel before the saint's casket and offer a prayer. Each day at noon there is a pilgrim mass, when the Botafumeiro - the great incense burner - may be swung. Here the pilgrim remembers those he has encountered along the way, all those who asked hime to "Priez pour nous en Compostelle". The Compostela - the official certificate of having completed the pilgrimage - is issued, on request, to pilgrims who have completed the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. To be eligible to receive a Compostella / Compostelana you must be able to prove that you have walked or ridden a horse for the last 100km or cycled the last 200 km. This is issued by the Oficina del Peregrino - Pilgrim's Office - in the Casa do Dean, Rua Vilar beside the cathedral in Santiago de Compostella, on production of the pilgrim pass which may be obtained from the many pilgrim shrines and hostels en route, and stamped at each staging post along the way. The oldest Compostella / Compostelana known was issued to André le Breton in the Capilla del Rey de Francia in 1321. The Compostela offers certain privileges to pilgrims, including discounted travel home, discounted entry to museums, and possibly also free meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at the splendid Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos in the Plaza Obradoiro. Meals are limited to 10 pilgrims per sitting, and are taken in the staff dining room which is enetered via the garage of the hotel. The most dedicated pilgrims may then follow the Camino de Fisterra /chemin du Cap Finisterre, (Land's End / End of the World) to burn
their clothes and sandals as a sign of spiritual renewal at Cap Finisterre, the most western point of western Europe - in medieval times
this was the edge of the known world. Pilgrims were exempt from tolls and local taxes, and were assured food, shelter and medical assistance at monasteries and hospices. Safe passage was also assured - it was a serious offence to harm a pilgrim Resources: Article: Article Haven
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