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BACKGROUND
The
concept of pilgrimage, a journey to visit a holy place, is something that
is integral to all world religions. The Hindu pilgrimage to Barnaras and
the Islam pilgrimage to
Mecca
are focal points of the lives of the adherents of
those faiths. Judaism too has a long history of pilgrimage to the
Temple
at
Jerusalem, going back to the days of the Old Testament. For
Christianity, arguably the first group of pilgrims were the shepherds of
Bethlehem
who attended the stable, though it was
the second group, the Magi, who provided the clearest statement of the
pilgrim's mission: "we have come to worship Him"
The
earliest sites to assume importance for Christian pilgrims were the
Holy Land
and
Rome
and their significance need no elaboration. Pilgrimage
remains central to the Church up to the present day and the great Marian
shrines at
Lourdes
and
Fatima
attract huge numbers. The pilgrimage to Santiago de
Compostela however, still retains a unique status even amongst this select
company. That is because it places the emphasis on the journey, not the
destination. For the
Santiago
pilgrim, the essence of the experience is as much to
travel as to arrive - in the words of the Shinto poet Matsuo Bashõ,
"every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home".
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The
story of Santiago de Compostela begins with the apostle James who
undertook missionary activity in the Iberian peninsular, now North West
Spain. After his martyrdom in
Jerusalem
his body was believed to have been transported back to
Spain
in a stone boat for burial, but the site of his grave
became lost in the following centuries. Then,
in the ninth century, his remains were reputedly rediscovered in a
field in by a monk who had been guided by a star. A church was built to
secure the sacred bones and the town that grew up around it was called
Santiago de Compostela (St James of the Field of the Star). The discovery
proved an immense boost to the morale of the Spanish Christians who were
engaged in a war against the Moors and was a key element in their eventual
victory. The reputation of the relics thus established, people from
throughout
Europe
flocked to the site. The symbol of the pilgrim became
the scallop shell, something that arose from the story of how a horse and
rider plunged into the sea when the body of the apostle first arrived in
Spain; miraculous intervention saved the rider's life and as he emerged
from the sea he was seen to be covered
in scallop shells which fell away as he rode off into the distance.
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In the early days, people
would approach
Santiago
by whichever way they could, but then a guide book
believed to be written by a French priest, Aimery Picard helped to establish a
particular route crossing the
Pyrenees
and running parallel to the North coast of
Spain
as the most important of all and as being integral to
the Pilgrimage itself. This road was known as the Camino Francés
(The French Way) and survives largely intact to this day. This road is
some 500 miles in length though there are alternative starting points in
France
such as Le Puy or even
Paris which make the journey considerably longer.
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The
great age for the pilgrimage was the twelfth century when the Camino was
believed to have carried between half a million and two million pilgrims a
year. While pilgrimage ceased to exert the same importance following the
Reformation, the Camino never died and ever since has been used by
Pilgrims, travelling the entire route propelled only by their own motive
power. To bring the story up-to-date, the last decade has seen a surge in
awareness on the Camino, particularly in Continental Europe and
Latin America
and this has resulted in vastly increased traffic of
people travelling the route. They come in all ages, and from sections of
society, often without fixed religious conviction and motivated by wide
variety of forces, though there is little doubt that a desire to escape
the banality and venality of the modern world is a central theme. They
walk or cycle, stay in basic refuges and commit themselves to a journey
that may take up to three months. They find a road that passes through a
breathtaking variety of landscapes, including the mountains of the
Pyrenees
, the stark Castilian meseta and the green hills of
Galicia
. They can experience the beautiful simplicity of the
ancient Romanesque pilgrim churches that line the route as well as the
magnificence of the great Gothic cathedrals of
Burgos
and León.
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In
addition to the physical character of the route, there is a vital
spiritual dimension that arises from the knowledge that the Camino itself
is akin to sacred ground. The sign of the scallop shell which recurs in
numerous forms throughout the road and the many religious services
available for pilgrims all serve to remind even the most casual traveller
of the historic purpose and importance of the path. In essence they are
reaching out and almost touching the sprit of the middle ages - an age of
faith - by walking a road and finding themselves in country and
circumstances that could have been recognised by Aimery Picard himself.
They will share a common cause with fellow pilgrims, will experience both
solitude and companionship, and many cheerful evenings in a
local bar. These factors combine to make the journey along the Camino a
hugely rewarding experience.
Sadly, the
approach through the modern suburbs to the city of
Santiago de Compostela
itself is something of an anti-climax; but on arriving
at the Cathedral of Santiago the magic is rekindled. Here is a truly living Cathedral, one where long-term pilgrims are reunited and are joined by thousands of others who have arrived by
more modern means. A mid-day Pilgrim Mass is celebrated in the Cathedral
each day and is are hugely attended. Additionally,
the massive thurible known as the
Butofumeiro is swung on most occasions.
This amazing object, which hangs by a rope almost the
full height of the cathedral, is propelled virtually up to the ceiling by
a team of six altar servers. Its purpose in ancient times was to fumigate
the pilgrims staying in the galleries but is now it is used primarily for
spectacular effect. This provides an unforgettable climax to the
Santiago
pilgrimage. |
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FURTHER
INFORMATION
There are many sites which offer more detail: I would recommend two, not least for their
comprehensive list of onward links-
The Confraternity of St James
The pilgrimage routes to
Santiago de Compostela in pictures
Camino links
A book I would suggest as a general introduction is:
Conrad Rudolph: Journey to the End of the World
. ISBN 0226731278 |
This web provides a brief introduction to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, including a summary of my personal journey.
I am afraid though, it offers only a little of the true spirit of the Camino; Nietzsche once said 'That for which we find words is something already dead in our hearts' and this truth acts as a constraint on
anyone seeking to present a record of what is essentially, a personal experience .
The nearest I can come is to share a memory of the conclusion of a meal at Portomarin when an Irish Pilgrim treated us to a rendition of a folk song called 'Bread
and Fishes'. It is a spiritually inspired evocation of country life; its gentle lyricism and its easy melody combined with the
shadow of the ancient church, the dying light of the day and, no doubt, the effect of the wine,
all served to
encapsulate many of the happiest aspects of the Camino: walking, nature, memorable encounters, shared meals, simple food, good wine, and spirituality. The lyrics were:
As I went a walking one morning in spring
I met with some travellers on an old country lane
One was an old man, the second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said
"With the wind in the willows and the birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind".
So I sat down beside them with flowers all around
We eat from a mantle spread out on the ground
They told me of prophets and people and kings
And of the one true God
that knows everything.
So sadly I left them on that old country lane
I know that I never shall see them again
One was an old man, the second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said...
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