THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO–The Way of St. James
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 many millions of pilgrims who visit the shrine come with love and sincerity in their hearts. The presence of that love is still strongly felt at Santiago de Compostela.
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 Compostela, 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’.
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 C.E., 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.
12 REASONS FOR VISITING SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Spiritual Destination of Europe
Galicia Spain
1. Seeking–Beacon of Medieval Christendom–The Chosen Place. According to an ancient tradition, St. James, one of the twelve apostles, traveled to Hispania and came to Galicia, the end of the earth, to preach Christianity. In the year 44 AD, he was executed in Jerusalem. Denied permission to bury him, his disciples sailed to Galicia and buried him there. His tomb was forgotten until the year 813 AD, when a bright light revealed his burial place. After the discovery of his tomb, the Apostle was proclaimed the patron saint of the small Christian kingdom in the northwest Iberian Peninsula, providing Christendom with guidance and support, while Islam prospered in the center and south of the Peninsula. On that site a chapel was erected that, with the passing of time, became a monument Cathedral. The place saw the birth and growth of a wonderful levitical city: Santiago de Compostela
2. Finding–The Way–Destination of a Thousand-Year-Old Route. The discovery of the tomb gave rise to a series of miracles and appearances, as well as numerous legends. Guided by the Milky Way, the itinerary marked in the sky, thousands of pilgrims began to come from distant parts of Europe. And thus a network of roads gradually formed the so-called Way of St. James, which was accompanied by the construction of churches and monasteries, shelters, hostels and hospitals, as well as cities and markets.
In the 12th century, the Papacy granted the Full Jubilee of the Holy Year, which made Santiago the third Holy City, after Jerusalem and Rome. The Way was the spiritual route that built Europe and made Compostela a crossroads in medieval Christendom. Due to its importance in the continent’s history, the Way of St. James was declared the ‘First European Cultural Itinerary’ by the Council of Europe and a ‘World Heritage City’ by UNESCO.
Today, as in the past, its great richness continues to attract others. A route of spirituality, a road of faith, of companionship and of hospitality, a personal challenge or an artistic and cultural route–each person finds in it what he is looking for, and even more.
3. Being Inspired–World Heritage City–A Fairy-Tale City. The city’s medieval splendour is perceived in the atmosphere enshrouding it, which emanates from the Cathedral. The cityscape is a forest of stone full of religious monuments and stately mansions and small houses, with balconies overlooking narrow streets of stone. The city’s skyline, visible from its natural viewpoints, is dominated by the impressive Cathedral towers, church belfries, garden trees and the outlines of the surrounding hills.
A World Heritage Site, Santiago de Compostela is a charming, miraculously preserved city whose magic is enhanced after sunset, when its streets take on an amber hue.
4. Understanding–The Force of Religion. The complex of which the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela forms part is one of Europe’s most interesting and richest. An entire universe of historical and artistic elements, which require spending at least several hours to visit. The Cathedral is the heart of the city. A baroque shell with a Romanesque heart that houses, in its crypt, the Apostle’s remains, and its most outstanding feature is the ‘Portico de la Gloria’, the Romanesque style’s most complete and complex sculptural work. The Cathedral Museum contains extremely valuable sacred art, significant documents and important archaeological remains from Roman and medieval Santiago; it also features a visit to the Archbishop’s Palace, a jewel of the civil Romanesque style.
5. Knowing–The Legacy. Starting from the Middle Ages, the Apostle’s basilica was gradually surrounded by convents and monasteries belonging to different religious orders–Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, St. Claire, Carmelite, Jesuit, Etc–which make up a fine sightseeing itinerary. Entrusted with looking after the tomb, and catering to the pilgrims, they brought their centuries-old knowledge of pharmacy and medicine to the city. This gave rise to Santiago’s medical-healthcare tradition and its educational vocation, which contributed to the founding of the University. Santiago’s immense religious heritage also includes 13 monumental churches and a Romanesque collegiate church. Their beauty and acoustic characteristics make them privileged venues for classical and sacred music concerts, especially organ music.
6. Feeling–The Energy of the City–Wandering Around Santiago de Compostela is a peaceful and safe city that is made for walking. Its urbanistic and environmental quality, its quantity of green spaces and its integration in the surround landscape have made it worthy of international recognition.
Created at the end of the middle Ages, the University of Santiago de Compostela attracts thousands of students, who mark the city’s rhythm. Eternally young, the city’s lively nature also stems from the continuous arrival of pilgrims of all ages and nationalities, who come to the city full of experiences from their journey along the Way.
7. Experiencing–Culture. It can be difficult to choose. Among the city’s museums, apart from the five related to religion, there are two avant-garde art museums, an ethnographic museum, a medical museum, and a natural history museum. Exhibition halls in monumental spaces and art galleries complete the range of daytime cultural activities, while auditoriums and theatres colour the evenings. There are always activities going on throughout the year. Markets selling antiques, collector’s items and crafts make up another of the city’s attractions.
8. Exploring–Atmospheres–Pavement Cafés, cafeterias, bars & clubs. Santiago, a university city, is one of the Spanish cities with the best nightlife. In the old town, almost all of the streets have one or more night establishments open seven days per week. Housed in historical buildings, they reflect warmth and intimacy and are characterized by huge, old granite walls, Compostela’s most typical material. Many of the cafeterias, in addition to a great variety of coffees, serve real drinking chocolate of great purity, which can be accompanied by the famous ‘churros’ (fritters) or varieties of local baking.
9. Enjoying–Tradition of Hospitality. In the 12th century, Santiago de Compostela was already receiving between 200 and 500 thousand pilgrims per year from all over Europe, which confirms its long experience in accommodating visitors. There is an extensive and varied range of hotels from a 15th-century pilgrim hospital, to guesthouses, boarding houses, campgrounds, youth hostels and a holiday resort. The number of handcrafted objects is extremely varied.
10. Discovering–Spiritual Places. Galicia, a legendary green region in Spain’s north corner facing the ocean, is a land dotted with Romanesque and baroque churches, grandiose monasteries and introspective convents and thousand-year-old pilgrimages. The most popular spiritual sites are located in places of great beauty and may be visited during day trips from Santiago:
San Andres de Teixido–According to an ancient tradition, ‘those who do not go to the sanctuary (very close to one of the highest cliffs in Europe) while alive, will go after death’.
Fisterra–Muxia–Finis Terrae, the end of the earth for the Romans, is also the mystical limit of the Ways of St. James, which finishes at the Atlantic, on the rugged Costa da Morte. The pilgrimage to the Marian sanctuary of Muxia is related to the Jacobean tradition, to the Virgin, the patron saint of sailors, and to the ancient worship of giant oscillating stone.
Way of St. James–From the ‘pallozas’ ) thatched-roof dwellings) in O Cebreiro, at the entrance to Galicia, until reaching Santiago, the French Way runs through rolling landscapes, marked out by monasteries that played a decisive role in the Way’s history and by towns that grew alongside it.
Maritime–River Jacobean pilgrimage–The catamarans’ itinerary coincides with the route followed by the Apostle’s disciples when they brought his remains upriver.
Ribeira Sacra–The name meaning ‘Sacred Banks’ comes from the number of Romanesque monasteries and chapels that chose this impressive place in the River Sil basin for their solitary prayers. The beauty and magnitude of its canyons make them Galicia’s inland seas.
11. Believing–Moments of Devotion Several religious services are held daily–more on feast days–in the Cathedral. All year round at 12 noon, there is the Pilgrim Mass, so called because it is held especially for visitors who participate closely in the religious service. The Choirs Mass is held daily at 9:30 am and in elation to International Masses, with their own parish priest, the Cathedral has several chapels available. Embracing the Figure of the Apostle, Visiting the Tomb and the ‘Portico de la Gloria’ may be carried out when the Cathedral is open, except during religious services. Santiago de Compostela has specific places for religious groups for meditation, association and accommodation.
12. Relaxing–Guarantee of Quality
THE WAY OF ST. JAMES PILGRIMAGE. A pilgrim undertakes this journey to search and find not only himself but also others at each stage, each inn, and at each monjoie (a small mound of stones marking each intersection) until arriving at the Altar of the Apostle–St. James. The pilgrimage usually takes 30 days but we will undertake a shorter one of 6 days. There is a pilgrimage passport which is stamped each day in the hostels to show that the pilgrims have passed through and certifying that the Way has been undertaken with Christian meaning. Compostela is the final destination of the adventure.
