Pilgrimage: Camino de Santiago

The Camino has different pilgrimage routes that have been walked since the Middle Ages. Each official route of the Camino passes through different points of the Spanish geography and, excluding the Fisterra-Muxía Camino, they all have only one destination: Santiago de Compostela. 

Source:  Spainincoming.info

Free to watch on Formed.org, a documentary on eleven young men from the United States as they walk 1,000 kilometers on their Way of St. James pilgrimage. They are looking for answers, not beautiful scenery: How do you deal with pain and suffering? Do the weak quit or do they find meaning on the Camino? How much baggage is enough or too much?

How do parishioners register for an account?

1. Go to formed.org/signup
2. Select our parish: St Paul the Apostle Cluster: St John 768 Ohio St Bangor
3. Register with your name and email address
4. Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED

Only in the 9^th century did a hermit named Pelayo find a field of stars that were supernatural. Pelayo told his Bishop who took his delegation and followed the hermit to the location of these stars. They did not only find these celestial stars, but also an ornate tomb along with two other simpler tombs. After discussions and seeking counsel, the Bishop declared it a miracle and a sign from heaven that it was the lost tomb of St. James the Greater, along with two of his disciples. It is believed that in Spanish “campo de estrellas” (meaning field of stars) over time was merged into the one word: Compostela. The Bishop informed the king at the time, Alfonso II of Asturias. The king ordered a chapel erected and made a pilgrimage to the tomb from his royal court in the city of Oviedo. Thus, the first pilgrimage was made to Santiago de Compostela.

Devotion to St. James spread throughout Spain and most of western Europe during the 10^th century onwards. Making a pilgrimage to pray before the tomb of the Apostle grew in popularity. In 1492, the Pope declared the pilgrimage to Santiago one of the three great pilgrimages of Christendom along with Rome and Jerusalem. The devotion to this ancient pilgrimage continues through the present day. Although not all embark on it for spiritual reasons, the popularity soared to 446,000 people completing the Camino de Santiago in 2023. Often on the path, Spaniards will greet the pilgrims as they walk wishing them a good journey by saying: buen camino.