![]() The youngest pilgrim we encountered was just four years old, the youngest member of a family band with guitars in tow and taking a leisurely two months to complete the journey. Pilgrims come in all ages, shapes and sizes. While the concept of traveling 500 miles on foot seems that it would only attract the young, fit and crazy, that’s far from the truth. Myth # 2: You have to be in tip top shape. Many walk it for health, for personal achievement, and while seeking guidance during a transitional period of their life in addition the traditional religious reasons. While religion of course still plays a part, it’s not a mandatory aspect of the Camino. The Camino takes on a different meaning to everyone who takes it on. The infrastructure was developed by the Catholic church and Spain is a Catholic country, but these days the great pilgrimage is not exclusive to the church.Ī cross looking over the meseta, wandering in front of Burgos Cathedral. The Camino de Santiago originated in medieval times as a Christian pilgrimage, one of the “big three” routes: to Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela. Myth #1: The Camino is just for Catholics. There are many rumors surrounding the Camino – why you should do it, what it’s like, and how to prepare.Ĭurious? Read on as I debunk some of the top myths you’ll hear about the Camino de Santiago, and maybe even convince you to embark on the journey to see for yourself. ![]() I’ll be honest – we’re a bit exhausted, our feet have seen better days, and our left sides are tanner than our right from walking westward for one month – but there’s just something about the journey that is unique and like nothing else you’ll ever experience. When planning the first stage of our sabbatical, hiking the Camino de Santiago quickly shot to the top of the list of the major goals we wanted to accomplish.įor reasons we couldn’t quite articulate, we felt called to the pilgrimage route, and the Camino became a cornerstone to our first long stint in Europe.Īs I’m writing this, we are thirty days in to the pilgrimage – a mere forty minute’s drive or two day’s walk away from the famed, mystical city of Santiago. Hints of the medieval heritage along the road to Santiago This year we joined the pilgrims in walking the Camino Frances, the “French Way,” from Saint Jean de Pied de Port, France, trekking across the Iberian Peninsula to Santiago de Compostela. According to legend the remains of Saint James the Apostle, Jesus’s buddy, reside in what is now the cathedral in the small city of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain.Įvery year a few hundred thousand people from all corners of the globe hike the Camino. ![]() The Camino de Santiago has been around since the middle ages, a pilgrimage route stretching 500 miles across Spain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |