Logrono to Navarette- 25 May

Hostal villa de Navarette
 Kathy and I decided not to leave too early as we only had 13km to walk to Navarette and she needed to buy a Sim card.  We walked back towards the station where I had been to the Phone Shop the day before.  Nothing was open so we continued onto the Camino path out of the city.  The graffiti through the tunnel has undergone a great improvement with silhouettes of pilgrims painted on the walls.

It started to drizzle as we climbed the path to the recreational park above the city and stopped at Marcelino Lebato's table. I was going to buy a walking stick but they were all too long.  We watched as a man fed walnuts to red squirrels and had a Cola Cao in the restaurant in the park.

We continued past fields of red poppies and the drizzle stopped.  I took my arms out of the Altus raincoat sleeves and keeping it over the backpack,  tied the sleeves around my waist. We approached Navarette and I told Kathy to stop so that I could take her photograph.  I took 2 steps back and stood on the bottom of the raincoat.  I fell down hard backward, holding the camera in my right hand I put out my left hand to break the fall.
Kathy came to me straight away and tried to take my hands to pull me up but my left hand was screaming!
"Let me sit here a moment" I said and started feeling hips, arms, hands. My left wrist was swelling and I had to turn over using my right hand so that she could help me up.
We continued walking to the village cradling my left hand. We checked into our hostal and the young man directed us to the medico.  Even though it was a Sunday,  the doctor was on duty.  He looked at the wrist and said that I would have to go to the hospital in Logrono for an Xray.
The young man at the hostal called for a taxi and we went back to Logrono and the Hospital San Pedro.  2 hours later we left the hospital with my arm in a half cast. I sustained a clean fracture of the radius.   The doctor's advice was that I see an orthopaedic specialist in Burgos to check if the fracture had displaced or go home and see my orthopaedic specialist in South Africa.
I called home to tell them the news and we agreed that I would not go home but would visit a hospital in Burgos. Kathy and I decided that she would walk alone and I would get a bus from one place to the next.

Tourist in Spain 1 -21 May . Pamplona to Viscarret, St Jean and Zubiri

I arrived in Pamplona on Wednesday after a long flight from Durban -actually it was 4 flights that took us 7 hours east of Africa to Qatar and then 7 hours back west to Madrid with a short flight north to Pamplona.  When I arrived at the Hotel where I would stay the following night the AmaWalkers group were just arriving.  It was great to meet most of them and have a chat with Julie the group leader.
I packed 3 bottles of Amarula cream, two boxes of chocolates and two boxes of Rooibos tea into a bag and at 5.30pm Istvan, from Pension Corazon Puro picked me up from the bus station and took me to his Pension in Viscarette.   I met pilgrims there and we shared a commumal meal prepared by Istvan and Barbara.   I shared a room with a pilgrim from Canada.

After breakfast Istvan drove me to St Jean Pied de Port.  I went to visit Pierre at Gite Compostela but he wasnt there and they didn't know when he would be back.  It was too early for lunch with Tim Proctor but I decided to walk up the Ru de la Citadelle and knock on his door anyway.  Luisa answered the door and told me that Tim was ill.  I told her that I would cancel the lunch and after having a cup of tea with her,  she called a taxi and I wrnt to Zubiri to visit Jose and Rosa at Pension Amets.
Although my Spanish isn't great, I understood when he told me that the Pension used to be their home but when he lost his job, they moved into a converted apartment with his wife's parents and turned their home into a pension.  I first met Jose in May 2011 when walking over the bridge into Zubiri was offered a business card for his new pension.  Our groups have stayed there ever since and they have been very good to all of our pilgrims.
(To be continued.)

Tourist in Spain 4 - 24 May. Logrono, Maria, Viana

I left the hotel at 9am and followed the Camino path out of the town towards Maria's table. Many pilgrims passed me going into town. As I approached her table she recognized me and we hugged, doing a little jigg on the path! We sat inside talking about her daughter and grand children, her knees where she'd had operations in 2012 and her eye with the cataract which was now clear.  Pilgrims came in and she held up a credencial for me to see - a South African credencial.  The pilgrim was from Cape Town and was having a miserable time, not enjoying the Camino at all. She was walking with two American pilgrims and when I mentioned my name, Patty from Oregon asked if I was Sillydoll from the forum and knew Annie who had led groups in 2012.  We had our photos taken and they went on their way.

Back outside at the table, a car pulled up and I recognized Acacio from Villoria.  I was thrilled to see him because I had an envelope for Tomas of Manjarin that I was going to leave at his albergue on the way to Belorado. He told me that he had received a message and photo from Tomas that morning telling him that it was snowing at Manjarin.   I thought of the pilgrims walking in those cold mountains and hoped it would clear before our group arrives there in a few days time.
I said goodbye to Maria and walked back to the city. I packed the last box of chocolates in my backpack and got the bus to Viana.

I phoned Jose and we met in the square where a fiesta celebrating ethnic Basque dancing was in progress.  Jose left to direct some pilgrims to the apartment and I sat with his 8 year-old watching the dancing.  When Jose came back he invited me to have lunch with them at their home.  His wife, Pili, made us pasta and salad and I played computer games with the son.
I kept looking at my watch because the last bus was at 3.30 but Jose told me to 'tanqilla' -he would drive me back which he did, right to the hotel. Many pensions and hostals (different from hostels) are owned by families and the people are friendly and kind and make one feel at home.
Kathy was arriving at 7pm so I walked back to the station to meet her.  We stopped at the Carefore supermarket on the way back to the hotel so that she could by a yoghurt for her breakfast.
We shared pita and cheese sandwiches for dinner and had an early night.  Not much good it did with Spain playing 2 football matches and the bar across the road packed with screaming fans until 4am.

TOURIST IN SPAIN 2 - 22 May Pamplona

I checked into the hotel in Pamplona and soon there was a knock on the door. Tom and Nancy had arrived with one friend but her husband was missing.  He had taken the bus to Pamplona earlier in the day and they expected him to be at the hotel when they arrived.  After a few hours he arrived with the police having shown him the way.   He had got the wrong hotel name and his cell phone wasn't working so he had no way of contacting anyone.
I showed them the way to Cortes Ingles where they went shopping, I bought a new sim card for my tablet and we all had a drink in the cafeteria upstairs. On the way back to the hotel I showed them the Plaza del Toros and the large sculptures of the running of the bulls.

We had a lovely dinner at La Tagliatelle in the square to celebrate Nancy's birthday. After discussing the best plan for their walk the next day we agreed to meet downstairs at 8am.

Tourist in Spain 3 - 23 May. Pamplona to Logrono

We met downstairs and I showed them the way to the cathedral. We had breakfast at a cafe bar and then I left them to go to the Bus station. This time I carried three boxes of Amarula chocolates - one for Marian in the tourist office in Estella and one for Jose in Viana and one for Maria outside Logrono.
When the bus stopped at Puente la Reina,  I saw Sharon Kalidene from our May group in the queue. She sat next to me and told me that she hasn't been walking because of a painful knee.  I thought she was very brave to get buses on her own from town to town - not my idea of fun.

We got off in Estella and walked to the tourist office.  Marian recognised me and we had an emotional reunion.  We left our packs with her and visited San Pedro de la Rua across the road.  It was the first time in 12 years that I had been able to get inside the church which features prominently in my novel.

We had tea with Marian and her coworker. They offered us Rooibos tea. I asked about Maria who worked in the tourist office with her and she told us that due to cutbacks, Maria had been retrenched.  This is the story for many people in Spain,  factories closing, offices moving, people losing jobs.
Sharon and I walked to Hostal Cristina and then I left her to go to the bus station.
I decided not to stop at Viana and continued to Logrono.  I had my map and a fair idea where the hotel was close to the cathedral but still I got lost and walked up and down trying to find it. It is in a side street right opposite the cathedral and I must've passed it 10 times! The hotel Numantina is clean and the rooms are comfortable but it is 7 flights of stairs to the hotel floor and the walls are so thin i could hear the person in the next room coughing.
I checked in, left my bags in the room and found a supermarket to buy food for dinner and breakfast. I ate in the room and although I could hear the TV in the room next door I slept dead until the morning.

'Complete Your Camino' recce walk

amaWalkers Camino offer 22-day walks on three sections of the Camino Frances.  When we first planned the sections in 2010, most people wanted to start in St Jean and finish in Santiago so that they could earn a Compostela.  This meant splitting the 775km route into three sections.  We decided on walking 9 days from St Jean to Logrono, getting a bus to Burgos, Leon and Astorga then walking in the Irago Mountains and Bierzo Valley to Villafranca del Bierzo or Ambasmestas before being taxied over the Cebreiro hill to Samos and walking the last 130km to Santiago. This means walking almost half of the Camino Frances.

Over the last 3 years, many of those who have walked the amaWalkers Camino 22-day walk have asked if we could offer them a walk to 'Complete' their Camino by walking the sections they missed.  When I sent a suggested route to them - from Logrono to Astorga and Ambasmestas to Sarria - many asked if they could either continue walking to Santiago on a different route or walk to Finisterre from Santiago.  We agreed to offer both short routes as possible endings to their 'Complete Your Camino' walks in 2015.

Although I have walked the Camino Frances a few times, and have done the Camino Ingles and Finisterre route, I didn't stay in hotels and walked as little or for as long as I felt like doing each day.  When you plan for a group walk, you need consistent daily distances of about 20km and accommodation in pensions, hostales, hotels etc.  So, we need to walk the route again and check out the accommodation along the way.

From 25th May my friend Kathy and I  will do a reconnaissance walk of the new routes.  We will both walk the section from Logrono to Astorga, crossing the beautiful meseta.   Kathy will then get a bus to Villafranca del Bierzo and walk from there to Sarria.  I will get a bus to Ferrol and walk the Camino Ingles to Santiago. 

When I put this plan on Facebook, a few people asked if they could join me on the Camino Ingles walk, so now there are 6 of us, including 90 year-old 'Uncle Bob' from California, my husband, cousin, sister-in-law and Penelope from Oregon.  We will walk ± 10km per day from Ferrol to Santiago in 11 days.  Accommodation has been booked ahead and we will use luggage transfers.

In September, amaWalkers co-director and Group Leader Jenny Rooks, will do a 4 day recce walk from Santiago to Finisterre.   Once we have walked all of these sections, estimated daily stages, transport possibilities and checked the accommodations we will offer the walks in May 2015.

I am leaving in 8 days time and will arrive in Spain on 21st May. Before Kathy arrives I will be visiting friends we have made of hotel, pension, B&B and Gite owners in St Jean, Viscarret, Zubiri, Estella and Logroño. 

I am not well prepared for this walk.  A month ago I got Shingles on my face and scalp which knocked the stuffing out of me. Then I had to go on a diabolical drug to reduce a swelling in my right retina.  The side effects include dizziness, nausea and reflux, diarrhea and pins and needles in the tongue and fingers.  I haven't been able to do any long walks for over 5 weeks.  I will finish this medication 3 days before I fly from Durban and I'm hoping and praying that most of it will be out of my system before I go. 

VOLUNTEERING ON THE CAMINO

SO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO BE A HOSPITALERO ON THE CAMINO??

Many pilgrims who have walked the camino find volunteering as a hospitalero (caring for pilgrims in an albergue) a wonderful way to give back to the camino.
Some pilgrims volunteer regularly at the same albergue: others put their name down on a register and are asked to go where the need is the greatest: many like a particular albergue so much whilst walking that they offer to stay and help out for a while.
There are many privately owned, small albergues where you can do this as well and they will welcome your free labour!

You pay your own traveling costs to France or Spain. You are given a bed but you pay for your own meals (unless it is an albergue where youcook for the pilgrims).

Besides greeting and registering pilgrims, a hospitalero works an 18 hour day making beds, sweeping floors, scrubing toilets, showers, and kitchens: doing the shopping, might have to cook for up to 40 pilgrims every night, sorts outs disputes and locks up after lights out at about 11pm at night.

Most stints are for 15 days and working for longer than 30 days is discouraged. Longer than that and you might want to shoot somebody!!

The Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Road to Santiago in Spain, the Confraternity of St James in the UK, the American Pilgrims and the Candadian Company of Pilgrims and similar organisations in France and Italy run special workshops and courses for volunteer hospitaleros. In South Africa we have trained over 60 pilgrims to serve in Spanish albergues.
http://southafricanhospitaleros.blogspot.com/

The Spanish Federation (HOSVOL - Hospitaleros Voluntarios) criteria is that you have walked the camino and have done a training workshop. However, they will make exceptions for people who have walked the camino but who live in countries far away and cannot attend a workshop and would like to volunteer by allowing them to reside at an albergue with a hospitalero for three days to observe how the albergue is run.
As yet, there are no courses availabe to people living in Australia, or New Zealand .


You can also offer your help directly to the refuge - a list of refuges can be found at Jacobeo.net/refugios/

Here are some other sites which will assist you in becoming a volunteer:

Confraternity of St James - UK
Rabanal: Refugio Gaucelmo
Rabanal del Camino, León
Chairman: Paul Graham, Somer House, The Street, Chilcompton, Somerset BA3 4HB, p.
graham2712@btinternet.com
Coordinator: Graham Scholes 56 Chapel road,
Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham

Miraz – Camino Norte:
If you are interested in serving as a warden at Miraz (we still have a few vacancies for 2008, and will be glad to sign you up for 2009), please contact the Miraz Wardens' Coordinator.
Miraz, Galicia
CSJ Hospitalero coordinator:
Alan Cutbush, 35 Waltham Close, Ipswich IP2 9DJ
alan@cutbush35.fsnet.co.uk

Caminosantiago.org
Click on Federation and then Hospitaleros Voluntarios:
http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/hospitaleros/hospitaleros.asp
E-Mail: hosvol@caminosantiago.org
Hospitaleros Voluntarios del Camino de Santiago. Aptdo. 315 26080 - Logroño (La Rioja)
This is the Federation of Associations on the Camino volunteer form.
Sevilla - Logroño – Vizcaya – Madrid etc


The association Hospitaleros Volunteers supported by the Spanish Federation of Associations of the Way, coordinates shelters in Arres (Camino Aragones), Navarrete, Najera,  Grañón, Belorado, Saints Day, Villalcazar of Sirga, Barna's Camino Real, el Burgo Ranero, Leon, Ponferrada, O Cebreiro, Triacastela, Samos and Ribadiso, among others. More information on the mail caminosantiago@caminosantiago.org


Logroño
Los Amigos del Camino de Santiago de La Rioja coordinates the care of pilgrims in the shelter of Logrono. You can contact through the mail - ruavieja@asantiago.org

American Pilgrims
Go to Join, scroll to volunteer.
American Pilgrims have their annual gatherings which include a training workshop for future volunteer hospitaleros.
http://www.americanpilgrims.com/events_national.html

Acacio da Paz
To volunteer for the Albergue at Villoria, write to Acacio da Paz at voluntarioscamino@ yahoo.es


Read an Article written by a first time volunteer:
http://www.csj.org.uk/bull-arts/c-jones-art.htm

Blog – with an honest report on volunteering:
http://innkeepersguide.blogspot.com/


…………………………………………………………………………………………
FRANCE

Information for those interested in becoming hospitaleros in the Grand Palais albergue or the pilgrims welcoming center in SJPP:

St Jean Pied de Port

Les Amis du Chemin de Saint-Jacques des Pyrenees-Atlantiques
39 rue de la citadelle
64220 Saint Jean Pied de PortFrance
http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/
caminopa@hotmail.com

Vézelay route
Amis et Pèlerins de Saint-Jacques de la Voie de
Vézelay
www.amis-saint-jacques-de-compostelle.asso.fr
24 Rue Saint-Pierre - 89450 Vézelay
Tél. : 0033 (0)3 86 32 38 11

Le Puy route
Conques Hospitalité Saint-Jacques
www.amis-st-jacques.org/pages/hospitalite
Contact Pauline Dobon, Abbaye Sainte-Foy,
F12320
Conques tel 0033 5 65 69 85 12
email acceuil-conques@mondaye.com

From - http://www.jacobeo.net/hospitaleros/index.htm

To all who receive this information and want to participate in courses and assist in the hospitality during the ongoing campaign of 2008 we ask you to send us an e-mail, letter or call us by phone to send you the necessary information.

The Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Road to Santiago explains here what is needed from our Hospitaleros Volunteers and its operation.

In recent years a large group of people of all ages and status, it has been proposed to renew one aspect of that hospitality thanks to the work of volunteers and cultural hospitaleros the Camino de Santiago. These are former hospitaleros pilgrims who spend part of their holiday to meet on a voluntary and unpaid, shelters for pilgrims, and to cooperate in the dissemination of the contents artistic, cultural and spiritual Path.

For us, the only requirement is necessary to be hospitalero is that you have done the pilgrimage to Santiago and want to devote your time and skills to the reception of pilgrims at the albergues. We believe that in order to perform this task well, it is very important that the new hospitaleros make preparation for a workshop to know in advance what they will find on the other side of the road, which is hospitality and that is often a tough job, nothing like a vacation alternative.
Normally, at the beginning of the year, between February and June, we organize a series of preparatory courses for people who have contacted us with the intention of working as a hospitalero during the year. These people have sent their personal data and any information that might be interesting for further work. These courses take place over the weekend, starting on Friday night and end on Sunday after dinner and is COMPULSORY. In very exceptional cases and for those people who find it physically impossible to attend a workshop for instance, because they reside outside of Spain, we also offer the opportunity to be three days in a shelter to become familiar with the work before joining the Hostel being assigned.

The normal time of stay in a shelter is 15 days, the first or the second half of each month. We would like to draw attention on this issue. It is very important to comply with this period fortnightly, you are advised to confirm in advance the time that you can have, making sure of the dates we say that you assign a destination. Similarly, if there are any changes, it is important for us that you communicate this as soon as possible, since it makes it very difficult for us which we can then not comply with what you have said and we believe gaps in shelters with so little time, we can not find a solution, because at the end, there are no shelters hospitaleros possibly could have had someone else to have known in advance. In some cases, and if they so desire, time spent as hospitalero may be wider, not being desirable stays of more than one month.

What is expected of the Hospitalero?

The following is from the CSJ of UK Hospitalero Workshop for 2008:

Gaucelmo General Policies:

1. True Pilgrims are those who are travelling on foot, by bicycle, or on

horseback and moving on the next day

2. Groups – no groups of more than seven people admitted

3. Length of Stay – pilgrims are only allowed to stay for one night

4. Bookings – It is not the practice to accept bookings of any description

Rules:

1. No smoking anywhere on the premises

2. Keep mobile ‘phones on ‘silent’

3. The main entrance door locked at 22:30

4. Total silence applies after 23:00

5. All pilgrims leave before 08:00

6. There is no fixed charge for staying

The 11th Commandment

• Getting rucksack ready the night before

• Not using alarm clocks

• Not putting boots on in the dormitory

• Not putting any lights on

• Not talking until well clear of the building

 

A Typical Day at Gaucelmo

• Get up at 05:30 (If serving breakfast at 06:00)

• Prepare and serve breakfast for the pilgrims

• Ensure all Pilgrims have left by 08:00

• Enjoy your own breakfast in peace

• Count and record the donativo money

• Re-make all the bunks in the dormitories and barn

• Clean the sinks and toilets in the servicios

• Sweep out and mop each room floor

• Clean the kitchen work surfaces and oven

• Sweep outside in the square, if necessary

• Sweep the entrance, patio and garden paths

• Take rubbish and glass bottles to the bins

• Drop off any stale bread at Oblines

• Listen out for the Bread Van

• Grab a bite of lunch

• Open the Refugio to Pilgrims

• Sign each Pilgrim into the register

• Explain the rules of the refugio

• Show the Pilgrims to their bunk

• Be available at all times for the Pilgrims

• Make afternoon tea and biscuits for the Pilgrims

• Go for dinner at Antonios/Gaspars

• Record sales of CSJ publications

• Ensure all Pilgrims are in the Refugio by 22:30

• Ensure lights out by 23:00

• Add Pilgrim numbers to the statistics sheet

• Total the CSJ publication sales

• Note number of meals taken on the Diary Sheet

• Prepare the kitchen for breakfast

• Get to bed – you’ve earned it!

 

Qualities of a Hospitalero/a

• Greeting and welcoming

• Listening and accepting

• Tending to physical and emotional needs

• Cultivating one’s own responsiveness and flexibility

• Setting a good example of patience and care.

CREDENCIALES AND COMPOSTELAS

Credencial del Peregrinos

Origins: 
The ‘Credencial’ or pilgrim’s passport evolved from letters of safe passage granted by the church or state (and sometimes the King) to people going a journey through foreign lands.  Prospective travellers, both clerics and laymen, combining business with pleasure and/or pilgrimage needed a ‘licencia’ to leave the country.  If pilgrims needed royal protection for their retinue, their lands, possessions and so on, they would travel with the king’s leave, ‘peregre profeturus cum licencia regis.’  A pilgrim needed to visit their priest and make confession before being given a letter stating that he/she is a bona-fide pilgrim, requesting safe passage, exemption from the payment of taxes and tolls and hospitality in the monasteries or ‘hospices’ along the way.  As late as 1778  King Charles III introduced safe passage documents for both merchants and pilgrims.  (This is copy of a safe-passage letter reproduced by the Confraternity of St James in South Africa)

20^th century - Spain:
In the late 1950's and early 1960's five road routes leading tourists and pilgrims to Santiago were developed following existing roads.  A road map of these routes for pilgrims and tourists was published for the 1954 Holy Year with information on churches, monuments, hotels and restaurants along the way. A credential was issued, with blank squares, so that travelers could obtain a stamp at the places they stopped along the road including Jaca, Valcarlos, Pamplona, ​​Estella, Logroño, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Burgos, Frómista, Leon, Astorga, Ponferrada and Monastery of Samos.  Once they arrived in Santiago they could ask for the pilgrim diploma which was funded by the Ministry of Information and Tourism and signed by the Archbishop of Compostela. This was issued in the Holy Years of 1965, 1971 and 1976.   428 credenciales were issued to both car and walking pilgrims in 1965 :  451in 1971 and only 240 in 1976. 

In 1963, Antonio Roa Irisarri, Jaime Eguaras Echávarri and José María Jimeno Jurío, members of the newly formed association of "Los Amigos de Camino de Santiago" in Estella, made a pilgrimage to Santiago dressed in Capuchin habits and leading a mule with a wagon. They designed a Pilgrim's Credential which was approved and blessed by Cardinal-Archbishop of Santiago Archbishop Fernando Quiroga Palacios. 

The cover design with a walking cane, gourd and scallop shell was adopted at the first international Jacobean conference held in Jaca in 1987.

The cover was changed in the 2010 Holy year

and this was subsequently replaced in 2012/2013 to celebrate the Ano de la Fe. 

A new cover was designed in 2013

The modern pilgrim no longer needs to be a Catholic, or make confession, or even get a letter from a church to be accepted as a pilgrim.  They will need an official ‘Credencial del Peregrino’ to stay in the network of pilgrim shelters, refugios and albergues on the Camino routes.  The official Spanish credencial is printed by the Cathedral of Santiago and is available from various parishes, bishoprics and associations along the Camino routes.  Only those walking, cycling or riding horseback are accepted in the pilgrim shelters. The credencial is concertina type folding card with squares for rubber stamps collected along the way. 
Pilgrims are required to obtain stamps in their credencial, proving that they have complied with the requirements for earning the Compostela certificate given to those who walk or ride the last 100km, and those who cycle the last 200 km to Santiago. (In 1965 the church began to issue a special certificate to those who trekked at least 300 km on foot. The certificate entitled the pilgrim to free lodging and meals for three days in Santiago but pilgrims complained that the church authorities treated them with little regard).

With the formation of St James associations in other countries, new versions of the

credencial del peregrino were issued. 

Soon, many tour companies offering Camino bus, or vehicle supported tours, started printing their own credencials and bus pilgrims who stopped at various albergues or bars to get a stamp in the credencial were arriving in Santiago to claim a Compostela.  This prompted the authorities to restrict the acceptance of credenciales to the official church document and those offered by affiliated St James organizations.

AT the time, Genaro Cebrian Franco, Canonic of Pilgrimages wrote:

“For a long time the pilgrim document was the signed and sealed letter from his/her parish attesting to the intentions of the pilgrim.”

On 14 September 2000, at a meeting of the Santiago Archdiocese, the Archconfraternity, and the Federation of Friends of Santiago Associations, an accord was reached regarding future Pilgrimage-related measures.
Because of the large growth in pilgrim numbers (In 2000 the number of pilgrims earning the Compostela 55,004, and in 2007 it was 114,026) and the increase in commercial credentials, the need for one uniform pilgrim’s credential was recognized, and agreed upon.  Many more arrived at the Pilgrims’ office with credentials issued by non-recognized.  

“Commencing on January 1, 2009, the Pilgrims’ Office will only accept the credential issued by the Santiago Cathedral, which has a space for the seal of the authorized institution, church or Santiago Friends’ Association that issued it.   Friends Associations that are not part of the Federation of Associations that may wish to issue credentials must contact its parish to obtain the information that must be imparted to those who wish to make the pilgrimage. Through their parish they may obtain a sufficient number of blank credential forms.
For the purposes of granting the Compostela at the Pilgrims’ Office only the credential issued by the Cathedral, or by those that are issued by Friends of Santiago Associations that clearly contain information about the religious character of the Santiago pilgrimage, will be accepted.”

In addition, if you're starting in Galicia it is important to get 2 stamps per day in your credencial.   

The other credencial that is accepted is the University credencial:

CREDENCIAL JACOBEA UNIVERSITARIA   In 2002 the Alumni Association of the University of Navarre and Spanish universities located on the Camino Frances launched an imitative to promote the Camino de Santiago between the university communities internationally. With this credential pilgrims can also stay in the albergues and earn the Compostela in Santiago.   You can apply through https://www.unav.es/alumni/campusstellae/solicita.html  If you want University Compostela sent to you,by post or e-mail it is necessary to send the original or a photocopy of the stamped Jacobean University Credential with stamps of different universities visited along the Camino, and at least two stamps per day as well as the stamp of the Pilgrim Office in Santiago de Compostela. More information
http://www.campus-stellae.org

When the pilgrim arrives in Santiago they visit the Pilgrim’s Office in Rua do Vilar where the ‘AMIGOS’ will check the stamps in the credencial and, if they have sufficient stamps and can attest to having walked the Camino for a religious/spiritual reason, they will earn the coveted Compostela certificate.  This is based on a 14^th century document, in Latin with their name written on it in Latin too.  If they have walked the Camino for reasons other than religious/spiritual, they receive a different certificate.

LA  COMPOSTELA: > 1321

Many people confuse the Compostela with an Indulgence. The Compostela is not a 'get-out-of jail-card', it is a certificate of completion awarded to pilgrims who walk or horseback ride the last 100km to Santiago de Compostela, or cycle the last 200km.   The Indulgence (for the remission of sins and time spent in purgatory) is given to Catholic pilgrims only who comply with the requirements of visiting the cathedral (you don't have to walk the Camino), recite a prayer, such as the Creed o Lord's prayer, praying for His Holiness the Pope; attend mass and receive the Sacraments of confession.

The 'La Autentica' (as it was first called) was originally an 18" X 20" parchment, hand-written in Latin with a small wooden Santiago pilgrim attached to its upper left corner. A requirement for earning this document was confession and communion (but this requirement seems to have been stopped from the 18th century). The oldest copy available is dated 1321 and can be found in the archives of the Pas-de-Calais in northern France.

Before the "Autentica", pilgrims collected a scallop shell as proof of their pilgrimage to Santiago. (Paper was costly and scarce).   When the name changed to the 'Compostelana' during the transition between the handwritten document and the advent of printing (which only reached Galicia in 17th century), there were two documents issued - one handwritten, carrying a 'Bula' or seal, and a printed one. There were many forgeries of this document which prompted the pope to threaten excommunication of anyone was found to be in possession of a forgery.  One can imagine a group of pilgrim friends travelling to Gascony, having a good time and drinking wine. They buy a forged Compostelana and travel back to England after a nice long holiday in the sun!

After the decline in pilgrimages from the 15th century, it seems that the issue of a certificate stopped for a few centuries, was revived in the 18th century and then stopped again at the end of the 19th century.

When Walter Starkie walked to Santiago in the 1920's, 1930's and 1950's he wrote in his book The Road to Santiago about collecting his scallop shell before continuing to the cathedral.
"We proceeded along the narrow streets to the offices of the Confraternity of St. James and I was given my scallop shell, which for eleven-hundred years had been the badge of kings, prelates and beggars alike."

18th century Compostelas

In the early 20th century, Cardinal José María Martín Herrera encouraged the return of organized pilgrim groups to Santiago. A medal replaced the Compostela in Holy Years (which saved printing costs and earned them some money). These were only issued in the Holy Years of 1909, 1915, 1920 and 1926.

For many years thereafter, pilgrimage was affected by the Spanish Civil War and in 1938, the Compostelana bore the words of Franco - "Prince of Spain and its supreme leader of the army."

In the late 1950's and early 1960's pilgrims who travelled on the newly established tourist roads in Spain, could claim the 'diploma' once they arrived in Santiago.   This was issued in the Holy Years of 1965, 1971 and 1976.

 In 1963 three members of the newly formed association of "Los Amigos de Camino de Santiago" in Estella made a pilgrimage to Santiago. They are warmly received and were issued with the new Compostelana certificates. The wording was different from the previous certificates: "Certifying pilgrims will be true pilgrims, not thugs or homeless, received wide acceptance in the Hospital of Reyes Católicos".

Until 1965 there was a special Maritime Compostela for pilgrims who sailed 40 nautical miles to Padron and then walked to Santiago from there.
Some stats claim that in 1974 only 6 Compostelas were issued. Records prior to the 1970's were lost.

1976 Compostela

In 1985 the name of the certificate was officially changed from a Compostelana to the Compostela.

When the pilgrim arrives in Santiago they visit the Pilgrim’s Office in Rua do Vilar where the ‘AMIGOS’ will check the stamps in the credencial and, if they have sufficient stamps and can attest to having walked the last 100km (cycled the last 200km) or a religious/spiritual reason, they will earn the coveted Compostela certificate.  This is based on the 14^th century document, in Latin with their name written on it in Latin.  If you have walked the required distance for any other reason you will be give the 'tourist' certificate.  Those who continue to Finisterre will also earn the Fisterana.  And, if you walk to Muxia or Padron, you will earn their certificates as well.

Today one can download and print a 'virtual' Compostela from the cathedral website:

www.catedraldesantiago.es/webcatedral.html

 

You can also apply for a memorial Compostela for a departed pilgrim.

The Compostela and the Tourist certificates have been upgraded and the latest versions will by added here as soon as they become available.
March 2014: 

Certificate of Distance:

The Pilgrims' Office started offering two new services.   In addition to the traditional Compostela and Certificate of Welcome which are still issued on a donativo basis the Pilgrims' Office is now offering a Certificate of Distance. This new certificate has been produced in response to requests from pilgrims. It records the route which the pilgrim walked, the starting point, the amount of kilometres and the date of arrival in Santiago. The cost is E3.
Read more:    http://www.johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com

  

New Service for Organised Groups
The Pilgrims' Office is offering to prepare Compostelas and Certificates in advance for organised groups so that they can avoid waiting in the queue at the Pilgrims' Office. If anyone wishes to use this service the group leader should email the Pilgrims' Office and they will be sent a form to fill in on behalf of the pilgrims in the group. The Compostelas/Certificates will be ready for them on arrival. In addition to this the Pilgrims' Office will also issue a certificate in the name of the group as a whole and will arrange to have the group welcomed by name at the beginning of the Pilgrims' Mass. This is a free service and donations are invited for the Compostela/Certificates.

Information on credentials and Compostelas from the website of Fernando Lalanda  - with permission.

http://fernandolalanda.blogspot.com/2011/12/sin-titulo-2.html

and -  The 'Historia-Descripción Arqueológica de la basílica Compostelana , published in 1870,

 

Camino Caracoles 2013

It is a month since we set off on our ‘Caracole’ Camino and I am still processing many of the experiences, emotions, concerns and celebrations. 

 

Once the ground work for the walk was in place – arrival date set, rooms booked, stages worked out, taxi numbers listed – it was all up to the group members to make it happen.  And happen it did!

The team ‘Caracoles’ was a great team and none could have done it without the help and support they gave to each other. 

Reinette says that she could never have done it without me; I say that I could never have done it without Adriaan; Pat says she could never have done it without Janet; Ann could not have done it without all of us - and all of us had Bob! 

Adriaan was our interpreter, sweeper on the path, Veloped carrier and pusher and leader of the group when I wasn’t with them.  It could not have happened without his help and support.

Reinette cared for us all, offering massage for aching joints and muscles, doing errands and interpreting menus.
Janet and Pat shared their ‘drugs’ and food when other’s supplies ran low and offered moral support.
Uncle Bob?  Well, when you have a person of your age setting the pace and leading by example, it is difficult not to be inspired!

I have been asked if I will organise another, larger group of 'Caracoles'.  Yes - why not?  It was a great success and with a few basic changes, could be even better.