MY "BUCKET LIST" OF PILGRIMAGE TRAILS

(Much of the text - and the photos - on this post has been copied from the relative websites. Please visit them for more info.)

I have walked some of the trails on my Bucket List - the Camino Frances 3 times; the Via Turonensis from Paris to Spain; the Via Francigena from Lac Leman to Rome. I would love to walk all 15+ camino trails in Spain and the 7-odd trails in France. But, those are all St Jacques (or Santiago) trails and there are many other pilgrimage trails that I would like to walk one day - before I kick the bucket!

My is my Bucket List of pilgrimage trails to walk:

The Abraham Path

www.abrahampath.org

The Abraham Path is a route of cultural tourism that retraces the journey made by Abraham (Ibrahim) through the heart of the Middle East some four thousand years ago. Three and a half billion people - over half the human family - trace their history or faith back to Abraham, considered the father of monotheism.

The Abraham Path honours this shared cultural heritage by linking into a single itinerary of outstanding interest and beauty the ancient sites association with Abraham and his family.

The centrepiece of the Abraham Path is a long-distance walking trail, beginning in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa, where many believe Abraham to have been born, and in the nearby ruins of Harran, where Abraham is said to have heard the call of God to 'go forth'. Initially covering a distance of 1200 kms the Abraham Path will pass through some of the finest landscapes, historic sites, and holy places of the Middle East before culminating at Abraham's tomb just south of Jerusalem in the city of Hebron/Al-Khalil. Eventually the route will extend to encompass Abraham's travels to and from Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Interesting blogpost on Abraham for history buffs:

http://www.mormonheretic.org/2009/04/02/jewish-muslim-and-academic-perspectives-on-abraham/

Plus, a video/dvd: www.amazon.com/Mysteries-Bible-Abraham-One-Man/dp/B000BF0CNY

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St Francis of Assisi

1) Cammino di Francesco

http://camminodifrancesco.it

There are three different walking trails in Italy connected with St Francis. This one is an 80km trail divided into 8 stops that "..have been blessed by the presence of St Francis." The stops along the walk take you to Medieval Rieti with its palaces and churches, the Greccio, La Foresta, Poggio Bustone and Fontecolombo Sanctuaries set within green and lush woods, the ancient town of Posta and to the top of Mount Terminello.

2) Cammino di Assisi:

www.camminodiassisi.it

On this 300km route it appears that you are allocated a departure date once you have registered to do the walk. "The Cammino of Assisi follows the footprints of St Francis from Assisi and St Anthony from Padua.Unlike the Camino de Santiago in Spain, where you can decide whenever you want to start your pilgrimage, in Assisi this is not possible because of the limited number of beds now available.Departures will be planned with care to ensure comfortable conditions along the way."

3) The Francisan Route

www.diquipassofrancesco.it

350km from La Verna and the woods of the last hills of Tuscany, to the lovely wide Valley of Reiti in Lazio. Trough the most meaningful sites in the life of St Francis, the hills and valleys of Umbria, the geographical heart of Italy.
The new Guide offers 16 stages, breaking the route into two between Spoleto and Collescopoli, allowing the wayfarer to stop and enjoy the special aura of the ancient Franciscan hermitage at Romita di Cesi.
In spring of 2007 the German edition was published and we are hoping that it will be translated into many more languages.
The credential is issued by the Provincia Serafica dei frati Minori for Umbria.

Another website to download a brochure on a St Francis walk is: http://www.viafrancigenadisanfrancesco.com

On this website you will find a wonderful CBS video on St Francis called, "The Secrets of the Saint"

http://cbs4.com/video/?id=17621@wfor.dayport.com

Q: Why are there 3 St Francis walks - two that practically follow each other from the north?

A: Because the founders of the three routes have not yet been able to work together and each one offers a credential and a certificate if you walk 'their' route.

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ST OLAV'S WAY

www.pilegrim.info

Not long after the Saint King, Olav Haraldsson, fell in battle at Stiklestad in 1030, Nidaros became a popular goal for people seeking to redeem their souls at his shrine. Olav became Norway's patron saint, and his reputation shone far beyond the borders of his country.

The present Pilgrim Way aims to give today's wanderers an idea of what medieval pilgrims would encounter on their way to Nidaros. The path follows ancient, documented trails when these can be used. All along, the path is bound by names of places and historic monuments with links to Saint Olav's life and work.

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THE ST PAUL'S TRAIL:

Turkey - www.stpaultrail.com

The St Paul Trail is a way-marked footpath from Perge, 10 km E of Antalya, to Yalvac, NE of Lake Egirdir. There is a second branch starting at Aspendos, 40km E of Antalya and joining the first route at the Roman site of Adada. The route totals about 500km.

This project partly follows the route walked by St Paul on his first missionary journey in Asia Minor. .. starting at sea level and climbing up to 2200m, with two optional peaks at around 2800m. At the moment there are no signposts on the route (we are looking for a sponsor) but the way-marking is complete. There are also no way-marks on paths through cultural sites.

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The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage - Japan

www.shikokuhenrotrail.com

There are many similarities with the Shikoku pilgrimage and the caminos to Santiago.

Both started in the 8^th C. Both issue a document to be carried by the pilgrim, which is stamped along the way: both offer a certificate at the end; both had a distinctive pilgrim dress which identified ‘real’ pilgrims – long cloak, a walking staff, wide brimmed hat and a scrip or carry pouch. Both experienced a ‘golden age’ of pilgrimage and are today experiencing a resurgence of interest. Many Chinese are walking el camino – and many westerners are walking the Shikoku.

Follow a "Henro" on his pilgrimage here: http://henro2009.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-0.html

Youtube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjJOpYTOFVE

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Tro Breiz -

www.trobreiz.com

The seven founding saints are venerated in the most celebrated of Breton pilgrimage, the Tro Breiz (tour of Brittany - in Breton). At least once in their lifetime, pilgrims must visit the tombs of the seven saints and the seven bishoprics: Samson at Dol, Malo at Saint-Malo, Briec at Saint-Brieuc, Tugdual at Tréguier, Pol-Aurélien at Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Corentin at Quimper and Patern at Vannes. The route, more than 500 kilometres long, is travelled on foot in 30 days, at a rate of 20 kilometres per day. Each cathedral exposes its relics and receives contributions from the pilgrims. In the XVIth century, more than 30 000 people a year set off on this pilgrimage. Once again in favour, this spiritual and cultural route today allows exploring the religious heritage of Brittany (on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, by car or coach).

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Muktinath - Tibet

www.muktinath.org/links/

The pilgrimage site Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is located at 3,750 meters at the Annapurna trekking circuit in the Himalayas of Nepal. It is a sacred site that is shared by both Hindus and Tibtean Buddhists and is a wonderful example of how two religions can share the same site with mutual respect and support.

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For a comprehensive list of over 200 different pilgrimage trails in Europe visit Peter Robins website “The Walking Pilgrim” http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/leona.html

2009 SA BLOG AWARDS

Yeehaa! This blog was a runner up in the Best Travel Blog award at the SA Blog Awards which is a showcase of the very best of South African blogs.

A South African travel blog has commented on the travel blogs awards:

The blog I like best in terms of travel photos is 66 Square Feet (whilst I like the photos on Cape Town Photo & Amawalker, they aren't as South Africa travel focussed). If this were an international competition I would choose Amawalker as the winner.

http://www.southafrica.to/transport/Airlines/Cheap-flights/2009/best-travel-blog.php5

http://www.sablogawards.com/2009/

2009 PILGRIMAGE (and 15 000 VISITS!!)

(By the end of today the Neocounter on my blog will more than likely register 15 000 visits to this blog! I think I added it about 10 months ago. Thanks to everyone who drops in for a visit and to those who leave comments.)

My plans for a 2009 pilgrimage from Lourdes to Pamplona - and from Ferrol to Santiago are coming together. I have sourced web sites for the albergues/shelters along the route from Lourdes to Oloron Ste Marie - on to Somport - and then to Puente La Reina.
(See http://2009pilgrims.blogspot.com/2009/01/planning-is-such-fun.html )
We have got our backpacks sorted, our silk sleep liners (mine weighs 160g!!), boots are being worn in, clothing all ready packed on a shelf, everything has been weighed, and weighed again - and my fully packed backpack weighs a respectable 5.125kg - with 1 litre of water in 2 X 50ml water bottles.
Johnny Walker from the Confraternity of St James has added an updated guide to the Camino Ingles on the website and we will also use some of the Camino Ingles pilgrim diaries that have been posted on the www.pilgrimage-to-santiago.com forum recently.
I have sent an email to Bejo & Ana at the AlbergueFisterra to let them know that I will be arriving at Corcubion on 27th June and will be able to help out until 13th July. I am really looking forward to a stint as hospitalera.
I am slowly losing the weight I put on since the last walk - I didn't want to carry these added 5kg on my hips and a 5kg pack on my back so I've been on a special eating plan since New Year.
16 weeks, 0 days and 22 hours left until we leave for France on 4th June!!
Can't wait!

DETOURS ON THE CAMINO FRANCES

When planning to walk the Camino Frances, try to allow a few extra days for detours from the camino path. There are many interesting, historical places just a few km off the actual path that are not on the modern camino but which probably were a part of alternate trails in the middle ages. Some will add a few km to your walk, others you can reach by bus or take a tour.


Ibaneta Pass
If you start in Roncesvalles, try to get there early enough to take a 3km walk up to the 1300m Ibaneta Pass and look into France from the top. The famous monastery and hospice of San Salvador once stood here. There is a modern chapel here dedicated to Charlemagne. (Today - 28th January - marks the 1195th anniversary of the death of the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne). There is a monument here to Roland and this is where the Route Napoleon and the Val Carlos Route join.

Roncesvalles: Many pilgrims start at Roncesvalles (or stagger in late from St Jean Pied de Port!), but because they arrive on the evening bus, they don't have time to explore this historic monastery complex. Try to get there the day before, or take a taxi from Pamplona (share the fare with other pilgrims) so that you have time to visit the cloisters and the museum with its extraordinary reliquaries and other artefacts. Scan the church walls for mason signs, visit the old walls of the original hospice opposite the church and the monastery ossuary that is said to hold the remains of Charlemagne’s soldiers.

Eunate

From Muruzabel, about 3kms off the camino path, is the octagonal church of Santa María de Eunate (Muruzábal). Built around 1170 it has been associated with the Knights Templar and excavations close by have revealed numbers of graves with scallop shells suggesting that it could have been a funerary church. The walls have many mason signs that you will see all along the camino. There is a small refuge there but check to see if it is open before planning to spend the night.

Clavijo


18km southwest of Logrono is the ruined castle of Clavijo, reputedly the site where Santiago appeared on a white horse to help the Christian soldiers against moor invasions.
You can take a taxi there or walk there and back in 2 days.


San Millán de la Cogalla
14km southwest of Azofra are the magnificent monasteries of Suso and Yuso, the first built between the 5th and 6th centuries and the Yuso around the 16th C.


Atapuerca (photo from Wikipedia)

Book a guided tour from Atapuerca to the fascinating archaeological site which lies within a military zone about 40 kms from the village. Atapuerca is one of Europe's most important archaeological sites. It was declared a World Heritage site in 2001. (No private visits allowed). info@atapuerca.es

Santo Domingo de Silos

Take a bus from Burgos to the Monastery where the Gregorian Chants were made famous a few years ago. (The trip on the road is an experience, along narrow winding roads, through stunning, rockface scenery)

The cloisters are unique and the pharmacy museum is worth a visit. Plan on spending two nights. The bus leaves Burgos at 17h30 and returns at 08h30 the next day - not leaving enough time to see the village, hear the chanting and visit the museum.
We stayed at the Santo Domingo de Silos Hotel which has upmarket rooms, plain doubles with en suite for 36 euros. Excellent food in the little reaturant downstairs. http://www.hotelsantodomingodesilos.com/

Castrojeriz


Climb the hill and visit the ruins of the castle Mirador with spectacular views of the valley below.
Visit the Convent of Santa Clara about 2km south of the village – a closed order – where you can buy biscuits and other baked goodies by passing your money through a revolving serving hatch.



Ponferrada or Astorga
About 60kms from Astorga and 20kms from Ponferrada, the fantasitcal Medulas used to be the most important gold mine in the Roman Empire.

Las Médulas is listed by the UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.(Photo wikipedia Picture taken by Rafael Ibáñez Fernández)

Vega de Valcarce
You will see the Castle Sarracin squating on

the high hill to your left on the way to O Cebreiro.
Originally built in the 9thC, it was owned by the lords of Sarracin who also owned 35 small towns in the area. This 14thC ruin was one of 8 castles owned by the Marques de Villafranca
A round trip of about 45mins will reward you with extensive views and an impressive ruin that has sheer cliffs on 3 sides.


Eirexe

6km detour to the recently restored, spectacular Monasterio de San Salvador at Vilar das Donas

Fistera
If you are not walking on to Finisterre - The End of the World - it would be worth taking a bus for a day trip to Fistera.  Walk the 2.5km up to the lighthouse and burn an item of clothing at the top!

RELICS ON THE CAMINO

What is the deal with the veneration of relics?

Without them, there probably wouldn't have been any shrines, and without the shrines there wouldn't have been any pilgrims, and without a body in a reliquary casket in Santiago de Compostela, there wouldn't have been any pilgrims or a camino pilgrimage. Luckily for us, relics became popular from about the 5th C and by the time of Charlemagne (8thC) no church could be consecrated without a relic.

".... the demand for bones and body parts was so great that the practice of exhuming, dismembering, and distributing the bodies of saints became widely accepted. Amputated fingers, hands, feet, heads and, of course, bones circulated throughout Europe. With increase in demand, supply became a problem, and a profitable but dubious market in relics emerged. Pilgrims to the shrines did not seem to care whether the relics were genuine or not." Mark C Taylor, Sacred Bones:

What did the church say about the veneration of relics?

St. Jerome said: (ca. A.D. 340 - 420)
“... we honor the martyrs' relics, so that thereby we give honor to Him Whose [witness] they are: we honor the servants, that the honor shown to them may reflect on their Master... Consequently, by honoring the martyrs' relics we do not fall into the error of the Gentiles, who gave the worship of "latria" to dead men." 

In the Middle Ages the church taught that life in this world was merely a preparation for the next, be it heaven or hell. Christians were indoctrinated from an early age with the urgency to obtain divine forgiveness for their sins and the purification of their souls or face eternal damnation and an afterlife in purgatory.

 

Purgatory was depicted as a sort of half-way horror house, with terrifying demons waiting to suck the soul from your sinful body and send you to everlasting hell – it was a place so terrifying that people were prepared to make incredible sacrifices to ensure a shorter stay and their place in heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the surest ways to obtain indulgences for the remission of time spent in purgatory was by contact with the saints who could intercede on your behalf. The Church encouraged the veneration of saints, and the relics of saints were believed to hold great power. If the saint was a martyr, so much the better and if he was a martyred Apostle, better still. And so people from all over the Christian world sought out the intercession of saintly relics in churches and cathedrals all over Europe.

A thorn from Jesus' Crown - Sevilla

 

Santiago's tomb in the cathedral

 

 

 

What can the modern pilgrims to Santiago see in the way of relics as they walk across Spain to the relics of St James that lie in his silver casket in the crypt of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela?

Classes of relics:

1^st Class: part of the Saint (bone, hair, etc.) and the instruments of Christ's passion

2^nd Class: something owned by the Saint or instruments of torture used against a martyr

3^rd Class: something that has been touched to a 1st or 2nd Class Relic. You can make your own 3rd Class relics by touching an object to a 1st or 2nd Class Relic, including the tomb of a Saint.

El Cid - Burgos Cathedral

Here is a list of some of the relics still to be found in the churches of Spain. The list is far from complete. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of other relics – fragments of bone, wood, fabric, hair, thorns, nails, bread crumbs etc tucked away in Capillas, reliquaries and altars in the churches and cathedrals of Spain.

San Juan de la Pena:

Gilded silver urn contains the relics of San Indelcio,

Relics of St Felix and St Voto

Roncesvalles:

14^thC Gothic reliquary that contains bones from more than 30 Saints.

15^thC reliquary carved to look like a Saint’s arm

16^thC gold reliquary with 2 thorns from Jesus’ crown of thorns.

Pamplona:

14^thC reliquary with a fragment of the cross sent to Carlos 111 en Noble from Paris in 1401. In 1400 Emperor Manuel Palæologus gave to the Church of Pamplona a particle of the wood of the True Cross and another of the reputed blue vestment of Our Lord and the Holy Sepulchre; these relics are preserved in the cathedral.

Estella:

Iglesia de San Pedro de la Rua: Fragment of the true cross and a shoulder bone of San Andrés

Santo Domingo del Calzada:

Numerous reliquaries containing fragments of bone, cloth etc.

Logrono:

A chest bearing the relics of San Millán (11th century), decorated with ivory plaques,gold

and precious stones, and the chest of San Felices (11th century), with Romanesque bas

reliefs carved in ivory.

Burgos:

 

Capilla de las reliquias - Burgos

Capilla de la Relquias - bones from most of the apostles and many other saints.

The Black Christ by Nicodemus. "Santo Cristo de Burgos" an image of Christ crucified, from the fourteenth century

Five small relics of the Holy Cross of Christ, brought from Santo Toribio de Liébana in Cantabria.

A shrine of the Apostle Santiago, as well as many other relics of saints and Santas.

Leon:

San Isidoro’s 11^thC wood and silver plate reliquary

Urn reliquary with the remains of St Isidoro

Plateresque silver chest San Froilan’s relics

Enamelled reliquaries with fragment of the true cross

Astorga:
 

 

 

Santiago:

 

Cathedral: Tomb and relics of St James

Chapel of San Fernando: Reliquary containing the skull of James the Less

Capilla del Relicario. Two thorns from the crown of thorns

Camino del Norte y Primitivo

Oviedo:

 

Cathedral of Oviedo:

Five thorns (formerly eight) from the Crown of Thorns

A fragment of the True Cross

A cloth said to be Jesus' shroud or a grave cloth used to bind Our Lord's mouth duringHis entombment, which is now used to bless the people every Good Friday as well as each Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross (14 September)

A sandal worn by Pope St. Peter the Apostle

Camino Madrid:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Segovia:

Tiny silver frames with bone fragments.

S. Valerianni ; S. Crescenty.;

S. Severus; S. Clementis ;

Sta Felicissima: S. Celiani,

In principio erat verbum; Ubertus, victorius; Tiburio et Candida, mar:

S. Cosmas;

S. Cyrill;

S. Celia.

S. Modestiy

S. Celestiy

S. Vasil

S. Iago (yes, they also have a piece of our saint):

Santa Ana, Madre de la Virgen:
Santa Catalina;

Santa Ana Madalena: Apostle Bartholomew. Apostle Philip: Saint Nicholas of Myra:

Saint Frutos and his sister Engratia: The head of Saint Frutos:

Not on the camino, but a very important relic in Spain. In the Monastery of Santo Toribio of Liébana there is the relic of the Lignum Crucis, the largest surviving fragment of Christ’s Cross.

The Monastery was founded in Mount Viorna in the sixth century, although the current church is from the thirteenth century. Santo Toribio, along with Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela, is one of the four Christian holy pilgrimage sites.

 

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Antonio Barrero Aviles helped in compiling the list of religious relics along the camino. He has over 10 000 records and photographs of relics in Spain. You can see some of his huge collection of photographs here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25727578@N04/

Adrian Fletcher of Paradox Place gave permission to use some of his photographs.

http://www.paradoxplace.com/index.htm