The Way to the Portal of Glory: The Christian Meaning of the Jacobean Pilgrimage
For many centuries pilgrims set out on the Way of Saint James in search of meaning in their lives. An answer to the questions that everyone asks themselves at some point in their lives: What is the deepest meaning of my existence? What or who can
How to choose a good backpack for the Way of Saint James?
The pilgrim faces in each stage to Santiago de Compostela more than twenty kilometres walking with all his belongings loaded on his back. Excess weight or poor weight distribution can cause the pilgrim discomfort and even neck contractures and knee injuries.
Training and stretching for the Way of Saint James
The Way of Saint James involves physical effort for the pilgrim. Those who decide to do it all the way face more than seven hundred kilometres to Santiago de Compostela. For the pilgrim who decides to walk only the hundred kilometres necessary to reach Compostela, the
What is the Compostela and how do I get it?
The Compostela, also known erroneously as the Compostelana, is the document that certifies that the pilgrim has completed the Way of Saint James. It is an accreditation granted by the Church to anyone who covers at least the last 100 km of the route on foot
The Way of Saint James: more than 1,200 years of pilgrimage
To find out the origin of the Way of Saint James, we must turn to the Codex Calixtinus. It is the referenced manuscript for the Jacobean tradition. It contains numerous liturgical texts with revealing contributions that allow us to understand the origin of the pilgrimage.
The Compostelan Holy Year
The Holy Year or Compostelan Jubilee is celebrated every time 25 July, the Apostle's feast day, falls on a Sunday. This event occurs every six, five, six and eleven years.
Insects, mite, tick, centipede, and millipede bites
In the summer season mosquitoes annoyingly accompany pilgrims on their walk through some of the places along the Way of Saint James. However, they are not the only ones. Among these common insects that bite and sometimes suck blood are also horseflies, fleas, lice, bedbugs and
Bee, wasp, and hornet stings
Stings by bees, wasps and hornets are very common in rural Spain. The Pilgrim's Way to Santiago crosses forests and meadows, and sometimes runs parallel to rivers and streams. Small insects abound in these areas, and pilgrims should be aware of the possibility of being stung.
How to deal with spider bites on the Way of Saint James
The Way of Saint James crosses in its different stages from large forests to meadows full of livestock. Although the company of large animals can be fun, the company of small arthropods, such as spiders, can be annoying and dangerous.
Stings and bites from marine animals
It is common for pilgrims, after their long walk to the tomb of the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, to enjoy a well-deserved rest on the Galician coast. But at sea, as on land, there is a whole world of animals to be aware of, which
