Statue of St James

[Oregon Pilgrims]

Hi ... In "The Way" it said the traditional way to approach the statue of St James is on one's knees. I cannot find this discussed anywhere else, in literature, on the web, etc. - does anyone have any experience/information regarding this tradition?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It may be academic at the moment; there is scaffolding all around the Tree of Jesse and the other pillars. You can barely see any of the statues, so approaching on knees will not be easy. Who knows where some of these traditions originate? In a thousand years, there may be many. Perhaps at one time everyone left a chicken, or sacrificed a dove. Do your own thing (boy does that date me).

 

[mspath]

For a wealth of material to further investigate try Googling these four terms
together in one search
-- walking on knees, pilgrimage, penance, Santiago de Compostela

Happy research,

Margaret Meredith

 

[Ice]

I watched a documentary on the camino that discussed this, not that I can remember the name. All I remember is that it shows thankfulness for a safe arrival.

 

[t2andreo]

The statement in the movie is made by the Dutch fellow who is reading directly from his guidebook. So, this is where his character got the idea.

On a practical note. This scene and the relevant statue of St. James is located at the Portico of Glory. I believe this area has been "fenced off" to prevent more pilgrims from placing their hands in the imprint on the Tree of Jesse. However, I do not know if this was temporary, as part of the restorations going on, or intentional to protect these priceless artifacts.

Will anyone who has the facts add to this thread?

Thanks.

 

[Ice]

The same documentary (again I'm sorry I don't have the title) said that pilgrims are no longer allowed to place their hand there due to the need to preserve it.

 

[Diogo92]

The same documentary (again I'm sorry I don't have the title) said that pilgrims are no longer allowed to place their hand there due to the need to preserve it.

Yeap, that's correct. It wasn't just putting your hand in there, it was also hitting your ahead against it

 

[Dael]

Sorry to be pedantic, but, "head banging" isn't quite correct - on the reverse side of the Tree of Jesse is a statue thought to be of one of the architects of the building Master Mateau. Pilgrims touched their forehead to the statues' forehead 3 times to share his knowledge.

 

[Rambler]

I believe this area has been "fenced off" to prevent more pilgrims from placing their hands in the imprint on the Tree of Jesse. However, I do not know if this was temporary, as part of the restorations going on, or intentional to protect these priceless artifacts.

Will anyone who has the facts add to this thread?

Thanks.

I know this area was under restoration in 2008. has the scaffolding been up ever since? Is it true it can no longer be touched?
Ivar, JWalker?

That was something I was looking forward to this time.
Rambler

 

[domigee]

In August 2012 and 2013 it was still fenced off.

 

[Diogo92]

Sorry to be pedantic, but, "head banging" isn't quite correct - on the reverse side of the Tree of Jesse is a statue thought to be of one of the architects of the building Master Mateau. Pilgrims touched their forehead to the statues' forehead 3 times to share his knowledge.

No problem with that

I know this area was under restoration in 2008. has the scaffolding been up ever since? Is it true it can no longer be touched?
Ivar, JWalker?

That was something I was looking forward to this time.
Rambler

For what I remeber of pictures and for being there, it's still fenced.

 

[Laliibeans]

That's disappointing. I heard they were working on a protective resin to coat the hand print in so that in future there would be little need to worry about further degradation from people touching it. I was really hoping to be able to be a part of that tradition as a way of connecting to the many thousands of people who came before me.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

I was fortunate to first visit Santiago de Compostela in 1990 and was able to place my hand in the indentation made by pilgrims of old - I find that I disagree with the intended aim of preserving the handprint - I would prefer it to be worn out and replaced eventually with fresh stone - otherwise we are preserving a tourist attraction rather than acknowledging a tradition that every pilgrim should enjoy

 

[jeffnd]

Currently you are unable to go through the doors that lead to the tree of Jesse. You have use the side doors, but you can still go up to it, but not touch.

Sort of like what Kevin said, maybe they should "retire" the pillar and have a modern-day master carve a new one. The old one could be placed somewhere honorable in the cathedral and the new one could take it's place, ready for all of our dirty hands. Then, in a 1000 years, they can replace that one with a new one!

 

[Mark Lee]

Let the peregrinos wear it out with their touch. I'm sure even then it would still last a couple hundred more years. Then replace it.
To not allow peregrinos to touch it is like putting plastic covers on your furniture at home.
I'm sure St. James himself would say, "wear it out".....

 

[Kathy F.]

I know this may seem heretical to some, especially since I write this during Holy Week, but being unable to actually touch the spot on the lovely Jesse Tree in the Cathedral in Santiago did not disappoint me. I was grateful to finally see it with my own eyes and felt blessed that I had arrived.

I knew that touching the pillar was a tradition. But I had arrived in the House of God, the point of my journey, and that was the bigger picture and more important to me.

I arrived in Santiago in the evening. The majority of pilgrims had arrived earlier in the day and were, by then, settling down in their albergues and having celebratory dinners with friends.

Still carrying my backpack, I walked into the Cathedral and found a deserted pew. I knelt and prayed in gratitude for all the people I had met, the struggles I had survived, the loved ones who had supported me, the kindness of strangers. I felt surrounded by good will and peace.

I thanked the Saints who had been "with" me throughout the trip and provided good directions, humor, and faith through my journey. I asked for help to figure out how to put what I had gotten from my Camino into the life I would soon return to.

There is a tradition of leaving a stone representing all your troubles and cares in front of various crosses you encounter along the way. I didn't do that, either. By the time my journey ended, I felt that I had no need to leave my burdens, represented by a stone. My burdens were a part of me I could joyfully carry and would almost miss if I didn't have them with me - it would leave me somewhat off balance, if that makes any sense.

Without burdens pulling you down, how do you gain the strength to stand up straight?

That stone, which I had carried from Paris, is on my dresser.

By the way, I returned to the Cathedral a few more times before it was time for my return trip home. The crowds were such that NO WAY would anyone have a chance to crawl on their hands and knees to the pillar, unless they wanted to be the cause of an inadvertent stampede, with people tripping over them right and left, LOL.

 

[xin loi]

Santiago Traditions?--In Santiago de Atilan in Guatemala at 3 PM this Friday they will take the statue of Saint Mary and the statue of Saint John out of their respective churches and place them in separate jail cells until Easter Sunday morning. Somehow they believe that Mary and John got together after the crucifixion and do this to ensure it does not happen in Santiago. No one knows how that tradition started either.

 

[krazeekuban]

The restoration continues inside and outside for another 4 years and there is A LOT of scaffolds. I am glad I was there before they started, during and hopefully see it completed.

 

[shefollowsshells]

That's disappointing. I heard they were working on a protective resin to coat the hand print in so that in future there would be little need to worry about further degradation from people touching it. I was really hoping to be able to be a part of that tradition as a way of connecting to the many thousands of people who came before me.

I wish they would realize that the degradation is beautiful...it tells such a story...to show the place where pilgrims for many years have all placed their hand is stunningly beautiful in my eyes.
What a story in itself.

 

[MichaelSG]

Hi ... In "The Way" it said the traditional way to approach the statue of St James is on one's knees. I cannot find this discussed anywhere else, in literature, on the web, etc. - does anyone have any experience/information regarding this tradition?

Pilgrims now approach the pillar / Tree of Jesse on their knees as this is the only way to pass under the barrier around it.

BTW, I am in the camp that says the pillar was made more beautiful and more holy by the millions of pilgrims who touched it. "Preserving" it does turn a beautiful tradition into a poor tourist attraction. How sad.