Arrivals in Santiago impacted by the pandemic-some statistics

[happymarkos]

Greetings,
Tradition is that years that fall on a Sunday that coincide with the Saint's day are declared by the Cathedral Authorities as Holy Years. They occur in 5,6 and 11 years intervals. 2021 was such a Holy year. Pilgrims who visit the shrine are granted a plenary indulgence. As previously posted the Pope extended this to include 2022.

In 2019 there were nearly 350,000 compostelas' issued, 60,144 in 2020 and 178,912 in 2021, the majority being to Spanish people. Arrivals from other countries included USA 5668; Mexico 1526; UK 1450, Ireland 829; Canada, 558. The numbers from many others were quite small. Australia had 109 and New Zealand 28.

Trusting this is of interest.
Buen Camino
Mark

 

[Former member 102963]

Greetings,
Tradition is that years that fall on a Sunday that coincide with the Saint's day are declared by the Cathedral Authorities as Holy Years. They occur in 5,6 and 11 years intervals. 2021 was such a Holy year. Pilgrims who visit the shrine are granted a plenary indulgence. As previously posted the Pope extended this to include 2022.

In 2019 there were nearly 350,000 compostelas' issued, 60,144 in 2020 and 178,912 in 2021, the majority being to Spanish people. Arrivals from other countries included USA 5668; Mexico 1526; UK 1450, Ireland 829; Canada, 558. The numbers from many others were quite small. Australia had 109 and New Zealand 28.

Trusting this is of interest.
Buen Camino
Mark

Thank You Mark. Found the numbers interesting, both the aggregate level, and the nationality breakdown.

Ironically from my standpoint, without Covid I may never have done a camino!!! And now I have done 3. I was furloughed (UK resident/national) April 2020 and mid June 2020 was the first time we could leave UK - Portugal were allowing entry and there was a flight to Porto so off I went. No real plans to do a camino but after 3 days in Porto I woke up and thought 'why not' and just started walking. Though Spain was opening its borders to EU neighbours on 22 June, the Portuguese border was not being opened until 01 July, So I had a slow canter north and stayed in some lovely places for 2/3 nights. Eventually walked across border and arrived SdC on 06th July. My furlough was extended so I ambled around Spain and France for a while and decided to do another camino (Frances), which I duly started 26 Jul and finished 20 Aug. Previously I would never have had time to do this. Then did Norte in 2021.

Whilst the non Spanish numbers were low in 2020, still met folks from so many European countries, though of course very few from further afield!

 

[jl]

The numbers from many others were quite small. Australia had 109 and New Zealand 28.

For the interest of all those Aussies reading this, in the Holy Years of ; -

2004 there were 480 Aussies
2010 " " 1,191 Aussies
2016 " " 4,441 Aussies (Holy Year of Mercy) and as mentioned in the OP
2021 " " 109 Aussies

You might be interested to know that in 2019 there were 5,301 of us who were issued with a Compostela, and in 2020, despite the fact that our borders were closed to people coming in and out of the country there were 22 who were issued with Compostelas. That does not include those Aussies who were walking at the time of lockdowns occurring and leapt on the first plane they could in order to get home.

 

[Rmarkob]

For the interest of all those Aussies reading this, in the Holy Years of ; -

2004 there were 480 Aussies
2010 " " 1,191 Aussies
2016 " " 4,441 Aussies (Holy Year of Mercy) and as mentioned in the OP
2021 " " 109 Aussies

You might be interested to know that in 2019 there were 5,301 of us who were issued with a Compostela, and in 2020, despite the fact that our borders were closed to people coming in and out of the country there were 22 who were issued with Compostelas. That does not include those Aussies who were walking at the time of lockdowns occurring and leapt on the first plane they could in order to get home.

I met one Aussie in Sep/Oct 2021 on the CF, but he lived in London so was free to travel at that time. Similar situations may have accounted for some of those 2020 and 2021 Compostelas as well.