Bom Caminho de Vida!

[Jakke]

PCP is behind me and left me with tons of great memories, Facebook - and other friends!

Two wishes remain uppermost:
1) More activity by the churches.
I was invited just once. At least this camino will be no pilgrimage without a lot of activity from the peregrino/a

2) after the long wait for the compostela, I could not help but feel "processed". I know, I know - too many waiting, efficiency and all that. But it would have been much more meaningful if - for example - a priest would have blessed religious pilgrims on their continued Caminho de Vida.

My heartfelt thanks to all the peregrinos and others, who made this an experience I'll never forget!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Jakke, glad you have completed a first Camino.

I am sorry you feel it was lacking in something that is so important to you, the religious component. But you have to admit that you had been warned by many here on the Forum.

Very little feels religious at all on the Portugues, for lack of resources or other reasons, for that one has to head to the Frances with daily masses found much more often, albergues in monasteries, a few others like Tosantos and Granon that have a special vibe. You might even enjoy spending a few days with the monks in Rabanal. I hope you will want to walk the Frances one day, not in high season!, so you can find more of what you were hoping to experience.

And yes, Santiago is very anticlimatic for many, including for me the first time I walked in. Now it just feels like coming home, coming to see the cathedral "my old friend" and how her facelift has progressed since the last time I saw her. With the masses visiting things become less personal.

I wish you a safe journey back home.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

PCP is behind me and left me with tons of great memories, Facebook - and other friends!

Two wishes remain uppermost:
1) More activity by the churches.
I was invited just once. At least this camino will be no pilgrimage without a lot of activity from the peregrino/a

2) after the long wait for the compostela, I could not help but feel "processed". I know, I know - too many waiting, efficiency and all that. But it would have been much more meaningful if - for example - a prieI st would have blessed religious pilgrims on their continued Caminho de Vida.

My heartfelt thanks to all the peregrinos and others, who made this an experience I'll never forget!

Hi Jakke,

I'm so sorry your Camino was missing those things you felt so important...it must be frustrating and disappointing, since you prepared so much for a pilgrimage with religious interaction. If you are still in SdC maybe these are still going on
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/categories/religion.74/
and could help ease some of the disappointment.

For planning purposes of new pilgrims reading, I arrived very early in the morning in SdC, went to the Cathedral when it was empty, got my room, and waited for a time the pilgrims office looked pretty empty to get my compostella. they didn't have miles certificates then (bummer...would love to have had someone try to total mine) but I imagine that adds to the time everyone is waiting in line. So it probably makes for a tedious wait (unless one can also catch pokemons there) . I'd avoid prime times, or take something or someone to entertain me in line. I personally would not like anything else going on in that place (like a blessing) because it would add to congestion, and I don't like crowds. And some who are not walking with God in mind might not appreciate it but I really don't know. Where would you envision such a blessing taking place?

I glad you still had a good time and have great memories.

 

[Marion-SantiagoInLove]

Congratulations for your Camino!
More and more, a spiritual and/or religious Camino de Santiago have to be first from within... I'm sure you still had thing feeling, and it must have been a joy to walk this pilgrimage!
Santiago is a touristic bomb at the end of the Camino, always a strange/odd/terrible feeling to step into the "normal" world again... The pilgrim's office is now under Santiago's tourism office authority (and not the cathedral's anymore), which certainly make it feel even more touristy.
There are still ways to end your Camino in a more religious fashion; seek and ask for a priest's blessing at the cathedral if you're still in Snatiago
Congratulation again,
Ultreïa!

 

[Jakke]

Jakke, glad you have completed a first Camino.

I am sorry you feel it was lacking in something that is so important to you, the religious component. But you have to admit that you had been warned by many here on the Forum.

Very little feels religious at all on the Portugues, for lack of resources or other reasons, for that one has to head to the Frances with daily masses found much more often, albergues in monasteries, a few others like Tosantos and Granon that have a special vibe. You might even enjoy spending a few days with the monks in Rabanal. I hope you will want to walk the Frances one day, not in high season!, so you can find more of what you were hoping to experience.

And yes, Santiago is very anticlimatic for many, including for me the first time I walked in. Now it just feels like coming home, coming to see the cathedral "my old friend" and how her facelift has progressed since the last time I saw her. With the masses visiting things become less personal.

I wish you a safe journey back home.

Hi! Please, don't misread the thread. As a total experiece there are no regrets and I made it into a pilgrimage my own way. I was forewarned, but still - just one contact...

The CF has a much older infrastructure, including more of a religious element. The CPC is being developed right now. There are more services already. I wrote my remark hoping the churches wake up to this possibility.

My second suggestion could be easy to put into practice what with the various organisations there (the Huiskamer, etc) present. Cooperation and some voluntary priest could make it possible.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Jakke]

Hi Jakke,

I'm so sorry your Camino was missing those things you felt so important...it must be frustrating and disappointing, since you prepared so much for a pilgrimage with religious interaction. If you are still in SdC maybe these are still going on
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/categories/religion.74/
and could help ease some of the disappointment.

For planning purposes of new pilgrims reading, I arrived very early in the morning in SdC, went to the Cathedral when it was empty, got my room, and waited for a time the pilgrims office looked pretty empty to get my compostella. they didn't have miles certificates then (bummer...would love to have had someone try to total mine) but I imagine that adds to the time everyone is waiting in line. So it probably makes for a tedious wait (unless one can also catch pokemons there) . I'd avoid prime times, or take something or someone to entertain me in line. I personally would not like anything else going on in that place (like a blessing) because it would add to congestion, and I don't like crowds. And some who are not walking with God in mind might not appreciate it but I really don't know. Where would you envision such a blessing taking place?

I glad you still had a good time and have great memories.

Hi!

Note, that I wrote about religious pilgrims, who could be directed to a suitable spot near the exit. The blessing need only be a short prayer.

 

[Jakke]

Congratulations for your Camino!
More and more, a spiritual and/or religious Camino de Santiago have to be first from within... I'm sure you still had thing feeling, and it must have been a joy to walk this pilgrimage!
Santiago is a touristic bomb at the end of the Camino, always a strange/odd/terrible feeling to step into the "normal" world again... The pilgrim's office is now under Santiago's tourism office authority (and not the cathedral's anymore), which certainly make it feel even more touristy.
There are still ways to end your Camino in a more religious fashion; seek and ask for a priest's blessing at the cathedral if you're still in Snatiago
Congratulation again,
Ultreïa!

Good suggestion. I did not know that. There are some notices about services in various languages. A simple note about doing what you suggest might suffice. Thanks!