Earning the Compostela

[sillydoll]

I have always felt deeply soorry for people who walk 700km of the Camino and then stumble near the end and are refused a Compostela (like the girl from Brasil in the film 'Within the Way without')

In September I lead a group of 9 people over three sections of the Camino from St Jean to Santiago. One lovely peregrina managed the walk from St Jean to Orisson then on to Burguete the next day. She struggled each day and one day she walked for over 12 hours. Although we were in phone contact with her we were very concerned that she would only get into Los Arcos after dark.

She found the section from Rabanal to Molinaeseca very taxing as she had developed problems with the bones in her feet.

On the last section from Sarria she stayed behind one day with another member of our group to help a pilgrim who couldn't speak any English or Spanish. They left Casanova too late to reach Arzua so they got a taxi for the last 5km. "There goes my Compostela' she said when they arrived in Arzua. She resigned herself to a tourist certificate.

When she got to the Pilgrim's Office she told them that she would have to have the 'other' certificate. They looked at her credencial and asked her why. "I didn't walk the whole way" she said, "My friend and I had to take a taxi after helping a foreign pilgrim who needed medical treatment."

The person in the Pilgrim's Office told her that they weren't there to punish pilgrims, especially those who had walked as much as she had. She was given a Compostela.

I applaud the Pilgrims Office if there has been a softening on the strict application of that 100km rule, especially for pilgrims who have walked a long way.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Sil - I've just read this out to colleagues in the Office on a cold wet evening in Santiago when there are no pilgrims. They are very pleased and gratified that whoever dealt with the pilgrim you mention recognised that the essence of pilgrimage is in motivation, effort and in the case of the Compostela, arriving at the tomb of the Apostle. The 100 kms rule was introduced to ensure the pilgrimage and Compostela weren't trivialised. We believe it is all about the individual and their individual journey - if someone starts walking from Sarria but has to take a taxi for whatever reason then they are likely to be politely asked to return another year to finish the journey if the Compostela is important to them. Even here there have been honourable exceptions including a recent pilgrim who battled against all odds with a life threatening illness - asking them to come back another year would have been heartless and perhaps pointless. With long distance pilgrims we hope that if there have been problems and missing sellos we would all concentrate on the individual rather than only on the rule.

Best wishes

John

 

[sillydoll]

John - this pilgrim is a Catholic and walked the Camino in memory of her 18 year-old son who died tragically. Her intention and her commitment - and her determination and effort to earn the Compostela - made me feel almost ashamed that I do not ask for a Compostela. It meant so much to her that it was the highlight of the walk for me.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

So, how about the woman who started in St. Jean Pied de Port, battled foot problems all the way for 35 days, and took taxis for a few stretches in the last 100 km? She told herself, and others, that she had walked much more than the 100 km that the Sarria pilgrims had walked, spent many more days than they did, put in much more effort than they did, endured more than they did, was as Catholic as they were, and so simply told the Pilgrim Office that she had walked all the way and collected the Compostela. She then went to confession when she got home, and confessed to lying. She pretty much wrote her own rules for the level of effort that deserved a Compostela, and felt no qualms about it. Bureaucratic rules are, after all, just bureaucratic rules. She is very proud of her Compostela.

How right or wrong was she?

 

[grayland]

.....SNIP...
How right or wrong was she?

In my judgement...perfectly right.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

People tell lies every day in the Pilgrims' Office - that's a matter for them. Only they can know whether it is "right" or not. Have a look at Sex, lies and compostelas:

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot. ... telas.html

As for me....I can't see what point there is in having a certificate with my name on it when I had to lie to get it. The point of the original post is that she would probably have obtained it anyway had she explained the facts.

People who walk longer distances than others aren't better pilgrims and don't "qualify" more for anything in my view. Pilgrims are just...pilgrims.

Best wishes

John

 

[andy.d]

When Meenakshi, my daughter, and I arrived at the Pilgrim's Office a couple of weeks ago (looking like drowned rats) we knew we had not walked far enough for a Compostela; school holidays and flight schedules meant the Ingles from Coruna was our best option.

However, we got a wonderful and encouraging welcome from the folk in the Office. It still felt like finishing a pilgrimage (and of course we went to Pigrim's Mass, hugged the Apostle, prayed before the tomb, etc) so the Compostela didn't really matter to us. But I would like to stress how kind and welcoming all the folk in the Office were,

Andy

 

[Abbeydore]

Yes Yes being a pilgrim is all its about, the journey, simple.
Telling your story is wonderful too, it must be still your journey.

Being honest is easy to live with, & brings joy, Thank you.

 

[daesdaemar]

Your personal journey is the accomplishment. The Compostela is simply a remembrance/souvenir of what was hopefully a truly wonderful experience. I have two Compostelas and they are stashed away in a cabinet. They will be a nice reminder years from now.

 

[jpflavin1]

The process for receiving your Compestela, appeared to be very subjective. Some Pilgrims were queried for several minutes. Others appeared to walk up and walk away with their Compestela's. As I observed it was certain volunteers that asked a series of questions and even questioned the responses versus others just processed folks through as quickly as possible. This was just an observation on my part and is not a judgement in any way.

I am happy to read that some of the volunteers have shown empathy/flexibility in the guidelines for those who might not have met the exact criteria. It would seem rather punitive to deny someone a Compestela after walking 800km and taking a cab for the last 5k. I applaud that type of behavior.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Lydia Gillen]

I started in Pamplona this year and walked most of the way. However I got a bus the last day. Completely forgot that I was now disqualified from geting the Compostela and went to get it. It was only when the girl asked me if I had walked all the way from Sarria that the penny dropped and I replied truthfully that I had got a bus, and was about to turn away without the Compostella. she looked through my credential and said she would give it to me.
I was glad to get but it did not really worry me. I already had one. and I'll not be asked for it at the pearly gates.!!

The girl then asked me if I had had a companion and asked me to go and get her so that she could give her a Compostella also. I think that she was afraid that a another member of staff might refuse it. So it seems that some staff are more concerned with the spirit of awarding the Compostella rather than the strict letter of the law.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

To amplify the attitude of the peregrina of whom I wrote, she was a devout Catholic, and thought the Compostela an important symbol of her sacrifice and sin expiation. The Compostela translation says

El The Chapter of this Holy Apostolic Metropolitan Cathedral of St. James, custodian of the seal of St. James’ Altar, to all faithful and pilgrims who come from everywhere over the world as an act of devotion, under vow or promise to the Apostle’s Tomb, our Patron and Protector of Spain, witnesses in the sight of all who read this document, that: Mr…………………has visited devoutly this Sacred Church in a religious sense (pietatis causa).

Witness whereof I hand this document over to him, authenticated by the seal of this Sacred Church.

Given in St. James de Compostela on the (day)……(month)……A.D. ………

Canonicus Deputatus pro Peregrinis

It does not say anything about the last 100 km, and she viewed her effort and sacrifice as quite qualifying, and the Pilgrim Office rules as quite petty. She honestly believed that the Compostela was something of a ticket for forgiveness of sin (in a Holy Year, if you fulfill some additional requirements, you do get an extra forgiveness for your sins). She thought that the Compostela had become a symbol for the bragging rights that go with the last 100 km, rather than recognition of the pietatis causa in which she walked. In other words, the 100 km requirement actually diminished the point of the Compostela, and the result was the big rush to cover that final distance as an accomplishment, rather than a document of piety that showed devotion.

I had a hard time disagreeing with her. I pretty much viewed my documents as a "100 km documents," and would not want the bragging rights if I had not earned them. I lost focus on the real religious purpose of the Compostela, since I was a "spiritual" walker, not a religious pilgrim. In the most important aspect of its symbolism, I was much less deserving of the Compostela than she, even having plodded every inch of the last 100 km. I found her dilemma quite intriguing -- she had to lie to get the symbol of her piety, a piety that I did not doubt.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

she had to lie to get the symbol of her piety

Seems a contradiction in terms to me...but never mind...the same argument has raged for years..."it is only a piece of paper"..."who cares about rules?"...."it's just bureaucracy"..."if you've walked 2000,1500, 1000, 800, 500kms and skip a part...you deserve the Compostela just the same ( or even MORE) as the people who ONLY walk from Sarria.

The Compostela has nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins (how could it?) Rather it is simply a record of a journey well made for spiritual reasons. The Cathedral decided that in order that the concept of the pilgrimage and the awarding of the Compostela was not trivialised then it would be awarded to those who walk the last 100 kms or 200kms by bicycle

The100 kms rule is the leveller - it makes everyone the same in many ways in those last five days. And if it doesn't generate that feeling of solidarity and purpose to reach Santiago then surely being there, hugging the Saint and attending the pilgrims' mass does.

Best wishes

John

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Like so many things about St. James, it all is very nuanced. From the CSJ site:

It is widely claimed that in 1122 Pope Calixtus II gave Compostela the privilege of granting a plenary indulgence to those who visited the shrine of the Apostle in each year when the saint's day fell on a Sunday, and while there made their confession, attended Mass, gave a donation for the upkeep of the shrine, and undertook to perform good works. The papal bull of 1179 making the privilege perpetual is now thought to be a C15th forgery. The earliest documented account of indulgences granted to jacobean pilgrims by the Papacy dates from the mid-C13th, and the earliest jubilee year identified by Constance Storrs is 1395. In any case, the gaining of the plenary indulgence became a dominant motivation for the pilgrimage (in the C15th few pilgrims sailed from England except in Holy Years).

Confession and communion remained essential to the granting of the certificate of having completed the pilgrimage, first called la autentica. Originally hand-written and sealed, with slips of paper attesting confession and communion pasted on, it became in the C17th (printing reached Galicia very late) a printed document which included the confirmation of confession and communion. These two elements appear to have been dropped from the compostela in the mid-C18th, and the text as we now have it is little changed since then.

The plenary indulgence - never, as far as we know, a printed document - is still granted to those who visit the Cathedral and the tomb of the Apostle at any time during a Holy Year, make their confession, attend Mass, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and undertake some charitable work (this can include a charitable donation). It is not also necessary to fulfil the conditions for the granting of the Compostela. The indulgence may be gained on behalf of the dead.

Interestingly, a notice in the pilgrim office in June 2006 said that the plenary indulgence is given not only in Holy Years, but also in ordinary years on Easter Sunday; 21st April (the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral); and on St James's three feast days (23 May - the Apparition; 25 July - his martyrdom; and 30 December - the translation of the relics).

So the Compostela has been, but is not currently, necessary for a plenary indulgence (or other sin-related forgiveness). Pilgrims will have widely different views on its significance to themselves.

The100 kms rule is the leveller - it makes everyone the same in many ways in those last five days.

That is the accepted justification for the rule(s) by the Pilgrim Office and the Cathedral, and has some logic behind it. I can see why pilgrims have widely varying attitudes toward the rule. Personally, I would not lie to get a Compostela, but then it is just a piece of paper to me -- the best souvenir I could find in Santiago. Were I a devout Catholic who actually thought the paper recognition of my sacrifice and devotion was a material part of my spiritual salvation, I might think differently. Were it my role to pass judgement on my friend, I would probably say she did a wrong thing. Fortunately, that it not my role in life!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

ISo the Compostela has been, but is not currently, necessary for a plenary indulgence (or other sin-related forgiveness).

Yes it is remarkable how things change in 300 years!

 

[Soliwo]

Contrary to most of you, I am not even sure if I would want a Compostella. Yes, it is a spiritual quest for me, perhaps even religious, but not a Christian one for me. I am not sure whether it would be respectful to their God or to my own gods as a pagan. In any case, I won't be doing this in His name. This is an issue for me, apparently not so much for others, since I haven't seen anyone else address it yet.