kenwilltravel
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Portuguese Coastal (2018)
Portuguese Coastal, with Spiritual Variant (2019)
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The closest thing to a governing body is the cathedral chapter. The pilgrim office is a department of the cathedral. The chapter decide which routes it will recognize and endorse as official for Compostela purposes. A different but related question is international recognition by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site designation. Since the initial recognition of certain routes in 1993 others have been added. If you are interested in the rather dry summaries and supporting texts for the UNESCO listings you can find some of that on this website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/669/Is there a governing body (the Pilgrims Office, for example) that has the final word?
Virtually all of the original routes are under macadam. Deer, then men with oxen followed the routes of least resistance. When motorized vehicles were invented, these original routes were paved for exactly the same reason they arose in the first place -- they were easiest.I'm aware that most of the major Camino routes (Frances, Portugues, etc.) were chosen because they replicate the paths that medieval pilgrims took to Santiago de Compostela.
As far as I can tell, much of the research is done by local associations, ie local people, mostly volunteers, who are interested and enthusiastic about such a project.But what about the other routes? Who did the research to get them accepted? I'm particularly interested in how some of the minor or alternative routes, like the Portuguese Coastal and Spiritual Variant, came to be included, since they don't seem to have medieval roots.
This may interest you: an article as recent as June 2019. If my limited Spanish does not fail me completely, it describes how the Dean of the Santiago Cathedral recognises a new Jacobean route, namely the "Camiño da Geira e dos Arrieiros de Braga a Santiago". Again, it's a local association that presents the documentation, and the Dean says that it fulfills "the conditions of other pilgrimage paths" so that "the Compostela is granted".But does anyone have any information about when and how these routes were chosen? In other words, who made the decision and what criteria did they use? Is there a governing body (the Pilgrims Office, for example) that has the final word?
You would not have been able to walk these trails, or even know about them, if some people had not cared enough to research them and apply for their recognition and for funds ...I don't personally care about any of that. I just enjoy walking! I walked the Portuguese camino last spring; a portion on the coastal, a portion on the central and I included the sprliritual variant
True! I agree! No disputing that! I'm a lucky lady for sure!You would not have been able to walk these trails, or even know about them, if some people had not cared enough to research them and apply for their recognition and for funds ...
Until relatively recently the officially recognised trails have simply been a convenience for pilgrims rather than a restriction placed upon them. We remain free to follow routes of our own devising which take in places of personal significance and interest though the cathedral will no longer necessarily recognise such journeys with a Compostela. Is the precise route followed or the final destination most important in defining a journey as a pilgrimage? While I value the pilgrim infrastructure which generally comes with official recognition of a route I do not need that endorsement to consider my journey a pilgrimage.You would not have been able to walk these trails, or even know about them, if some people had not cared enough to research them and apply for their recognition and for funds ...
But how many people would walk the Camino Portugues and the Variante Espiritual without it all?While I value the pilgrim infrastructure which generally comes with official recognition of a route I do not need that endorsement to consider my journey a pilgrimage.
I expect that very few would choose to walk an 'unofficial' route.The actual numbers are of less interest to me than the general principle involved. I would be interested to learn the cathedral's rationale for restricting the Compostela to those who follow officially recognised routes. Unfortunately I can find no reference to when this decision was made and on what grounds.But how many people would walk the Camino Portugues and the Variante Espiritual without it all?
I agree. I find this ultra weird. However, the question raised by the OP is not why but how recognised Camino routes come into existence.I would be interested to learn the cathedral's rationale for restricting the Compostela to those who follow officially recognised routes. Unfortunately I can find no reference to when this decision was made and on what grounds.
None? How many would walk any route, even the lauded Frances, without the infrastructure? The modern camino is, IMO, utterly dependent on the infrastructure that supports it and the publicity that drives it.But how many people would walk the Camino Portugues and the Variante Espiritual without it all?
Thanks for posting this Falcon. A fascinating resource.You can see the Roman additions to roads, not just pilgrimage routes, here:
I always imagine a Centurion climbing over Alto del Perdon from Pamplona (est. by Pompeo in about 75 BC) instead of following the valley near Tiebas to Puente La Reina! My imagination always fails me.the easiest way to get from Point A to Point B
Frederic Gros, Phylosophy of Walking, Ch 13, provides some sort of an account of the emergence of the modern pilgrimage paths - Camino Frances in particular. You might find it interesting.I'm aware that most of the major Camino routes (Frances, Portugues, etc.) were chosen because they replicate the paths that medieval pilgrims took to Santiago de Compostela. But does anyone have any information about when and how these routes were chosen? In other words, who made the decision and what criteria did they use? Is there a governing body (the Pilgrims Office, for example) that has the final word?
I understand, for example, that historical research done by Fr. Elías Valiña Sampedro in the 1980s played a big role in delineating the Frances. But what about the other routes? Who did the research to get them accepted? I'm particularly interested in how some of the minor or alternative routes, like the Portuguese Coastal and Spiritual Variant, came to be included, since they don't seem to have medieval roots. Did local economic boosterism play a role?
Sorry about such an open-ended question but anything that points me in the right direction would be appreciated. Thanks!
I'm aware that most of the major Camino routes (Frances, Portugues, etc.) were chosen because they replicate the paths that medieval pilgrims took to Santiago de Compostela. But does anyone have any information about when and how these routes were chosen? In other words, who made the decision and what criteria did they use? Is there a governing body (the Pilgrims Office, for example) that has the final word?
You've got the painted yellow arrows, but then you also have the more official-looking distance markers in the shape of obelisks. One would suppose that the painted arrows are the responsibility of the private associations, but surely the expensive distance markers are installed by some governmental entity?Interesting thread. I first thought it was going to address the questions I have of who paints the yellow arrows, how do they know where to paint them, and do they ever get in trouble for defacing property when they put them on stone walls, buildings, and private property? I keep reading no one is in charge, but someone is making decisions somewhere.
Interesting thread. I first thought it was going to address the questions I have of who paints the yellow arrows, how do they know where to paint them, and do they ever get in trouble for defacing property when they put them on stone walls, buildings, and private property? I keep reading no one is in charge, but someone is making decisions somewhere.
I answered my own question. It's the regional junta of Galicia and the various provinces responsible for the mojones (https://translate.google.com/transl...l-camino-de-santiago-donde-estan/&prev=search). And here's another article that adds more info about the mojones and yellow arrows (https://translate.google.com/transl...llas-mojones-concha-del-peregrino&prev=search).You've got the painted yellow arrows, but then you also have the more official-looking distance markers in the shape of obelisks. One would suppose that the painted arrows are the responsibility of the private associations, but surely the expensive distance markers are installed by some governmental entity?
As I walked from Pamplona to Alto del Perdon, up through the fields of grain I had no difficulty imagining a Roman soldier on horseback riding up the trail behind me.I always imagine a Centurion climbing over Alto del Perdon from Pamplona (est. by Pompeo in about 75 BC) instead of following the valley near Tiebas to Puente La Reina! My imagination always fails me.
Not everyone does - otherwise we would all be reaching Santiago by train. Some of us are gluttons for punishmentGiven a choice, a traveler takes the easy route,
I was differentiating travelers from PilgrimsNot everyone does - otherwise we would all be reaching Santiago by train. Some of us are gluttons for punishment
Why? And how?I was differentiating travelers from Pilgrims
Self descriptionWhy? And how?
They didn't go walk it, I am willing to bet, so Google Maps and/or GPS would be my guess.However does anyone know why the reduction ?
I worked in the Pilgrims Office earlier this year and we had a piece of software that showed "official" distances for various routes. From St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago was 779 km (compared to 713 from Pamplona, for example). That was on every distance certificate I wrote covering that stretch of the CF. Nobody ever questioned it. Can't say how you got 799 in 2017 but the voluntario who wrote up your certificate last week was just going by what he or she saw on the screen.I was quite surprised when I got my certificate of distance for the CF , last week,to find that it has been reduced from 799 kms( in 2017) to 779 kms , my legs severely dispute this !! However does anyone know why the reduction ?
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