Antonius Vaessen
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2015-2016 VdlPlata - Sanabres
2016.Primitivo
2017 Salvador
2018 Norte (to Sobrado)
2019 Norte again
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I have read this thread with interest and hope that a Moderator will pipe in at some point to provide the definitive answer to the question.
I will be walking the Camino del Norte starting in May. I am thinking of making my own credencial. Will albergues accept this as proof that I am a "genuin pilgrim"? (If it will be accepted in Santiago to get a Compostella for me is not very important)
Reading your post I realised that the wording of my post is unclear. By "genuine pilgrim" I only meant : will a homemade credencial be accepted in albergues. Wheather I am a pilgrim or long distance walker is not an important question to me.Well, the moderators sure do know a lot, they are experienced pilgrims and I have confidence they have a lot of insight into the topic. But moderating a forum doesn't necessarily mean to know more or having definitive answers. Especially in this case, there simply is no definitive answer to the original question:
There are different albuerge owners who have different motivations. As davebugg cited, one purpose of the credencial is "access to hostels offered by the Christian hospitality of the Way". Thus, an albuerge parroquial could demand an officially issued credencial. A privately run hostel, camping site or albergue municipal would have no reason to insist on that. All of them want to sell their places, so it's highly unlikely that you get sent away anywhere due to a self-made credencial.
Antonius' question though is not focussed on being admitted at an albuerge, but if he will be seen as a "genuine pilgrim". But who would decide that? In the end, that's a religious question. A credencial of any kind won't make you a genuine pilgrim, if you don't feel like one yourself. It's your heart, your mind, your soul, your spirit and your belief which make you a pilgrim.
That's probably not the definitive answer you're seeking, but I couldn't find a shorter and equally honest one.
Buen camino
Harald
However, the "official word" I heard last year was that you would only be issued the Compostela if you had an official Credential.
Reading your post I realised that the wording of my post is unclear. By "genuine pilgrim" I only meant : will a homemade credencial be accepted in albergues. Wheather I am a pilgrim or long distance walker is not an important question to me.
Thank you for letting us know, Kanga.If I wanted to stay in albergues run by any of the religious orders I would have an official credential, approved by the cathedral authorities.
Yes, that's right! As the pilgrim's office website states, you can only obtain a compostela with an official credencial. They are issued either by the Office of Pilgrimages of the Diocese of Santiago or by other associations who have been permitted to do so. Where I live (Germany), we have 9 such associations who can issue credencials which are accepted at the office at Santiago. That's where a self-made credencial is of no use.
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