Pilgrim Tradition No More

[Adrianne]

Hello Fellow Perrigrinos:

I may have been one of the last pilgrims to partake in the centuries old tradition of placing one's hand in the time worn print of other pilgrims, and touched my head upon "St. Bump" to gain his knowledge.

I arrived in Santiago late in the afternoon of May 30. Had the privilege and opportunity to partake of thse time-honored traditions. Only to have my travelling companion told by a guard that they could look, but not touch! The next day, the tree of knowledge was barred off, enabling you to look, but dare not touch.

Want all my fellow pilgrims to know about this most recent change. I would have been heartbroken to arrive in Santiago, expecting to take part in a nearly thousand year old tradition, only to learn that the tradition is no more!

Adrianne

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Fascinating as it was closed off for restoration for a considerable time last year - perhaps others have an update on this?

 

[ivar]

La Voz de Galicia today has an article were the headline says something like "The biggest restoration project since its creation starts", referring to the portico de la gloria. It mentions that it will be done for the holy year in 2010.

It has been closed off by a metal fence for a while now, making it not possible to touch the column. But that fence might have been taken down for this new remodeling? Not sure...

[added later: Here is a link to El Correo Gallego with more on this.]

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Red Kite]

It was certainly cordoned off when we arrived on the 29th of May.

Mind you, the rain that day was almost apocalyptical, so we were too saturated to hang around.

 

[lanval]

When I was there in May, it was blocked off.

However, one of my traveling companions is blind and when the security personnel saw him standing by the pillar, they offered to let him touch it. We were quite pleased that he was given the opportunity as the Camino was obviously a very tactile and auditory experience for him.

 

[ivar]

Just an update on this. El Correo Gallego reports today that the "Scientific Committee" that are in charge of the restoration of "el portico de la gloria" had their first meeting today.

So I guess the restoration project is coming along... slowly.

Saludos,
Ivar