Sellos and the Credencial

sillydoll · Nov 23, 2012

I'm pleased that Johnny has cleared up the confusion about 'qualifying' sellos on the Caminos. I too was under the impression that the pilgrim's office would be less inclined to offer the Compostela if the majority of sellos in the credencial were from hotels, restaurants and cafe-bars.

The Confraternity of St James warns against staying only in hotels as the 'sellos' (stamps) one gets in the credencial will prove to the pilgrims office that you did not do the Camino in an 'authentic' way.

Re; staying in hotels .... you might well find that the cathedral makes difficulties over the issue of your compostela document. This may not matter to you, but the Pilgrim Passport, a) gives you access to the refugios, and b) proves to the cathedral authorities, when you arrive - and they do look closely at the stamps which you are supposed to get each day - that you have made the pilgrimage the "authentic" way.

I've always believed that it shouldn't matter where you sleep - as long as you walk the path with the right intention.

tyrrek · Nov 23, 2012

I've never had a problem with different types of stamps when arriving at the Pilgrim's Office. I generally stay in a mix of albergues and hostals and just get a stamp wherever I stay. Maybe also at a bar during the day as well, but very rarely a church or town hall etc.

Buen Camino!

sillydoll · Nov 23, 2012

The CSJ recommends getting stamps at the refugio, a church, town hall (ayuntamiento) or the local office - cuartel - of the Guardia Civil.

I find a lot of churches closed during the day and some don't have stamps (eg Melide) and I've never asked at a Town Hall or Police station. It is easier to get a stamp at a cafe-bar or at the pension/hostal/albergue where you are staying.

JohnnieWalker · Nov 23, 2012

sillydoll said:
The Confraternity of St James warns against staying only in hotels as the 'sellos' (stamps) one gets in the credencial will prove to the pilgrims office that you did not do the Camino in an 'authentic' way.

Re; staying in hotels .... you might well find that the cathedral makes difficulties over the issue of your compostela document. This may not matter to you, but the Pilgrim Passport, a) gives you access to the refugios, and b) proves to the cathedral authorities, when you arrive - and they do look closely at the stamps which you are supposed to get each day - that you have made the pilgrimage the "authentic" way.

This advice is wrong. The Pilgrims' Office has no such requirement. Here is the policy on obtaining sellos:

"The Credencial also clearly states that pilgrims should obtain at least two sellos per day. You must ensure that you do this at least in the last 100 kms from the Cathedral of Santiago if you are walking or on horseback and 200 kms if you are travelling by bicycle."

"The Credencial then has panels with boxes in which sellos should be collected. These are usually collected by pilgrims in the place where they sleep such as an albergue. They can also be obtained in Churches, hostales, ayuntamientos and many other places along the routes to Santiago."

Source: http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/pilgri ... redencial/

As far as I can tell someone in the very distant past got the impression that credenciales full of sellos from bars were undesirable. The CSJ is aware of the above policy but may take some time to change their literature. They have now updated their information on the policy concerning carrying rucksacks - there is no requirement for pilgrims to carry their rucksack to Santiago - only that they carry themselves on their own feet, bicycle or horse!

I hope this helps.

John

sillydoll · Nov 23, 2012

Thanks John - its good to have someone in the office to confirm these misconceptions.

I like to have Church or Cathedral sellos but it isn't that easy to get them anymore.

Deleted member 3000 · Nov 23, 2012

Bars may be the only places open!!!

methodist.pilgrim.98 · Nov 23, 2012

John

Apologies that this was posted on another thread.

In December 2010 I saw a lady whose credential only contained bar stamps refused a Compostella. My Spanish is pretty non-existent but the word bar kept coming up in the conversation.

She was upset.

I accept all that has been said above but I would not risk turning up with just a bar filled credential.

JohnnieWalker · Nov 23, 2012

Philip

As I explained in the other thread: there is no risk. The CSJ advice on this matter is wrong. See the Pilgrims' Office policy here: http://www.peregrinossantiago.es/

I have asked everyone in the Office and the consensus is that if someone was refused a compostela it would certainly not have been because of the source of the sellos - on that matter the office has no views apart from that they should exist!

Lise T said:
I was wondering if I could use this topic for my question...when I did my first Camino and went to the office to be my certificate I was asked if I "did it for Relgious or Tourist reasons?"
I said Relgious...and got my certificate in Latin. Which was OK...but they put my first name in Latin. Which when I got home and looked at it...it doenst mean anything to me as my name is Lise not Elizabethany. :|

I like having it in Latin...but for it to go on my wall I want it to say my name. So is it possible for my next Camino to request it in my own name? Or do I need to say "Tourist" reasons and get it in English?

Lise - Since the Compostela is in Latin the tradition is that the first name of the pilgrim is also written in Latin. The reference books say that your name "Lise" is derived from Elisabeth hence the Latin version which was inscribed on your Compostela. If you don;t want to follow the tradition next time you should ask for your name to be written as it is before the Compostela is prepared.

Best wishes

John

Deleted member 3000 · Nov 24, 2012

I walked with Donald Kay. His last name was translated as Katherine on his compostela! Since it is Scots, Kay rather than McKay, he asked for a re-write, and got it!

JohnnieWalker · Nov 24, 2012

falcon269 said:
I walked with Donald Kay. His last name was translated as Katherine on his compostela! Since it is Scots, Kay rather than McKay, he asked for a re-write, and got it!

Falcon - thanks. This made me laugh out loud and will go down very well in the office. There are several databases of names and of course they don't always work as you have demonstrated. Common sense must always prevail but in this country of rules colleagues sometimes stick too closely to the database!

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