The Pilgrim Mass at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

I've attended the pilgrim masses a number of times and have never heard anyone's name mentioned. They will sometimes refer to the numbers of pilgrims from particular countries, and will often mention how many start out from a particular point (e.g., 8 from Estella, 23 from Lugo, etc). Remember that there can be hundreds arriving on a particular day and reading out their names could take a chunk of time.

No names. Nationality, starting point, and numbers are announced. It was before the noon mass yesterday. There is on the altar, so the 1930 mass was in the chapel off the main apse. I do not know how long the repairs will be going on. They simply announced for all waiting pilgrims to change rooms!

Back in the day, when far fewer pilgrims arrived daily at Santiago, they WERE in the habit of reading individual names. But that is LONG AGO.

Presently, they summarize by nationality and starting point. Hey, the BIG GUY knows! It's all good!

falcon269 said:

No names. Nationality, starting point, and numbers are announced. It was before the noon mass yesterday. There is on the altar, so the 1930 mass was in the chapel off the main apse. I do not know how long the repairs will be going on. They simply announced for all waiting pilgrims to change rooms!

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Idem when I attented today.

IzzyFerrari said:

Great to know. We would like to take the day trip to Finesterre and it leaves Santiago around 9am and returns around 7pm and didn't want to miss our names being called. Knowing this, we can attend any one of the pilgrim's mass' during the 2 days we are in Santiago. Thank you for answering my question so quickly

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No I don't think that's the case: I think the pilgrims summaries are only read out once at noon mass, they are a list of those people who registered for their Compostela in the previous 24 hours. Last time I was there I only went to the evening mass and I don't recall anyone's details being read out. So that would mean you have to attend a specific noon mass. Can anyone confirm this?

Depending on your nationality and starting point, you may have no 'proof' of being included, so for example, the priest might say 'From St Jean: 48 Americans, 27 French, 9 Koreans and one from Uzbekistan', so if you come from a well represented nation, and start somewhere popular, you are bunched together. Only the Uzbek guy is really sure he has been 'mentioned'.

But it isn't really the reading out of individual names that's the important thing. The lists provide a sense of the diversity and achievement that add up to what's being celebrated. All the pilgrims are prayed for and receive a blessing.