Who called you, pilgrim?

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

During my first week on the Camino I saw the thoughts of a pilgrim who wrote them in German on a large noise barrier.


Who has called you, pilgrim?
Dust, mud, sunshine and rain
that is the way to Santiago.
Thousands of pilgrims
and more than a thousand years.

Who has called you?
Which secret power attracted you?
Neither it was the starry sky,
nor the cathedrals.

Neither was it the bravery of Navarre
nor the wine of Rioja,
not the seafood of Galicia
and also not the fields of Castile.

Pilgrim, who has called you?
Which irresistible power attracted you?
Neither the pilgrims on the way,
nor the traditions of the country.

Neither the culture and the history,
nor the cock of Santo Domingo,
not the palace of Gaudi
and also not the Castle of Ponferrada.

All this you saw in passing
and it was a great pleasure for you
but you felt the voice who was calling
deep inside you.

The force, that drove you
the power, which attracted you
I also have no explanation for it.
Only HE can explain it

I like these lines very much and in my opinion it´s a great pity that they can only be understood by the German speaking pilgrims.

Such beautiful texts are not so easy to translate without losing their special expressiveness - I hope it succeeded and you like it like I do.

 

[Bala]

I love this. So moving. We recited this poem in 5 (?) languages at the prayer service at LaFaba. I had the honor of giving it in English. Somewhere I have the poet's name, but it will take me a while to look it up. Maybe someone else can provide it first. Thanks for posting. It brings back such special memories.

 

[SYates]

This poem was actually written by a Spanish priest, Don Eugenio Garibay Baños, who has sadly died several years ago. You can find it shortly before Najera on a concrete wall.
BC SY

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

In 2015, as I was entering El Burgo Ranero, a man appeared out of nowhere and identified himself as the local priest. He asked what my language was and presented me with a copy of this same prayer poem. He led me to the albergue, maybe blessed me and wished me "buen camino," and disappeared. When I asked other pilgrims if they had met the priest, no one else had encountered him. He was one of many mysteries of a mystical day.

 

[Jane Silverman]

During my first week on the Camino I saw the thoughts of a pilgrim who wrote them in German on a large noise barrier.


Who has called you, pilgrim?
Dust, mud, sunshine and rain
that is the way to Santiago.
Thousands of pilgrims
and more than a thousand years.

Who has called you?
Which secret power attracted you?
Neither it was the starry sky,
nor the cathedrals.

Neither was it the bravery of Navarre
nor the wine of Rioja,
not the seafood of Galicia
and also not the fields of Castile.

Pilgrim, who has called you?
Which irresistible power attracted you?
Neither the pilgrims on the way,
nor the traditions of the country.

Neither the culture and the history,
nor the cock of Santo Domingo,
not the palace of Gaudi
and also not the Castle of Ponferrada.

All this you saw in passing
and it was a great pleasure for you
but you felt the voice who was calling
deep inside you.

The force, that drove you
the power, which attracted you
I also have no explanation for it.
Only HE can explain it

I like these lines very much and in my opinion it´s a great pity that they can only be understood by the German speaking pilgrims.

Such beautiful texts are not so easy to translate without losing their special expressiveness - I hope it succeeded and you like it like I do.

Thank you!

 

[CathyP]

Thank you for sharing! This is a beautiful poem.

 

[ELHS220]

During my first week on the Camino I saw the thoughts of a pilgrim who wrote them in German on a large noise barrier.


Who has called you, pilgrim?
Dust, mud, sunshine and rain
that is the way to Santiago.
Thousands of pilgrims
and more than a thousand years.

Who has called you?
Which secret power attracted you?
Neither it was the starry sky,
nor the cathedrals.

Neither was it the bravery of Navarre
nor the wine of Rioja,
not the seafood of Galicia
and also not the fields of Castile.

Pilgrim, who has called you?
Which irresistible power attracted you?
Neither the pilgrims on the way,
nor the traditions of the country.

Neither the culture and the history,
nor the cock of Santo Domingo,
not the palace of Gaudi
and also not the Castle of Ponferrada.

All this you saw in passing
and it was a great pleasure for you
but you felt the voice who was calling
deep inside you.

The force, that drove you
the power, which attracted you
I also have no explanation for it.
Only HE can explain it

I like these lines very much and in my opinion it´s a great pity that they can only be understood by the German speaking pilgrims.

Such beautiful texts are not so easy to translate without losing their special expressiveness - I hope it succeeded and you like it like I do.

These pictures are from 2015. In 2017, if I recall, much if it was damaged and in very bad condition.

 

[Delphinoula]

Thank you the words are so powerful and have in every language a special turn.