Camino de Santiago
The Legenda Aurea (Golden Legend), a manuscript that was successively reworked throughout the Middle Ages, recounts that after the execution of Saint James, some of his disciples, taking the necessary precautions not to be seen, seized the apostle’s body and, taking it with them, embarked on a ship. However, as the ship lacked a captain, they prayed to God to guide them with His providence and lead them wherever He wished, so that the venerated remains could be buried. Guided by an angel of the Lord, the boat began to sail, continuing its journey until it reached the shores of Galicia, where the body of Saint James was finally buried.
Many centuries later, at an unknown time in the 820s, the apostle’s tomb was discovered in an abandoned Roman Mausoleum, the remains of which are preserved beneath the monumental Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. In this place, once occupied by a dense forest, the ruined Roman-era building, later used by a hermit to live in seclusion, became the site of inexplicable nocturnal prodigies, so extraordinary that the bishop Teodomiro of Iria Flavia himself went there. He then recognized the body of Saint James, which layed in a marble tomb.
When the news reached the court of the Asturian kingdom in Oviedo, King Alfonso II traveled from Asturias to Galicia to witness the discovery himself. The tomb of Saint James became the religious center of the kingdom, and Alfonso II became the first pilgrim to Santiago. The king ordered the construction of a monastery to oversee the cult of the apostle, and in a short time, the first cathedral and a hospital were built, to welcome the pilgrims.
Pilgrimages to Compostela grew as the city became more monumental. Most pilgrims arrived via the French Camino, after crossing the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles. But soon, pilgrims from all over Europe began to arrive: from England and Scandinavia by boat to the port of Coruña; from Central Europe and Italy by land through the routes that converged at Puente la Reina; and from Portugal and Southern Iberia by southern Atlantic routes.
The rediscovery of the Santiago Caminos, initially driven by Elias Valiña Sampedro (1929-1989) and continued today in several European countries, represents a reconnection with the deep heritage of the cult of Saint James that shapes the history of several countries, as well as the history of the most important pilgrimage in Western Europe. The revitalization of the pilgrimages is still expanding, with new routes continually emerging, some with more historical foundation than others. The Central Portuguese Route was marked with yellow arrows from Porto in the late 20th century. In the early years of the new century, the route was marked from Lisboa, and in recent years, many paths have been signposted throughout the country. Challenges remain with the expansion of the albergues network and a diverse set of qualification processes for the paths. Never before have so many pilgrims walked the Portuguese Jacobean routes.
