New Compostela Rules

[SYates]

New rules for obtaining the Compostela have just been announced. It is not anymore necessary to walk/bike/ride/sail the LAST 100km into Santiago, any 100km on any Camino will do AS LONG as the last stage you do ends in Santiago. Source:

 

[Kathor1]

It would be best if this were put in written form and in clear language. Is it on their website - at least on one of them, be it the website of the Pilgrim’s Office or the Cathedral’s website itself. Has the national Camino association of Spain been informed? Other major international Camino associations?

 

[JabbaPapa]

Wow !! That's a huge change, and will take a lot of the pressure off the Sarria to Santiago section.

And apparently from what the Canon is saying, it's 2 stamps per day on the whole route unless that's not possible.

 

[SioCamino]

From the Pilgrim office website :
Peregrinación a pie o a caballo: haber caminado 100 km por cualquiera de las rutas reconocidas como oficiales por la S.A.M.I. Catedral de Santiago.

The English language version still uses the word "last" around the 100km. The above does not but I don't know if this is new wording in Spanish or not. It certainly reads as any 100km to me.

 

[henrythedog]

I checked the way back machine copy for November and the wordings the same

 

[JCLima]

Can't wait for all the posts asking "If I walk from *insertRandomTown* to *insertRandomTown2*, will I qualify for the Compostela?"

 

[Bradypus]

It would be best if this were put in written form and in clear language. Is it on their website - at least on one of them, be it the website of the Pilgrim’s Office or the Cathedral’s website itself.

Past experience has been that it can take a very long time for the websites to be updated to reflect changes in policy. And the cathedral/pilgrim office are rarely proactive in publicising such changes. A simple unambiguous statement of what the pilgrim office now requires for a Compostela would be very helpful. Announcing what appears to be a major change in policy on the hoof in a video interview for a fairly limited foreign audience may create far more confusion than clarity.

 

[MinaKamina]

I tried to follow the transcript of the video and it is downright ridiculous. Words fail.

According to the rules as explained in de video, I could walk 100 kms along the Northern camino in my home area, sleep every night in my own bed (with a little planning), take a flight to SdC and walk from the airport to the Cathedral and providing I have enough stamps, this would count as a pilgrimage to Santiago.

if you

8:19
start the Camino in USA for example I

8:23
don't know in San Diego and complete and

8:26
complete the the 100 kilometers with the

8:29
last stage in

8:31
Santiago and I can get you the the

8:36
compostella very good so yeah that's new

8:38
with San Antonio and uh I believe it's

8:42
St Augustine in Florida and San Antonio

8:45
in Texas uh there may be others uh that

8:49
are doing that so you can do I think

8:50
it's 25 kilometers in the United

8:54
States yeah and then the other 75 yeah

8:59
and now now is it that that's one thing

9:01
that a lot of pilgrims have questions of

9:04
is it the last

9:07
75

9:09
kilometers continuous into

9:12
Santiago is that or not continuous or

9:15
not continuous the last stage

9:19
yeah

9:21
last the last stage yeah you have

9:24
to to do the the Camino to Santiago but

9:29
not necessarily you have to do uh the

9:33
others I don't know 90 kilomet uh

9:38
by continue

9:41
continuous continuous yeah you can

9:44
Santiago jump uhuh in the same Camino

9:47
you can jump you can yeah so so let me

9:51
ask you this if I started in sanan

9:54
France and I know many Spaniards don't

9:57
believe in starting in San but if I

9:59
start J to buros or Leon and you

10:02
continue to Santiago but how about if I

10:05
started in s Johan and then I skipped

10:09
and I started in

10:12
Azura that's not that's not far enough

10:14
is it or is it far enough if I get a a

10:17
full 100 kilometers

10:19
in yeah you can do it you can yeah so

10:23
you could start in

10:25
Azura or yeah yeah or in Istanbul in

10:30
Ean

 

[Bradypus]

According to the rules as explained in de video, I could walk 100 kms along the Northern camino in my home area, sleep every night in my own bed (with a little planning), take a flight to SdC and walk from the airport to the Cathedral and providing I have enough stamps, this would count as a pilgrimage to Santiago.

Personally I would argue that anyone who flies to SdC and visits the cathedral and the tomb of the Apostle in the right spirit is making a pilgrimage to Santiago. 30 years ago the cathedral made the decision to make receiving a Compostela dependent on an additional condition of walking or cycling a set minimum distance. This has distorted the basic understanding of pilgrimage in relation to Santiago in a way that does not apply for almost all other Christian pilgrimage destinations. Making a pilgrimage to Santiago and qualifying for a Compostela under the cathedral's rules are different things.

 

[Hans-Georg Goebel]

New rules for obtaining the Compostela have just been announced. It is not anymore necessary to walk/bike/ride/sail the LAST 100km into Santiago, any 100km on any Camino will do AS LONG as the last stage you do ends in Santiago. Source:

Let us wait, Ivar will clear the question. Will not beleave, that I can made the 100 km somewhere and finish from Monte Gozo to the cathedral.

 

[Tincatinker]

Just imagine. A Compostela is awarded to anyone who makes pilgrimage to the shrine of Santiago, with religious intent or at least in a sense of search.

There will be no prize for walking 100km in the best trainers; merino knickers; finest poncho; lightest backpack etc. There will be no prize for collecting stamps (philatelists excepted: theirs is the prize). There will be no prize for pounding the dust for 1400km while blogging everyday.

The only prize will be for looking at that splendid box and wondering if those old bones mean something else

 

[sillydoll]

Personally I would argue that anyone who flies to SdC and visits the cathedral and the tomb of the Apostle in the right spirit is making a pilgrimage to Santiago. 30 years ago the cathedral made the decision to make receiving a Compostela dependent on an additional condition of walking or cycling a set minimum distance. This has distorted the basic understanding of pilgrimage in relation to Santiago in a way that does not apply for almost all other Christian pilgrimage destinations. Making a pilgrimage to Santiago and qualifying for a Compostela under the cathedral's rules are different things.

I agree with you 100%. Millions of pilgrims visit dozens of Christian shrines every year without having to walk there. The 100km rule introduced by the cathedral in the 1990s created huge crowds walking from Sarria and accusations of cheating for those who might start their walk further back and take occasional transport before arriving in Sarria. Walking pilgrims usually account for a small % of pilgrims who visit Santiago, especially in Holy Years.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I agree with you 100%. Millions of pilgrims visit dozens of Christian shrines every year without having to walk there. The 100km rule introduced by the cathedral in the 1990s created huge crowds walking from Sarria and accusations of cheating for those who might start their walk further back and take occasional transport before arriving in Sarria. Walking pilgrims usually account for a small % of pilgrims who visit Santiago, especially in Holy Years.

Do you get certificates or something similar when you visit those others shrines without making a pilgrimage walk?

I don’t mind these changes, although it would be nice if my Compostela for walking 800 km is different from the person who took a tour bus…

 

[falcon269]

Just imagine. A Compostela is awarded to anyone who makes pilgrimage to the shrine of Santiago, with religious intent or at least in a sense of search.

That is the rule as it is applied, but it does not agree with the wording ON the compostela.

"has devotedly visited this most sacred temple having done the last hundred kilometers on foot or on horseback or the last two hundred by bicycle with Christian sentiment (pietatis causa)."

"con sentido cristiano (pietatis causa)"

There is a clear connection to Catholic Christianity and pietatis causa within it. The Cathedral sets the rules, and the Pilgrim Office enforces them. If a spiritual intent, Protestant, Buddhist, Islam, Yoga, or Shinto is fine with them, of necessity, it must be fine with the rest of us. Their game, their rules.

Is the psychic energy devoted to debating clearly arbitrary rules worth the effort? Not to me!

And, yes, I see the irony of bothering to post this sentiment...

 

[SabsP]

Do you get certificates or something similar when you visit those others shrines without making a pilgrimage walk?

I don’t mind these changes, although it would be nice if my Compostela for walking 800 km is different from the person who took a tour bus…

There is the Plenary Indulgence for those who follow some specific observations. For some pilgrims it might feel more important than receiving " a paper Compostela "
I do not want to start another true pilgrim or tourist versus pilgrim discussion but I know for sure that some " tour bus " visitors to Santiago are more devout pilgrims than I with my more than 3000 km walking.

The Plenary Indulgence: The Jubilee

In order to gain the Jubilee Indulgence individuals must: Visit the Cathedral of Santiago, go to confession and go to communion.

oficinadelperegrino.com

https://viajecaminodesantiago.com/en/pilgrims-useful-information/indulgence-plenary/

 

[David Tallan]

I checked the date, and it seems to be neither April Fools (April 1) or Dia de los Inocentes (Dec 28). Nevertheless, I would advise waiting until this appears in the approved credencial or on the official Pilgrim Office website before relying on it to get your Compostela. It seems there are some details still to be worked out (e.g. what is required at the very end leading into Santiago). I wouldn't consider it completely to be relied upon until it is in writing somewhere official.

 

[Steven Baggs]

There is the Plenary Indulgence for those who follow some specific observations. For some pilgrims it might feel more important than receiving " a paper Compostela "
I do not want to start another true pilgrim or tourist versus pilgrim discussion but I know for sure that some " tour bus " visitors to Santiago are more devout pilgrims than I with my more than 3000 km walking.

The Plenary Indulgence: The Jubilee

In order to gain the Jubilee Indulgence individuals must: Visit the Cathedral of Santiago, go to confession and go to communion.

oficinadelperegrino.com

https://viajecaminodesantiago.com/en/pilgrims-useful-information/indulgence-plenary/

I recently walked part of the way to Fatima from Lisbon. I was the only pilgrim walking, although I did meet one cyclist on his way to Santiago. When I got there I found hundreds of fellow pilgrims. There was no Compostela or anything like that and the spiritual experience/ reward was Fatima itself not just the journey or a piece of paper. I was allowed into the basilica’s with my backpack on and treated as a pilgrim, no one cared how I got there, just that I had bothered to make the journey. The real reward for me was joining about 300 other pilgrims in a candle lit procession at 10.15pm, a wonderful experience.

 

[Bradypus]

Do you get certificates or something similar when you visit those others shrines without making a pilgrimage walk?

I have walked the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome and two of the Olavsleden routes which end in Trondheim. Both walking pilgrimage routes revived or created (choose your own verb) after the success of the Camino revival and modelled upon the Caminos. Both the VF and the Olavsleden offer a certificate to those who walk at least 100km and produce a stamped credencial as evidence. No coincidence.

 

[Tincatinker]

“Keep your eyes on the prize” as my old rugby coach never bothered to say while we floundered in the mud

 

[Bradypus]

But under this potential new system, you can just show up in Santiago and get the certificate?

In the interview the canon appears to be saying that there will still be a minimum distance requirement of 100km but not necessarily the final 100km into Santiago.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

In the interview the canon appears to be saying that there will still be a minimum distance requirement of 100km but not necessarily the final 100km into Santiago.

OK, whoops, I misunderstood. I'm going to delete my last comment.

 

[JCLima]

(...) no one cared how I got there, just that I had bothered to make the journey. (...)

Portuguese pilgrims walking to Fátima often have some organization behind them, with support vans and everything. The idea that one must carry a backpack, walk a specific number of kilometers, or fulfill certain requirements to be considered a pilgrim is not a thing.

Edit: Not trying to start a debate about who's a pilgrim—just giving some context about pilgrimage to Fátima.

 

[SabsP]

Portuguese pilgrims walking to Fátima often have some organization behind them, with support vans and everything. The idea that one must carry a backpack, walk a specific number of kilometers, or fulfill certain requirements to be considered a pilgrim is not a thing.

Edit: Not trying to start a debate about who's a pilgrim—just giving some context about pilgrimage to Fátima.

Same situation with Lourdes.

 

[trecile]

The conversation on the video was confusing. I will wait until there is something in writing.

 

[DLJ]

“Keep your eyes on the prize” as my old rugby coach never bothered to say while we floundered in the mud

Remember the Camino de Santiago is 1200 yrs. old. The only way to do it was on foot or horseback. It was taken on for some as a sentence from the Inquisition, for some as a penance from a Bishop, and for others it was to receive a Plenary Indulgence. It has nothing in comparison with Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje, etc. Obviously, for the first 1,000 years it was not on anybody's bucket list as a holiday outing.

 

[trecile]

The conversation on the video was confusing. I will wait until there is something in writing.

In addition I think that it was somewhat irresponsible for American Pilgrims to publish this video before any new rules have been published by the Pilgrims Office.

 

[C clearly]

In addition I think that it was somewhat irresponsible for American Pilgrims to publish this video before any new rules have been published by the Pilgrims Office.

I agree. It was clearly a "reveal" that would create uncertainty, and I wonder if the Canon realized it.

What a way to create confusion at the Pilgrim Office! (Not to mention the forum!)

 

[J Willhaus]

My husband just showed me a Facebook post from Johnny Walker with the same info about the changes. Sorry, I am not on Facebook myself, so can't repost it.

 

[trecile]

My husband just showed me a Facebook post from Johnny Walker with the same info about the changes. Sorry, I am not on Facebook myself, so can't repost it.

Regardless of what a YouTube video or Facebook post says I will wait until I read it on the Pilgrim Office website before I make any recommendations.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Remember the Camino de Santiago is 1200 yrs. old. The only way to do it was on foot or horseback.

Many pilgrims went by horse and carriage or by ship.

 

[Tincatinker]

Remember the Camino de Santiago is 1200 yrs. old. The only way to do it was on foot or horseback. It was taken on for some as a sentence from the Inquisition, for some as a penance from a Bishop, and for others it was to receive a Plenary Indulgence. It has nothing in comparison with Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje, etc. Obviously, for the first 1,000 years it was not on anybody's bucket list as a holiday outing.

Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes I forget that some people have no understanding other than that offered by Ubend.

“sentence from the Inquisition”? Oh come on, the Inquisition acted in Spain and its colonies. It was hardly likely to sentence it’s victims to a nice stroll across northern Spain and issue a get out of jail free card to anyone who made it to St James’s bones. The origins of pilgrimage to Lourdes rest in 1858, Fatima 1917, Medjugorje 1981.

The origins of the pilgrimage to Santiago lie somewhere in the mire that was Jerusalem in the hands of the heathen, two Popes both claiming to be St Peter’s best mate and Rome being even more uncomfortable for pious visitors than modern Naples.

There, I’ve offended everyone I can think of. If I’ve missed anyone, my apologies

 

[stewinyvr]

In addition I think that it was somewhat irresponsible for American Pilgrims to publish this video before any new rules have been published by the Pilgrims Office.

The pilgrim office website is already updated , at least the Spanish version. The requirement of the “last 100km” has been changed to “100km”..the English version still references “last 100km”, but I would assume that this will be updated in time also.

 

[Pafayac]

I don’t mind these changes, although it would be nice if my Compostela for walking 800 km is different from the person who took a tour bus…

There is no difference between you and this person....
Except... who had the best part ?

 

[JabbaPapa]

Regardless of what a YouTube video or Facebook post says I will wait until I read it on the Pilgrim Office website before I make any recommendations.

The Canon of the Cathedral has full Authority to establish such norms under the Authority provided to him by the Bishop, and he can establish them verbally or by any other means of communication of his own preference.

Websites and existing printed texts have lesser Authority than active decisions by the Cathedral Parish.

Having said that, it would be anyway sensible to await for some clarifying texts, so for example what "the last stage to the Cathedral" might mean in practice.

And I must express my sympathy to the registration software developers who may to an extent need to build everything back up again from scratch ...

 

[JabbaPapa]

The origins of pilgrimage to Lourdes rest in 1858

Actually, Lourdes has been a stage along one of the Pilgrimage Ways to (or from) Rome since Antiquity.

 

[Bradypus]

I don’t mind these changes, although it would be nice if my Compostela for walking 800 km is different from the person who took a tour bus…

Gold, silver and bronze versions perhaps?

 

[Tincatinker]

And I must express my sympathy to the registration software developers who may to an extent need to build everything back up again from scratch ...

And just when they were going to crack out the mistletoe and mincies - and maybe a small Orujo to take the nasty taste away

 

[Rebekah Scott]

the Compostela is just a piece of paper, a nice souvenir. It means nothing to anyone but the person whose name is on the front.
The pilgrimage... now that's another thing altogether!

 

[Tincatinker]

Actually, Lourdes has been a stage along one of the Pilgrimage Ways to (or from) Rome since Antiquity.

Arhh, that’s what I nearly said, and then in 1858 they came up with something more interesting to pilgrims than a bacon sarnie bar and a signpost saying Rome X leagues. Nothing quite like a Virgin for pulling in the crowds is there?

 

[dqduncan]

New rules for obtaining the Compostela have just been announced. It is not anymore necessary to walk/bike/ride/sail the LAST 100km into Santiago, any 100km on any Camino will do AS LONG as the last stage you do ends in Santiago. Source:

New rules for obtaining the Compostela have just been announced. It is not anymore necessary to walk/bike/ride/sail the LAST 100km into Santiago, any 100km on any Camino will do AS LONG as the last stage you do ends in Santiago. Source:

That was a confusing summary of the ‘new’ rules and Tom L did his best to clarify scenarios. Hopefully, someone else suggested, the Office will write an unambiguous summary somewhere on their website

 

[trecile]

I wonder what is behind this new rule? It will probably take pressure off of the Sarria to Santiago stages. And it will also allow those who take "best of the Camino" tours to legitimately earn a Compostela.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

It will probably take pressure off of the Sarria to Santiago stages.

This part I don't understand.

I just think about how inconvenient it would be to walk 100km somewhere else on the way, then catch a train or bus to somewhere close, then walk the last day, just to get a Compostela. If I were them, I'd just walk the last 100km.

 

[JCLima]

This part I don't understand.

I just think about how inconvenient it would be to walk 100km somewhere else on the way, then catch a train or bus to somewhere close, then walk the last day, just to get a Compostela. If I were them, I'd just walk the last 100km.

It's not that inconvenient, and would allow people to walk stretches that they might enjoy more (passing through cities they want to visit, for example)

 

[Damien Reynolds]

It's not that inconvenient, and would allow people to walk stretches that they might enjoy more (passing through cities they want to visit, for example)

Ok, that makes sense. Spread the Pilgrims out. (assuming the convenience isn't an issue).

 

[Anhalter]

This part I don't understand.

I just think about how inconvenient it would be to walk 100km somewhere else on the way, then catch a train or bus to somewhere close, then walk the last day, just to get a Compostela. If I were them, I'd just walk the last 100km.

It adds flexibility. Only walked 3 caminos so far, but on each of them i met people that had either to "abandon" a group so they could finish the last 100k in time or force march for days to make it. While maybe not perfect this no presents another option, not more, not less.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Gold, silver and bronze versions perhaps?

Or maybe a special rubber ducky. That's what I was holding out for.

Anyway, I already told you I misunderstood the change. I thought the change was from meeting the distance requirement to just showing up, possibly on a tour bus. A change of geography doesn't bother me. It's still a demonstration of commitment.

I didn't walk the Camino to get a Compostela. I would have done it anyway. But it's a nice keepsake.

 

[VNwalking]

And it will also allow those who take "best of the Camino" tours to legitimately earn a Compostela.

This, in all likelihood. Call me a cynic, but I immediately wondered if the moneyed few had howled once too many times.

Either that or the Pilgrim's Office realized that people were blatantly cheating just to get a piece of paper, and wanted to discourage that.

 

[Tincatinker]

I’m minded of the “Life of Brian” though it’s hard to out-parody the ultimate parody: “Crucifixion? On the left.” “Compostela? On the right”. “Pilgrim? No you’re not on the list. Bugger off!”

 

[HuffyCane]

Remember the Camino de Santiago is 1200 yrs. old. The only way to do it was on foot or horseback. It was taken on for some as a sentence from the Inquisition, for some as a penance from a Bishop, and for others it was to receive a Plenary Indulgence. It has nothing in comparison with Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje, etc. Obviously, for the first 1,000 years it was not on anybody's bucket list as a holiday outing.

Medieval Christian Pilgrimage was the original vacation. If you were a serf, you worked every day but Sabbath and Holy Days. You likely died within walking distance of where you were born. If you wanted a break or new scenery, pilgrimage was the one thing your Lord could not say no to.

Pilgrims absolutely went on pilgrimage for vacation, to party, to bring space to their marriage etc. Having a few too many beers or going dancing in Leon doesn’t make you any less a pilgrim. Nor does a noble riding a horse find less divinity in the cathedral than a foot pilgrim. Neither should the young or infirm on a bus.

 

[HuffyCane]

Do you get certificates or something similar when you visit those others shrines without making a pilgrimage walk?

I don’t mind these changes, although it would be nice if my Compostela for walking 800 km is different from the person who took a tour bus…

Yes. You can receive a certificate of pilgrimage upon your arrival to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem if you request it. You need not walk it, though I did from the Lebanese border. If you are Catholic, know who and where to ask, and pay a donation, the Church may also confer the Pope Leo XIII medal upon you as evidence of your pilgrimage and solemn intentions. It’s discretionary though and it was suggested to me that this practice is now less common. I’ll be buried wearing mine.

The Compostela isn’t a prize or souvenir. It memorializes a solemn moment in your life. For many, a turning point. The significance of the Compostela to the bearer, isn’t, or shouldn’t be, diminished by someone else obtaining theirs after riding in a motor carriage or hitchhiking in a lorrie.

 

[HuffyCane]

I would imagine it’s both an effort to relieve the stress on the last stages of the Frances, but also recognize that other cities have legitimate concerns that tourist tax dollars paid in their areas are being used during the last 100km and not returned to them. The village leaders of places like Burgos, Leon, and Pamplona must be very pleased at this decision.

If it’s a cultural route to you, not a spiritual route, or if you are not Catholic and are just out for a break or low cost vacation, it’s also a chance for you (to pay) to see some very significant cultural sites of importance to all Spaniards that you would miss if you don’t have the month to walk the Frances.

I don’t view this as controversial. It’s an evolving policy that’s been changing slowly the last few years.

You can now walk 25km on the beach in Florida while sleeping in water front hotels and walk 75km in Spain and still receive the Compostela. The priest briefly mentions it in the video. Why? See the last paragraph above. It’s a chance to experience the cultural impact of the Spanish church during colonial era Florida and visit several sacred places.

Does the change diminish my selfish sense of physical accomplishment? Perhaps briefly on the surface before I examine my feelings deeper. That was my first 800 km on a life journey of over 4000 km to nearly every Catholic shrine you can name. But having random tourists take home a Compostela that willl be quickly over looked or discarded certainly does not undercut the gravity of my effort as much as walking down the hill on the last day, cathedral in sight through the trees, and being overtaken by three women in their 80’s on their way to collect their 7th compostela.