Compostela for Santiago - Finisterre - Muxía - Santiago?

[Parisian]

Is going from Santiago to Finisterra via Mixta and back on foot considered official Camino? Big thanks. Elin

 

[henrythedog]

Ignore my reply - I was wrong. That route is now on the pilgrim reception list as @David Tallan correctly says below. I’ve not deleted the post so as to not further confuse the thread.



Muxia and no.

The logic being that your progress should be towards Santiago. Your route is 50% in the wrong direction and you’re starting from the destination. No matter how thin the veneer these days it is supposed to be a pilgrimage.

 

[trecile]

If your credential starts from Finisterre or Muxía and you walk between the two before before walking to Santiago you will have walked about 120 km on a recognized route to Santiago which qualifies you for a Compostela.

 

[Grousedoctor]

Like @henrythedog aptly put it, your route needs to be a pilgrimage. Why don’t you consider beginning in Tui, Vigo, Sarría, or Ferrol on one of the “true” pilgrimage routes to Santiago? All arrows will point “to” Santiago unlike what you inquired about.

 

[dbier]

Parisian, are you perhaps wondering about the certificates for walking to Finisterre or to Muxia from Santiago? Those aren't Compostelas, but you can "earn" a Muxiana or a Finisterre certificate by getting your stamps and showing up at the appropriate office while it's open.
Now, if what you desire is Compostela, then from what I've read, you would need to walk from Finisterre up to Muxia and then inland to Santiago.

 

[Vacajoe]

Parisian, are you perhaps wondering about the certificates for walking to Finisterre or to Muxia from Santiago? Those aren't Compostelas, but you can "earn" a Muxiana or a Finisterre certificate by getting your stamps and showing up at the appropriate office while it's open.
Now, if what you desire is Compostela, then from what I've read, you would need to walk from Finisterre up to Muxia and then inland to Santiago.

Unless the rules recently changed, this is NOT true - you will not earn a Compostela walking the route you mentioned as it does not lead towards Santiago the last 100kms on a recognized route.

 

[Vacajoe]

If your credential starts from Finisterre or Muxía and you walk between the two before before walking to Santiago you will have walked about 120 km on a recognized route to Santiago which qualifies you for a Compostela.

Unless the rules recently changed, this is NOT true - you will not earn a Compostela walking the route you mentioned as it does not lead towards Santiago the last 100kms on a recognized route.

 

[trecile]

Unless the rules recently changed, this is NOT true - you will not earn a Compostela walking the route you mentioned as it does not lead towards Santiago the last 100kms on a recognized route.

If they start their walk from Finisterre and walk to Muxía before going inland they will be on a recognized route towards Santiago.

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

I checked this out at the pilgrim office in April. A Compostella is granted only for those distances walked towards the tomb of St James and the pilgrim must reach the tomb.
In ancient times certain villages near the city could grant a Compostella to the sick and infirm who were too ill to complete the pilgrimage. I think Padron was one and Villa Franca del Biertzo was another, perhaps others too.

 

[trecile]

I checked this out at the pilgrim office in April. A Compostella is granted only for those distances walked towards the tomb of St James and the pilgrim must reach the tomb.

This is why I suggested that the walk start from Finisterre or MuxIa towards Santiago. If both Finisterre and Muxía are included before heading east then the requisite 100 km will be walked. If @Parisian also wants to walk to the coast before heading back to Santiago that can be done with a separate credential.

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

This is why I suggested that the walk start from Finisterre or MuxIa towards Santiago. If both Finisterre and Muxía are included before heading east then the requisite 100 km will be walked. If @Parisian also wants to walk to the coast before heading back to Santiago that can be done with a separate credential.

That should work, it covers both distance and purpose

 

[Evan White]

If they do Fisterra - Muxia - Santiago and want a compostella don’t forget to get a stamp in Lires otherwise they might have issues at the pilgrims office.

 

[willydp]

Hi all,
My walking buddy and I walked from Santiago de Compostella to Muxia, then to Fisterra and then back to SdC taking the Camino passing Cee and we got our Compostela in 2022. I walked it for a friend who had cancer at that moment (Vicarie Pro). My walking buddy for himself. So yes it is/was possible.
Is perhaps not possible as a first Camino...

 

[trecile]

If they do Fisterra - Muxia - Santiago and want a compostella don’t forget to get a stamp in Lires otherwise they might have issues at the pilgrims office.

Yes, they will have to get two stamps every day.

 

[David Tallan]

Is going from Santiago to Finisterra via Mixta and back on foot considered official Camino? Big thanks. Elin

If you make the circuit you describe (Santiago - Muxia - Finisterre - Santiago) you will earn a Compostela. You will also earn and Muxiana (given out in Muxia) and a Fisterrana (given out in Finisterre/Fisterra).

What you do is get your credencial before you start (the kind accepted by the Pilgrim Office in Santiago) and get it stamped twice a day. Show it in Muxia and they will see the stamps from Santiago to Muxia and give you the Muxiana. Then show it again in Finisterre (making sure to get it stamped in Lires, between Muxia and Finisterre) and they will see the stamps between Santiago and Finisterre and give you the Fisterrrana.

When you get back to Santiago, show them the credencial. They will see the stamps from Muxia to Finisterre to Santiago and will see that you walked over 100 km on a recognized route to Santiago (Muxia - Finisterre - Santiago is a recognized route, as is Finisterre - Muxia - Santiago) and give you the Compostela. They won't care about the stamps from Santiago to Muxia.

 

[David Tallan]

A Compostella is granted only for those distances walked towards the tomb of St James and the pilgrim must reach the tomb.

I have never seen the volunteers in the Pilgrim Office check that the pilgrim has visited the tomb in the Cathedral before granting the Compostela.

 

[willydp]

@David Tallan
You are right for a Muxiana and Fisterrana, but some will be disappointed to read that the bureau is closed when you arrive and only goes open after you started walking the next day
Another excuse to walk it again

 

[David Tallan]

Muxia and no.

The logic being that your progress should be towards Santiago. Your route is 50% in the wrong direction and you’re starting from the destination. No matter how thin the veneer these days it is supposed to be a pilgrimage.

There have been plenty of accounts of people receiving Compostelas walking Finisterre - Muxia - Santiago or Muxia - Finisterre - Santiago. We have also heard from Pilgrim Office volunteers that these are now considered official routes.

If one is not allowed to make one's way to Santiago de Compostela, and from thence to the start of one's Camino, and then walk back from there to Santiago, I expect many of the Compostelas given to those who start in Sarria would be invalid. I expect most of those who start in Sarria get there from Santiago. If one can make one's way from Santiago to Sarria and then start a pilgrimage back to Santiago, I don't see it is any less of a pilgrimage to do the same with Muxia.

Or are you suggesting that it is a pilgrimage to bus from Santiago to Sarria and walk back to Santiago, but if one walks to the starting point, it suddenly stops being a pilgrimage?

It is supposed to be a pilgrimage. But I don't think that it is how one gets to the starting point that strips the veneer.