Compostela Question

Doctor Google tells me that it is more than 100k from Muxia v Fistera to Santiago. So, distance seems ok, I wonder if they had the 2 stamps per day? That would disqualify.

Robo said:

For those who have worked in the Pilgrims office. (asking for a friend)

Someone was refused a Compostela having walked Santiago-Muxia-Fisterra-Santiago.
I thought at first maybe because they started in Santiago.

Would a walk from Muxia-Fisterra-Santiago qualify?
Given it is a walk 'to' Santiago.

Or does the route itself no longer qualify?

Just curious.....

The response at the Pilgrims' Office it seems was something like
walking from Santiago to muxia, fisterra and back to Santiago DOES NOT qualify for a compostela

Click to expand...

Hi, we walked from Santiago to Finisterre and then on to Muxia over 5 days a good few years ago. We got a certificate - a Muxiana I think it was called - and we bussed back to Santiago the following day. It definitely wasn't a Compostela, nor did we expect it to be. We already had one from previous Caminos. It was just a memento of a lovely route.

I do know that the final 100 km must be on a route officially recognized by the Pilgrim Office authorities (the Cathedral). From experience, I also know the Santiago, Finisterre, Muxia, Santiago "loop" does not count.

When I asked about this one year, a staffer explained to me that it was a lot like marching-in-place, or doing laps around the block. You can walk 100 km, by doing a loop "out there," but unless it measures at least 100km from point-to-point, when the route is stretched out - as if in a straight line - it does not count.

Also, all routes must END at Santiago. There is no provision for a route that starts at Santiago, heads out, then loops back to Santiago. The kilometers spent getting to the farthest point from Santiago, before reversing direction, do not count.

Others have tried this before.

There remain a lot of 100 km +/- points to start at to walk a short but legitimate Camino TO Santiago. Ferrol (Ingles), Sarria (Frances), Tui (Portuguese), Ourense (Sanabres), Monforte de Lemos (Invierno) are among others that people have used over the years to earn the Compostela, while walking a minimal distance.

Indeed, the recently approved Irish Camino is unique in that it calls for walking 25 km in Ireland, before embarking to A Coruña, and continuing to Santiago from there. It was certified as legitimate as there is an ancient and very well-documented route that uses a sailing boat to cross the Atlantic from the south of Ireland to A Coruña. That route combines 25 km on the first segment in Ireland, with a remaining 75 km from A Coruña to Santiago.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Robo said:

For those who have worked in the Pilgrims office. (asking for a friend)

Someone was refused a Compostela having walked Santiago-Muxia-Fisterra-Santiago.
I thought at first maybe because they started in Santiago.

Would a walk from Muxia-Fisterra-Santiago qualify?
Given it is a walk 'to' Santiago.

Or does the route itself no longer qualify?

Just curious.....

The response at the Pilgrims' Office it seems was something like
walking from Santiago to muxia, fisterra and back to Santiago DOES NOT qualify for a compostela

Click to expand...

Me? I’d have thrown a wobbly. If I was that way inclined that is…

It’s particularly obvious that the leg from Santiago to Muxia doesn’t count as a pilgrimage to Santiago. Even Little Dog can work that out. But the journey from Muxia via Fisterra to Santiago is a pilgrimage to Santiago and exceeds 100km. The Beloved holds a Compostela awarded for that very journey. Seems to me the PO is losing its grip on unreality.

Your amigos might have had better luck running with two credentials. One for the Muxiana and a separate one for the Cycling Proficiency, sorry, Compo-wotsit

t2andreo said:

I do know that the final 100 km must be on a route officially recognized by the Pilgrim Office authorities (the Cathedral). From experience, I also know the Santiago, Finisterre, Muxia, Santiago "loop" does not count.

When I asked about this one year, a staffer explained to me that it was a lot like marching-in-place, or doing laps around the block. You can walk 100 km, by doing a loop "out there," but unless it measures at least 100km from point-to-point, when the route is stretched out - as if in a straight line - it does not count.

Also, all routes must END at Santiago. There is no provision for a route that starts at Santiago, heads out, then loops back to Santiago. The kilometers spent getting to the farthest point from Santiago, before reversing direction, do not count.

Others have tried this before.

There remain a lot of 100 km +/- points to start at to walk a short but legitimate Camino TO Santiago. Ferrol (Ingles), Sarria (Frances), Tui (Portuguese), Ourense (Sanabres), Monforte de Lemos (Invierno) are among others that people have used over the years to earn the Compostela, while walking a minimal distance.

Indeed, the recently approved Irish Camino is unique in that it calls for walking 25 km in Ireland, before embarking to A Coruña, and continuing to Santiago from there. It was certified as legitimate as there is an ancient and very well-documented route that uses a sailing boat to cross the Atlantic from the south of Ireland to A Coruña. That route combines 25 km on the first segment in Ireland, with a remaining 75 km from A Coruña to Santiago.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Click to expand...

Great information. Thanks!

t2andreo said:

unless it measures at least 100km from point-to-point, when the route is stretched out - as if in a straight line - it does not count.

Click to expand...

This is what has confused me about the Muxia-Finisterre-Santiago or the Finisterre-Muxia-Santiago routes qualifying for a Compostela. If one were on a pilgrimage from either Muxia or Finisterre to Santiago the logical straight line route does not pass through both starting towns. Please forgive me, but the route seems contrived so as to add up to 100km. If I were walking from Finisterre (or Muxia) to Santiago for the purpose of a pilgrimage (in historic times or present day), I would walk the most direct route possible.

Tincatinker said:

Me? I’d have thrown a wobbly. If I was that way inclined that is…

It’s particularly obvious that the leg from Santiago to Muxia doesn’t count as a pilgrimage to Santiago. Even Little Dog can work that out. But the journey from Muxia via Fisterra to Santiago is a pilgrimage to Santiago and exceeds 100km. The Beloved holds a Compostela awarded for that very journey. Seems to me the PO is losing its grip on unreality.

Your amigos might have had better luck running with two credentials. One for the Muxiana and a separate one for the Cycling Proficiency, sorry, Compo-wotsit

Click to expand...

In the building of the Pilgrims Office in Santiago is an office of the Galician Tourist board where you can get a credential for your journey to Muxia and Fisterre.

When we got the question at the PO counter, we pointed them tho the Tourist board

Students of absurdity may like to note that the Camino Muxia - Finisterre is available on the PO's pre-registration screen https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/sigle-register/

My suggestion for anyone wishing to claim a Pilgrimage Proficiency Certificate is that you try not to wobble while peregrinating around the obstacles if anyone is watching

t2andreo said:

I also know the Santiago, Finisterre, Muxia, Santiago "loop" does not count.

Click to expand...

Tom, spot on! But according to the PO if you keep schtum about your previous visit to the bones you can get a bouncer for walking from a nice, quiet, little fishing village on the convoluted coast of Galicia.

I seldom follow rules and never set them but those who do set them really ought to stick by them

Imagine the screams from Hotel owners in Sarria if they thought Pilgrims were starting and finishing in Santiago and bypassing them

Albertinho said:

In the building of the Pilgrims Office in Santiago is an office of the Galician Tourist board where you can get a credential for your journey to Muxia and Fisterre.

When we got the question at the PO counter, we pointed them tho the Tourist board

Click to expand...

People who walk from Santiago to Finisterre or Muxia can qualify for the Fisterriana or Muxiana certificates. These are guest welcome certificates from each town's tourism authorities. They have no standing with the Cathedral in Santiago and are not Compostelas.

The Galicia Tourism Office issues a credencial sort of document for many paths, to support Galician tourism. It's what they do. That they are colocated in the same building as the Cathedral's Pilgrim Office is just a coincidence.

In theory, starting at Muxia, walking to Finisterre, and thence to Santiago is more than 100 km - just. But, it is NOT a currently approved CAMINO route. One cannot just walk ANY100 km into Santiago and call it a Camino - eligible for a Compostela. The route must have been officially approved.

To be an approved Camino route, the route must have documented, historical evidence to support the case for approval. The route must be reviewed, and then approved, by the governmental bodies that oversee this sort of thing. Ultimately, the proposed new Camino route must be approved by the Cathedral authorities.

As regards the unique Irish Camino; historically, pilgrims for distant places would use a boat or ship to travel from Ireland to A Coruña. On making landfall, they would continue their pilgrimage, on foot, to Santiago.

This is the basis for approval of the Irish Camino. A pilgrim walks the first 25+ km in Ireland, then transitions to a boat, making their way to A Coruna by sea or air. At A Coruña, pilgrims transition to walking. This is a well-documented historical route. The 25 km in Ireland and about 75 +in km Spain, add to the 100km required to qualify for the Compostela.

Conversely, the Muxia - Finisterre - Santiago combination - alone - lacks the historical lineage and proof required for consideration as an approved Camino route.

In the past decade or so, IIRC, only three routes have been newly approved: Camino de Invierno (2016), Irish Camino (2018?) and the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago (2019?)

Hope this helps,

Tom

t2andreo said:

In theory, starting at Muxia, walking to Finisterre, and thence to Santiago is more than 100 km - just. But, it is NOT a currently approved CAMINO route. One cannot just walk ANY100 km into Santiago and call it a Camino - eligible for a Compostela. The route must have been officially approved.

Click to expand...

Whatever about the particular circumstances of Robo's friend, compostelas have, and are indeed issued to pilgrims walking Muxia/Finesterre/Santiago.

David Tallan said:

If one were to use two separate credencials, one for Santiago to Finisterre, and a second for Finisterre to Muxia to Santiago (over 100 km) and only presented the latter to the Pilgrim Offece, would that qualify? It is not walking in a circle, just walking east over 100 km to Santiago. I had always heard it would.

Click to expand...

As I posted above the Muxia/Fisterra route is listed as an optional starting point /route on the PO’s own website pre-registration. While leaping to conclusions is not my favourite form of exercise on this subject I’ll conclude that the route is officially recognized and qualifies for a Compostela

I will defer to more recent information, and accept this issue. The matter is closed.

Personal circumstances beyond my control have kept me from the Camino and volunteering at Santiago since 2022. Hence, my first-hand observations may be dated in some regards.