This discussion takes us back to the old chestnut – “What is a real pilgrim?” that comes up regularly on this forum.
Some see camino pilgrims only as those who carry a heavy backpack, walk every inch of their chosen route, only stay in refuges, eat frugally and receive the Compostela in Santiago.
Of course this wasn’t what it was like in the middle ages. There was a mix of foot pilgrims, horse riding pilgrims, donkey pilgrims, Knights, Kings and Queens with their entourage of servants.
Some slept in the best monasteries, in taverns and inns whilst others slept in the open or in hospices. Viewing of relics was restricted – some were reserved for the upper classes only.
After the reformation, pilgrimage died down and from the 1600’s many of the hospices fell into disrepair. By the 20th C most pilgrims visiting Santiago arrived by ship, bus and train. Georgiana King used mules and donkeys – Walter Starkie, who did four pilgrimages in 30 years, walked, rode in buses, took taxis and hitched hiked. (Can't say he wasn't a 'real' pilgrim!)
The man responsible for the reanimation of the camino as we know it today (he also painted the first yellow arrows) was Don Elias Valina Sampedro of O’Cebreiro parish.
He said, “In the 1970’s there survived only a remote memory of the Jacobean pilgrimage.”
Today, some pilgrims choose to walk, others choose to cycle or go on horseback. Some pilgrims choose to carry their packs whilst others choose to have them transported. Some pilgrims choose to sleep in refuges; others choose to sleep in hotels. Some pilgrims walk/ride for religious reasons; others walk/ride for spiritual, cultural, historical reasons.
We should learn to be tolerant of all pilgrims - as is the case on the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage, where all 'henros' are accepted as 'henro' whether they ride, walk or use a combination of both.
There are no ‘real’ pilgrims – only pilgrims.
