Help Getting Portuguese Pilgrim Credential?

KarinaH · Jul 10, 2023

**Update: Big thanks to jungleboy for the recommendation - Via Lusitana is sending me the credentials!**

I am planning to do the Camino Portugués in a few months, and would love to get our pilgrim credentials in advance, as my priest will again do a blessing of us and our gear before we go, and I would like to again include credentials in that blessing.

I recently completed the Inglés, and I had ordered credentials in advance from the Forum Store, however all that is available is the one issued at the Cathedral in Santiago. Yes, I know that one is perfectly acceptable, but (maybe due to my OCD) I would prefer to have the one issued in Lisbon or Porto for this Camino.

Is anyone aware of any way to order them and have them sent? Any albergue or local business? The Cathedral does not offer this service. Or would anyone in or going through Lisbon (or Porto, if it is the same) be willing to pick up 4 and send them to my daughter's house in the US? (International mail to Belize can be problematic - when I ordered my credentials for the Inglés, once the envelope reached Belize they wanted to charge me $80 customs duty + $80 extra domestic delivery fee, so I simply re-ordered and had them sent to a friend in the States.) I would be happy to pay for your trouble.

Thanks in advance for any help...

jungleboy · Jul 10, 2023

If you contact the Via Lusitana in Lisbon they may be able to help.

trecile · Jul 10, 2023

I ordered mine from the albergue in Barcelos. Scroll down for the Portuguese versions of the credential.

Credencial do Peregrino | Albergue Cidade de Barcelos

www.alberguedebarcelos.com

Flog · Jul 10, 2023

KarinaH said:
Is anyone aware of any way to order them and have them sent? Any albergue or local business? The Cathedral does not offer this service. Or would anyone in or going through Lisbon (or Porto, if it is the same) be willing to pick up 4 and send them to my daughter's house in the US? (International mail to Belize can be problematic - when I ordered my credentials for the Inglés, once the envelope reached Belize they wanted to charge me $80 customs duty + $80 extra domestic delivery fee, so I simply re-ordered and had them sent to a friend in the States.)

It all sounds like a lot of bother for people, posting them all around the houses. Would you not just consider picking them up from the cathedral in Porto or Lisbon on the day you arrive? Perhaps you can find a priest to bless them along the way?

KarinaH · Jul 10, 2023

Flog said:
It all sounds like a lot of bother for people, posting them all around the houses. Would you not just consider picking them up from the cathedral in Porto or Lisbon on the day you arrive? Perhaps you can find a priest to bless them along the way?

It's just posting to one house. And of course I have considered picking them up in Lisbon, and if need be, I will. As I said, I have OCD, so I prefer to have things in place. So it never hurts to ask, does it?

Kgaynor · Jul 10, 2023

I picked mine up at the cathedral in Porto. I got it the day before I started my walk.

KarinaH · Jul 10, 2023

trecile said:
I ordered mine from the albergue in Barcelos. Scroll down for the Portuguese versions of the credential.

Credencial do Peregrino | Albergue Cidade de Barcelos

www.alberguedebarcelos.com

Unfortunately, their site says they don't ship to Belize or the US. Thank you for the suggestion, though!

trecile · Jul 10, 2023

KarinaH said:
Unfortunately, their site says they don't ship to Belize or the US. Thank you for the suggestion, though!

Darn! They did ship to the US in 2019.

naplesdon · Jul 11, 2023

I second Nicks’s suggestion. It is a lovely credential and they might even add your first stamp.

Joeninho · Jul 11, 2023

I know it's not the Portuguese one, but you could get one from the Confraternity of St. James in London. It's a beautiful credencial with a lovely map of most of the routes inside and a nice poem from Sir Walter Raleigh on the back. They also post to the U.S. Anyway, just a suggestion.