Question about the Credencial

[debra]

I was given one of the following


Are they(it, I only have one) valid credentials for getting you Compostela in Santiago, with the stamps/sellos in the book?


https://zaragozabuenasnoticias.com/...dencial-del-peregrino-para-el-camino-frances/ where I found the images on the book/credencial

 

[henrythedog]

I was given one of the following
View attachment 106590

Are they(it, I only have one) valid credentials for getting you Compostela in Santiago, with the stamps/sellos in the book?


https://zaragozabuenasnoticias.com/...dencial-del-peregrino-para-el-camino-frances/ where I found the images on the book/credencial

I have seen that journal on sale in various gift shops along the Camino Frances - including the Cathedral gift shop in Santiago - which doesn’t really answer your question.

I recall having a good look at one, deciding I didn’t need the extra weight, and moving on.

For an authoritative answer you’ll have to await @t2andreo or one of the other regular pilgrim office volunteers, but the link you posted claims that it is recognised:

Acreditada como Credencial Oficial por la Oficina de Acogida al Peregrino de la Catedral de Santiago,

 

[trecile]

Yes, it's official. According to the linked article:

Acreditada como Credencial Oficial por la Oficina de Acogida al Peregrino de la Catedral de Santiago, el Cuaderno-credencial del peregrino tiende un puente entre el concepto tradicional de la peregrinación a Santiago y las necesidades y expectativas del peregrino de hoy.

English translation

Accredited as an Official Credential by the Pilgrim Reception Office of the Cathedral of Santiago, the Pilgrim's Notebook-credential bridges the gap between the traditional concept of the pilgrimage to Santiago and the needs and expectations of today's pilgrim.

 

[debra]

Yes, it's official. According to the linked article:

I have one giant problem with that article. It is written by people that are selling the journal-credential. The only people that seem to say it is "official" are those selling it.

I would love to hear in from any of those that volunteer at the pilgrims office if they have even seen one used and accepted.

 

[Kathor1]

I would love to hear in from any of those that volunteer at the pilgrims office if they have even seen one used and accepted.

There may be nobody on this forum, neither pilgrim nor volunteer, who has ever seen the credential filled with stamps and held it in their hands. I think that you can trust the information provided by @trecile. This credencial was issued in 2016 as a numbered and limited edition. The publisher, Andavira, appears to be a small but genuine Spanish company. And while the text is difficult to read, you can see the signature of Segundo Perez Lopez, the long-time dean of the Cathedral of Santiago and boss of the Pilgrims Office, below the text in the lower right section of the screenshot.

 

[miguel_gp]

I've emailed the Pilgrim's Office to ask. I'll post back if and when I get a reply.

 

[trecile]

Here you go. I came across these pictures I took of the notebook credential in the Cathedral gift shop. As you can see, it clearly states that it is a pilgrim credential from the Cathedral of Santiago.


I also posted about it a few years ago.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/has-anyone-used-this-credential-notebook.57488/

 

[t2andreo]

I have seen that journal on sale in various gift shops along the Camino Frances - including the Cathedral gift shop in Santiago - which doesn’t really answer your question.

I recall having a good look at one, deciding I didn’t need the extra weight, and moving on.

For an authoritative answer you’ll have to await @t2andreo or one of the other regular pilgrim office volunteers, but the link you posted claims that it is recognised:

Acreditada como Credencial Oficial por la Oficina de Acogida al Peregrino de la Catedral de Santiago,

For what it is worth, I will confirm that the credencial in question is an approved, booklet version. It was introduced, as a gift item, perhaps four years ago.

It was first sold at the Pilgrim Office gift shop. I recall that Ivar offered it for a time, in his online shop.

The standard credencial costs about €1,50. The horizontally aligned decorative booklet cost at least €10,00 if I recall correctly. I say this because I bought one just to have it. It makes a very nice momento.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[debra]

Thank you @t2andreo and thank everyone that replied

Because it was a gift to me I have been a bit unsure were it came from and yes the articles by sellers about it have not filled me with joy.

However knowing that many people have seen it for sale at the pilgrims office and Cathedral. I didn't know that it had truly been a limited edition item any more than a state quarter is limited edition.

As it is about the same weight as other journals I have looked at taking, I think that I will plan on taking it and to use as both.

You have all calmed the fear of reaching Santiago to be told it is not valid.

Edited for spelling

 

[lt56ny]

For what it is worth, I will confirm that the credencial in question is an approved, booklet version. It was introduced, as a gift item, perhaps four years ago.

It was first sold at the Pilgrim Office gift shop. I recall that Ivar offered it for a time, in his online shop.

The standard credencial costs about €1,50. The horizontally aligned decorative booklet cost at least €10,00 if I recall correctly. I say this because I bought one just to have it. It makes a very nice momento.

Hope this helps.

Tom

I think that based on what you have said, and the fact that others have said it is too heavy to carry (why is that the case?) that it was issued as a nice keepsake and to be sold more as a souvenir than as an actual credential that pilgrims used as they walked to get their sellos and prove they are a pilgrim for entry into pilgrim only albergues. Is this a generally correct statement? Do you know of any pilgrims who walked in to the Pilgrim office and presented this credential to get their Compostela?

 

[C clearly]

Is this a generally correct statement?

There's a verb missing somewhere in that statement, so it is hard to say. [Edit: I have re-read it several times, and there is no verb missing. Sorry!] But I think you are casting doubt on the conclusions that were reached in the thread, in which @t2andreo and others confirmed that it IS a valid credential. (Even if it were sold "more as a souvenir", that does not invalidate it as a functioning credencial.)

 

[Kathor1]

Although I am not 100% sure, I think that The drawings in this cuaderno-credencial are by Cándido Pazos, a well-known artist from Compostela. He created sculptures that one can see along the Camino Frances in Galicia and also a book that deals with the Codex Calixtinus.

Here is an article about this artist. There are a lot of things I still do not know about the relationship between the Camino de Santiago and Galicia.

 

[t2andreo]

I think that based on what you have said, and the fact that others have said it is too heavy to carry (why is that the case?) that it was issued as a nice keepsake and to be sold more as a souvenir than as an actual credential that pilgrims used as they walked to get their sellos and prove they are a pilgrim for entry into pilgrim only albergues. Is this a generally correct statement? Do you know of any pilgrims who walked in to the Pilgrim office and presented this credential to get their Compostela?

On the one hand, I do not recall seeing anyone present this fancy credencial at the counter. However, logically some pilgrims must have done so.

Then again, I have not been doing Compostelas, as my Spanish has not been up to snuff, until this year - so I would not have generally seen these credencials. In any event, the occurrence of these fancy, decorative, heavier credencials would be an exception. Most all pilgrims use a lighter, approved card stock credencial that is easier to carry and protect.

On the other hand, they DO weigh considerably more than the standard olive brown and gold trimmed official credencial that is available across Spain. They are all shipped from the Pilgrim Office to city tourist offices, churches Cathedrals, and Camino groups across Europe, and mostly in Spain.

If I had to carry it, I would opt for the lighter standard variety credencial. Grams add up to kilograms = pain at some point. Just sayin -

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[lt56ny]

On the one hand, I do not recall seeing anyone present this fancy credencial at the counter. However, logically some pilgrims must have done so.

Then again, I have not been doing Compostelas, as my Spanish has not been up to snuff, until this year - so I would not have generally seen these credencials. In any event, the occurrence of these fancy, decorative, heavier credencials would be an exception. Most all pilgrims use a lighter, approved card stock credencial that is easier to carry and protect.

On the other hand, they DO weight considerably more than the standard olive brown and gold trimmed official credencial that is available across Spain. They are all shipped from the Pilgrim Office to city tourist offices, churches Cathedrals, and Camino groups across Europe and mostly in Spain.

If I had to carry it, I would opt for the lighter standard variety credencial. Grams add up to kilograms = pain at some point. Just sayin -

Hope this helps.

Tom

Thanks Tom,

Now that you mentioned it I now remember you saying that you did not work the desk at the Pilgrim Office. My questions were more out of curiosity than the thought of using this credential. I wonder if they still sell them. I will check at the Pilgrim Gift Shop in December. If the price is 10 Euros or more (if they are still available) they better be REALLY nice!!! haha
I appreciate your response and maybe one of these days I will see you, unless of course you only volunteer during the summer. Buen Camino

 

[lt56ny]

There's a verb missing somewhere in that statement, so it is hard to say. But I think you are casting doubt on the conclusions that were reached in the thread, in which @t2andreo and others confirmed that it IS a valid credential. (Even if it were sold "more as a souvenir", that does not invalidate it as a functioning credencial.)

You sound like my dad! Even though he only had a high school education (night school at that too, as he had to work to help his family. Depression days) He had an amazing command of the English language. Partly because he was really smart and because he took Latin in Junior High and High School. When I was in college if I finished a paper early enough I would copy what I wrote and mail it to him so he could check the grammar, spelling and punctuation. He would always say that after reading what I wrote that they must let anyone into college and must give scholarships to everyone too. How did my son get a scholarship?????? I loved him lots
Thanks for the memory!

 

[David Tallan]

I think that based on what you have said, and the fact that others have said it is too heavy to carry (why is that the case?) that it was issued as a nice keepsake and to be sold more as a souvenir than as an actual credential that pilgrims used as they walked to get their sellos and prove they are a pilgrim for entry into pilgrim only albergues. Is this a generally correct statement? Do you know of any pilgrims who walked in to the Pilgrim office and presented this credential to get their Compostela?

I think it was sold to be both. It is certainly too heavy for some to carry. But people carry all sorts of things on Camino. Heck, I've even heard of rice cookers being carried. From what I have read it is no heavier than the journals many carry, and the OP is planning to carry it. I believe it has been confirmed that it can be used as an actual credencial. How many use it so is another question. At least one is going to.

 

[debra]

Thanks again Tom for the information on this information.

As the notebook-credential weights in at 123g(my scale)

My normal notebook I take weights in at about 105g(my scale)

I don't think I am putting on too much weight with this one and it will be different than my others.

 

[Kathor1]

The cuaderno-credencial is for those of us like me who cannot draw.

 

[Kathor1]

Someone participated in an event in April 2016 where this cuaderno-credencial was presented to the public in Santiago. The artist Cándido Pazos was present and also the Archbishop of Santiago Julian Barrio Barrio and Segundo Leonardo Pérez López who at the time was the Dean of the Cathedral and the boss of the Pilgrims Office.

This participant writes on a blog, in English, that the Dean aptly described this special edition of the Santiago Pilgrim credential as a "cupboard of the soul" as it serves as a travelogue where walkers can record their vivencial. Therefore, using the words of the Dean "the importance of this notebook are the blanks".

I am not sure what a vivencial is, and I have my own Camino notebooks - both of them presents, btw, but not Camino specific - but otherwise I may be even tempted to try to get such a special notebook cum credencial myself.

 

[t2andreo]

Thanks Tom,

Now that you mentioned it I now remember you saying that you did not work the desk at the Pilgrim Office. My questions were more out of curiosity than the thought of using this credential. I wonder if they still sell them. I will check at the Pilgrim Gift Shop in December. If the price is 10 Euros or more (if they are still available) they better be REALLY nice!!! haha
I appreciate your response and maybe one of these days I will see you, unless of course you only volunteer during the summer. Buen Camino

This year I am volunteering in September (7 - 21), as I had to recover fully from a very serious illness earlier in the year. Plus, the ACC volunteer service was closed until around June. They got a late start this year.

I hope to be back to my customary four weeks spanning the Feast of Santiago on 25 July, and the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. Both weeks are peak arrival times for pilgrims.

I look forward to seeing anyone who comes by the office when I am there.

 

[lt56ny]

This year I am volunteering in September (7 - 21), as I had to recover fully from a very serious illness earlier in the year. Plus, the ACC volunteer service was closed until around June. They got a late start this year.

I hope to be back to my customary four weeks spanning the Feast of Santiago on 25 July, and the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. Both weeks are peak arrival times for pilgrims.

I look forward to seeing anyone who comes by the office when I am there.

So good you have recovered and doing what you love. I am going to PM to talk to you about volunteering if it is ok. I am happy I will not be arriving into Santiago until December 7 or so. Just looking at the temperatures everywhere and now in Sevilla I almost wish I was starting later in October.

 

[t2andreo]

Works for me - see you on the flip side.