Saintly Pilgrims?

[Holly Mitchem]

Hello all,
When I walked the Frances in 2016 I noted a shrine to St. Brigid of Sweden outside of Hontanas and discovered that St. Francis was supposed to have visited Villafranco de Bierzo on his pilgrimage to Compostela. Both of these intrigued me. I am an art historican with a particular interest in Christian wayside shrines and am in the initial stages of conceptualizing a paper on saints who made the pilgrimage to Santiago by any route, and shrines and other material recognition of their pilgrimages. If you are aware of other saints who have traveled any camino, either in legend or as documented in history, I would love to know about it. Also, if any one has primary or secondary source texts they could refer me to (I read Spanish) that would be great as well. I promise to post a link to my paper when complete! Thanks! (P.S. Just reviewed a thread on St. Francis that references a 2014 paper. Am intererested in places where tradition says he visited and how these these traditional visits are memorialized, whether or not he actually made the pilgrimage.)

 

[Irma Venter]

I do not know if this is correct but apparently St Francis visited and stayed over in the Monasterio de Santa Clara in Carrion de los Condes. Good luck with your paper

 

[SYates]

There is also a tradition that St. Francis stayed near Sanguesa on the Aragones Camino and founded a, now disappeared, monastery in Rocaforte. See: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocaforte

BC SY

 

[Anton Bruno]

Hello all,
When I walked the Frances in 2016 I noted a shrine to St. Brigid of Sweden outside of Hontanas and discovered that St. Francis was supposed to have visited Villafranco de Bierzo on his pilgrimage to Compostela. Both of these intrigued me. I am an art historican with a particular interest in Christian wayside shrines and am in the initial stages of conceptualizing a paper on saints who made the pilgrimage to Santiago by any route, and shrines and other material recognition of their pilgrimages. If you are aware of other saints who have traveled any camino, either in legend or as documented in history, I would love to know about it. Also, if any one has primary or secondary source texts they could refer me to (I read Spanish) that would be great as well. I promise to post a link to my paper when complete! Thanks! (P.S. Just reviewed a thread on St. Francis that references a 2014 paper. Am intererested in places where tradition says he visited and how these these traditional visits are memorialized, whether or not he actually made the pilgrimage.)

Glad you are doing this. Can’t think of other saints that have walked the Camino other than St. John Paul ii ...ultreia!

 

[Holly Mitchem]

Thanks for the very helpful suggestions. I just found an interesting article about about the hermitage and then convent of San Bartolome in Rocaforte, which is cited as the first Franciscan convent in the Iberian peninsula. It has recently been given to the municipality of Rocaforte by the Franciscans. The town (population 40) wishes to restore the building and integrate it into the camino Tolosano. “If the paths and roads leading to it and the building itself can be repaired, it can be integrated in the Route which passes through the cities of Jaca, la Foz de Lumbier and runs from Racaforte to Izco. It will serve to strengthen this part of the St. James’ Road through Navarre, uniting it with the ones in Aragón, particularly with those from Jaca and Zaragoza,” according to a representative from the spanish Friends of the Camino de Santiago. Has anyone visited here?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

don't forget San Roque! His statue is in dozens of camino churches, dressed in pilgrim gear

 

[Holly Mitchem]

don't forget San Roque! His statue is in dozens of camino churches, dressed in pilgrim gear

Ah yes, he was everywhere. But just reading his (legendary) bio, it looks like the pilgrimage he made was from France to Rome. There is no mention of Spain. However, he was one of the 14 Holy Helper saints and was invoked for healing of bubonic plague - maybe why there are so many sculptures of him in Spain?

 

[rappahannock_rev]

For what its worth I'll point out that there are two "Doctors of the Church" buried on the Camino -- although neither appears to have been a pilgrim.

The famous one is St. Thomas Aquinas, whose remains lie in the Church of les Jacobins in Toulouse, France.

But there is also St. Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619), who was declared a 'Doctor of the Church' by Pope John XXIII. His feast is July 21st. The details of his life are easily found on-line. He lies in the Poor Clares' Convento de la Anunciada in Villafranca del Bierzo.

 

[Deleted member 77020]

Hello all,
When I walked the Frances in 2016 I noted a shrine to St. Brigid of Sweden outside of Hontanas and discovered that St. Francis was supposed to have visited Villafranco de Bierzo on his pilgrimage to Compostela. Both of these intrigued me. I am an art historican with a particular interest in Christian wayside shrines and am in the initial stages of conceptualizing a paper on saints who made the pilgrimage to Santiago by any route, and shrines and other material recognition of their pilgrimages. If you are aware of other saints who have traveled any camino, either in legend or as documented in history, I would love to know about it. Also, if any one has primary or secondary source texts they could refer me to (I read Spanish) that would be great as well. I promise to post a link to my paper when complete! Thanks! (P.S. Just reviewed a thread on St. Francis that references a 2014 paper. Am intererested in places where tradition says he visited and how these these traditional visits are memorialized, whether or not he actually made the pilgrimage.)

I have stayed at the Monastery of the Poor Clares, in Carrion de Los Condos a number of times from what I have been told he passed there and was probably the founder of this Monastery. They have been there either from the 1100-1200 century

 

[Holly Mitchem]

For what its worth I'll point out that there are two "Doctors of the Church" buried on the Camino -- although neither appears to have been a pilgrim.

The famous one is St. Thomas Aquinas, whose remains lie in the Church of les Jacobins in Toulouse, France.

But there is also St. Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619), who was declared a 'Doctor of the Church' by Pope John XXIII. His feast is July 21st. The details of his life are easily found on-line. He lies in the Poor Clares' Convento de la Anunciada in Villafranca del Bierzo.

Had not heard of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, only of the early St. Lawrence martyred in 258. It would be amazing to visit these tombs! I loved Villafranca but all churches we visited were closed on the day we were there.

 

[Holly Mitchem]

You can find statues of San Roque/Saint Roch for the same reason in many other countries and he is often dressed in the same way as Santiago peregrino but it just signals that he is a pilgrim and patron saint of pilgrims and not related to Compostela.

Did you see the statue of Saint Raphael, the archangel, in one of the chapels in the Burgos Cathedral? It had us puzzled for a while ... a Santiago peregrino with wings, a fish in one hand and strangely enough an exposed thigh but without wound ...???

That is really something! I missed it, I think I was to gobsmacked by the most amazing Tree of Jesse I have ever seen!

 

[Deleted member 77020]

Had not heard of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, only of the early St. Lawrence martyred in 258. It would be amazing to visit these tombs! I loved Villafranca but all churches we visited were closed on the day we were there.

ST Lawrence of Brindisi was a Capuchin Friar priest. He is buried in the convent of the Poor Clares which I have visited three times. Of interest, he lies in a niche on the left hand of the church in the sanctuary. He is made of wax with full Capuchin habit his bones are encased in this wax image. If you look closely at his sandaled feet. one of the sandals you will see the bones of his foot which is exposed.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I tried to pay my respects to St. Lawrence on my last spin through Villafranca -- but I arrived outside of posted service/visiting hours, and the good sisters absolutely refused to let me in, even though I was wearing my clerical collar.

AND BLESS THEM FOR THAT! It's a convent chapel, after all -- not a tourist attraction.

 

[Deleted member 77020]

I tried to pay my respects to St. Lawrence on my last spin through Villafranca -- but I arrived outside of posted service/visiting hours, and the good sisters absolutely refused to let me in, even though I was wearing my clerical collar.

AND BLESS THEM FOR THAT! It's a convent chapel, after all -- not a tourist attraction.

You were refused and we were welcomed. We arrived at the end of Lauds. as we sat there after they had finished their morning prayer we heard a pst; we look at the sisters behind the grill and they montioned us to come over. They spoke no English but did know some Italian and since I can speak Italian they were so joyous and to greet us because we were doing the Camino. It was a happy event for us to meet them.

 

[ctdkite]

I made a list in 2016. I will review these posts and see if there are any I should add.

https://stjamestostjames.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/saints-who-went-to-santiago/

Blessed Albert of Bergamo

Blessed Albert of Clatina

Blessed Diego of Saldana (Saint Telmo)

Blessed Raymond Lull

Blessed Theobald

Saint Bona of Pisa

Saint Bridget of Sweden

Saint Contardo

Saint Dominic de la Calzada

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

Saint Famianus of Compostela

Saint Famianw

Saint Fazzio

Saint Francis

Saint Giles

Saint John de Ortega

Saint John the Hermit

Saint John XXIII

Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Saint Morand

Saint Peter Martinez

Saint Rudesind

Saint Veridiana

Saint William of Montevergine

Venerable Baltasár Pardal Vidal

Saint John Paul II*



*JPII visited Santiago de Compostela in 1982 and 1989, though he arrived by plane and vehicle.

 

[ctdkite]

Ah yes, he was everywhere. But just reading his (legendary) bio, it looks like the pilgrimage he made was from France to Rome. There is no mention of Spain. However, he was one of the 14 Holy Helper saints and was invoked for healing of bubonic plague - maybe why there are so many sculptures of him in Spain?

Yes, he is always dressed as a pilgrim, with the scallop shell, but there is no record of him going to Santiago. It shows how the scallop shell came to symbolize all pilgrims and not just those going to Santiago.

 

[Holly Mitchem]

I made a list in 2016. I will review these posts and see if there are any I should add.

https://stjamestostjames.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/saints-who-went-to-santiago/

Blessed Albert of Bergamo

Blessed Albert of Clatina

Blessed Diego of Saldana (Saint Telmo)

Blessed Raymond Lull

Blessed Theobald

Saint Bona of Pisa

Saint Bridget of Sweden

Saint Contardo

Saint Dominic de la Calzada

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

Saint Famianus of Compostela

Saint Famianw

Saint Fazzio

Saint Francis

Saint Giles

Saint John de Ortega

Saint John the Hermit

Saint John XXIII

Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Saint Morand

Saint Peter Martinez

Saint Rudesind

Saint Veridiana

Saint William of Montevergine

Venerable Baltasár Pardal Vidal

Saint John Paul II*



*JPII visited Santiago de Compostela in 1982 and 1989, though he arrived by plane and vehicle.[/QUOTE
Thanks so much for this very helpful list. I have my work cut out for me!

 

[Holly Mitchem]

Thanks so much for this extensive list! I have my work cut out for me!

 

[Baba John]

I tried to pay my respects to St. Lawrence on my last spin through Villafranca -- but I arrived outside of posted service/visiting hours, and the good sisters absolutely refused to let me in, even though I was wearing my clerical collar.

AND BLESS THEM FOR THAT! It's a convent chapel, after all -- not a tourist attraction.

Amen Amen Amen

 

[Bradypus]

Saint John Paul II*

*JPII visited Santiago de Compostela in 1982 and 1989, though he arrived by plane and vehicle.

The "100km rule" was only introduced in the 1990s. Before that anyone who visited the cathedral for religious motives ("in pietatis causa") could be granted a Compostela irrespective of their means of travel. It would be anachronistic to start applying modern restrictions and definitions to past generations.

 

[JillGat]

You can find statues of San Roque/Saint Roch for the same reason in many other countries and he is often dressed in the same way as Santiago peregrino but it just signals that he is a pilgrim and patron saint of pilgrims and not related to Compostela.

Did you see the statue of Saint Raphael, the archangel, in one of the chapels in the Burgos Cathedral? It had us puzzled for a while ... a Santiago peregrino with wings, a fish in one hand and strangely enough an exposed thigh but without wound ...???

I have found that displaying a thigh like this helps one find a bed in the albergues. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Jeff Zimmerman]

Not sure if they made it to Santiago de Compostella, but in Avila on the Camino de Levante you’ll find shrines/tombs of St. Theresa of Avila and San Juan de la Cruz(St John of the Cross.)