Types of Compostela Certificates

[Seawind]

Six days out from Santiago on the Norte and have been talking with experienced pilgrims on the Certificates upon arriving in Santiago. I came back to this Forum to see if the answers were here and found that there is only one Certificate called the Compostela. Can anyone clear up and confirm this to be true OR is there another certificate for certain distances and….one experienced pilgrim even mentioned a “medal” of sort if you let the office hold your Credential until they verified your pilgrimage…then sent/mailed it back to you. Clarification would be helpful.

 

[Tincatinker]

Six days out from Santiago on the Norte and have been talking with experienced pilgrims on the Certificates upon arriving in Santiago. I came back to this Forum to see if the answers were here and found that there is only one Certificate called the Compostela. Can anyone clear up and confirm this to be true OR is there another certificate for certain distances and….one experienced pilgrim even mentioned a “medal” of sort if you let the office hold your Credential until they verified your pilgrimage…then sent/mailed it back to you. Clarification would be helpful.

There is the Compostela and there is acertificate of distance. That’s it.

There used to be a certificate of welcome for those who made the pilgrimage for other than religious reasons. The Pilgrims Office seems to have set those aside and issue a Compostela to all that meet the current criteria: to have walked at least 100km into Santiago by a recognized route and to have collected at least two Sellos per day in a recognized Credencial.

All the accurate information is available on their website: https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/

 

[trecile]

There is only ONE Compostela. The other certificates have different names, such as Fisterrana, Salvadorana, etc. . At the Pilgrim Office in Santiago they issue only Compostelas and Distance Certificates. They used to (or maybe still do on request) issue a non-religious Welcome Certificate.

There are other certificates issued at different places on different Caminos. I have only heard once about a medal, and I think that was for starting from SJPdP.

Here's an article about some of the other certificates you can receive:

The end of each Camino; all the pilgrim's certificates.

There are many certificates apart from the Compostela, some of them as well as the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago and here we show you all.

viajecaminodesantiago.com

 

[Bradypus]

one experienced pilgrim even mentioned a “medal” of sort if you let the office hold your Credential until they verified your pilgrimage…then sent/mailed it back to you. Clarification would be helpful.

I've never heard of a medal from the Santiago pilgrim office. The SJPDP office were offering one some years ago but I have no idea if that is still available. Some mention of it in this old thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/medallion-from-pilgrims-office-in-st-jean.65525/

 

[Seawind]

As true to form, your expertise is appreciated and very helpful. Thank all of you who replied AND so timely. As you have earlier advised me, I will start acquiring 2 stamps per day at Baamonde going forward to Santiago with my origination being in Irun. Incredible journey!
Overlooking Mondoñedo from the rain/wind storm!!

 

[PiesIrlandeses]

One slight variation on the standard Compostela is a vicarie pro.

Your name still appears printed on the certificate, but the name of your nominee is added, handwritten with the words vicarie pro. This is only granted in particular circumstances, such as your nominee being physically unable to make the pilgrimage.