Which Credential should I use?

[Luap]

Dear Pilgrims,
I begin my very first Camino on Thursday from SJDPP and I am walking alone. I have the normal ( brown coloured) credential but I also have purchased the Holy year credential from Ivar ( thanks Ivar!). The brown one has 47 spaces for stamps, 33 more than the Holy Year one (12 stamps). We have to collect 2 stamps per day.
My concern is that I will not have enough space on the Holy Year one which is the one I was hoping to use.

How have you managed this? Is one person allowed to use both passports? I’d be very grateful for any help and advice. Many thanks for your time.

 

[henrythedog]

Start with the holy-year one then, when it’s full, continue on the other (or a piece of plain paper, the back of your gas bill or whatever comes to hand.)

 

[trecile]

Are you saying that the Holy year credential only has spaces for 12 stamps???
You don't need two stamps the entire way - just for the last 100 km.
If you want to collect a lot of stamps do as @henrythedog suggests and use both.

 

[Tincatinker]

HI, @Luap, you can use as many and as various credencial as you wish. If you're walking from StJdP you'll probably want to start by filling the "Brown" job, maybe pick up another en-route & save that Holy Year special for the last few days into Santiago. I guess the Cathedral assumes that everyone walks from Sarria despite the available evidence to the contrary.

Buen Camino, and remember, there are no rules on Camino until you hit the influence of the Diocese

 

[Luap]

That’s great guys, thank you. You have put my mind at rest. I wasn’t sure if that would have been acceptable when I finally reach the cathedral. Thank you both.

 

[Luap]

HI, @Luap, you can use as many and as various credencial as you wish. If you're walking from StJdP you'll probably want to start by filling the "Brown" job, maybe pick up another en-route & save that Holy Year special for the last few days into Santiago. I guess the Cathedral assumes that everyone walks from Sarria despite the available evidence to the contrary.

Buen Camino, and remember, there are no rules on Camino until you hit the influence of the Diocese

Thanks @Tincatinker, sounds a great, practical idea. I didn’t know you could find credentials along the way either! More importantly, it puts my mind at rest. Appreciate your help, thank you!

 

[jungleboy]

Are you saying that the Holy year credential only has spaces for 12 stamps???

I don't have mind at hand to confirm but they definitely have much less space than standard ones. We ran out of space in ours on the Nascente even though it was so hard to get stamps! Some camino angels arranged for the cathedral in Lisbon to post new credentials to a lodging a few days ahead of us so we could pick them up because there was nowhere to buy new credentials in those parts.

 

[Vacajoe]

Yes, we found the Holy Year credential designed for walkers if the last 100km - waaaay too small for anything longer and maybe not even large enough for those few double-stamp days since some sellos take up multiple spaces. Not sure who approved that design, but it’s doubtful they were an actual pilgrim

 

[jsalt]

The Holy Year credencial has space for 34 stamps . . .

. . . . but there's also loads of space on the maps on the reverse side if you need to add a few more . . .

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

My wife and I started from St Jean on Sept 17 and have already used one full side if the Americans Camino passport. I flipped it over and there are two full pages of maps (unnecessary in my view) so I am asking new sellos be stamped on the map pages. I expect to collect seven or eight before starting on the blank pages. I also have Jubilee passports for my wife and myself and there are even more map pages! We’ll do the same using these pages. In our three prior caminos we were always able to arrive at the pilgrim’s office with two completo passports per person and plan to do again this camino. Bob

 

[Luap]

My wife and I started from St Jean on Sept 17 and have already used one full side if the Americans Camino passport. I flipped it over and there are two full pages of maps (unnecessary in my view) so I am asking new sellos be stamped on the map pages. I expect to collect seven or eight before starting on the blank pages. I also have Jubilee passports for my wife and myself and there are even more map pages! We’ll do the same using these pages. In our three prior caminos we were always able to arrive at the pilgrim’s office with two completo passports per person and plan to do again this camino. Bob

My wife and I started from St Jean on Sept 17 and have already used one full side if the Americans Camino passport. I flipped it over and there are two full pages of maps (unnecessary in my view) so I am asking new sellos be stamped on the map pages. I expect to collect seven or eight before starting on the blank pages. I also have Jubilee passports for my wife and myself and there are even more map pages! We’ll do the same using these pages. In our three prior caminos we were always able to arrive at the pilgrim’s office with two completo passports per person and plan to do again this camino. Bob

Thanks Bob!

 

[Vacajoe]

Yes, 34 small sello spaces on the Holy Year passport. Unfortunately, nearly all the stamps are larger than that, so realistically you’d be lucky to fit 20 in it without utilizing the map space. It’s just an odd decision to make it less functional then the standard credential

 

[Luap]

Yes, 34 small sello spaces on the Holy Year passport. Unfortunately, nearly all the stamps are larger than that, so realistically you’d be lucky to fit 20 in it without utilizing the map space. It’s just an odd decision to make it less functional then the standard credential

Gosh, I only have 12 on mine. Maybe there are variations of the Holy Year credential? Either way, I’ll take the advice that has been shared here. Buen camino!

 

[JamesQuast]

Does anyone know if we can get a Holy year credential in Sarria? We just go here and looking at how many spots we have left in our current book we will need another one. It would be good to have the Holy year credential to finish the Camino. We started in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and it’s been fun filling the books (2 now), It would be nice to have the Holy year credential To finish out the trip.

Our Blog:

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Today was a day off from the Camino. It’s our last rest day before arriving in Santiago de Compostella on Sunday. At breakfast we met some pilgrims who have also traveled from St. Jean - where we...

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[CaptBuddy]

I'm with Henry and Tincat. Use however many, or what ever, it takes.
However, IMO (I hope I do not get blasted for this), since the Compostela is for the last 100km, I would save the one I cherish most (Holy Year ?) for that part of the Camino. You could wind up with 2 great pieces of memorabilia.
Don't be afraid to write on the credential, if you like. On our second Camino, I carried a small moleskine, and when I could I stamped a page and made notes about the place where we got the stamp. Years later, it is great to have those memory joggers.
Just my 2 cents.
Buen Camino

 

[Luap]

I'm with Henry and Tincat. Use however many, or what ever, it takes.
However, IMO (I hope I do not get blasted for this), since the Compostela is for the last 100km, I would save the one I cherish most (Holy Year ?) for that part of the Camino. You could wind up with 2 great pieces of memorabilia.
Don't be afraid to write on the credential, if you like. On our second Camino, I carried a small moleskine, and when I could I stamped a page and made notes about the place where we got the stamp. Years later, it is great to have those memory joggers.
Just my 2 cents.
Buen Camino

Again, @CaptBuddy , another piece of practical advice, especially for the novice like myself. I’ll not be afraid to write on it now a d have more confidence with its general use and purpose too. Many thanks.

 

[FourSeasons]

CF September 2013

 

[RRat]

Dear Pilgrims,
I begin my very first Camino on Thursday from SJDPP and I am walking alone. I have the normal ( brown coloured) credential but I also have purchased the Holy year credential from Ivar ( thanks Ivar!). The brown one has 47 spaces for stamps, 33 more than the Holy Year one (12 stamps). We have to collect 2 stamps per day.
My concern is that I will not have enough space on the Holy Year one which is the one I was hoping to use.

How have you managed this? Is one person allowed to use both passports? I’d be very grateful for any help and advice. Many thanks for your time.

Wish I had kept mine in a ziplock bag. The rain in Spain ... You know the rest

 

[Kathy F.]

On my second Camino, I got every stamp I could get (I had started in Lourdes) and my first one was full halfway through. I got a second and managed to duct tape them together, accordion style. What a delightful mess when I would open them up for more stamps. The wonderful volunteers in Santiago didn't bat an eye - nor count to make sure I had the "correct" number of stamps - when I arrived. They have an uncanny sense of who has been a pilgrim and who has just been playing at being a pilgrim.

 

[Luap]

I’m loving these stories! A ziplock bag…brilliant tip @RRat , thanks very much.
I’ve taken all this on board and will begin on Wednesday. Thanks for all your positive feedback and support.
Buen camino!

 

[Kathy F.]

I always kept my credencia AND my passport in a zip loc baggie in my Fanny pack.

 

[FourSeasons]

CF September 2013
View attachment 109964

Oops!!! I thought I was posting this in the thread “one photo, one day at a time” oops!

 

[JamesQuast]

To secure our credentials, we used zip lock bags initially. The pilgrim office gave us new ones when we got our first stamp, but they soon tore. This happens when you get them in and out of your pockets. We bought new bags as you can see here that we thought where more hearty, As you can see these soon got tears in them as well. I recommend bringing a few zip locks to replace any that may go bad. Good luck. switch out as you walk. Have a great time.

 

[Canche]

Dear Pilgrims,
I begin my very first Camino on Thursday from SJDPP and I am walking alone. I have the normal ( brown coloured) credential but I also have purchased the Holy year credential from Ivar ( thanks Ivar!). The brown one has 47 spaces for stamps, 33 more than the Holy Year one (12 stamps). We have to collect 2 stamps per day.
My concern is that I will not have enough space on the Holy Year one which is the one I was hoping to use.

How have you managed this? Is one person allowed to use both passports? I’d be very grateful for any help and advice. Many thanks for your time.

Of course you csn use both. I gilled up my Holy Year one and continued with the other and got my Compostela 4 days ago. Buen Camino

 

[Luap]

Of course you csn use both. I gilled up my Holy Year one and continued with the other and got my Compostela 4 days ago. Buen Camino

Thanks Canche. I appreciate that.