The Way of Saint James via Camino Francè

Day 51 – The last post

The Crypt is deep beneath the statue. The statue is above and behind the altar.

We got up at 5 AM so we could get to the Cathedral before it got busy again. That worked great! There were only a dozen or so pilgrims in the whole massive Cathedral. We climbed a narrow ornate stairway to a small area behind the statue of St James. It was lifesize and clothed in precious metals, shining in the spotlights.

 Following tradition we hugged the statue and touched our brow to his head. Then descended to the relics in the crypt and knelt before the remains. Practically having the place to ourselves we were not rushed.

You may recognize this photo as the same church used as our website header. It is on the Atlantic coast at Muxia. Nancy is in this photo way down on the rocks in front of the church.

We wanted to visit Muxia and Finisterre (the end of land in the ancient world effectively the end of the their world). So at 9 AM we boarded a tour bus to go there. Some pilgrims walk there from Santiago de Compostela. We saw only young pilgrims do that. Us old geezers took the bus.

Finisterre is on a cape extending out into the ocean. At the end is a lighthouse and the view is terrific. This rock, beside a cliff, is a favorite monument for pilgrims.

And while all paths end at Cathedral de Santiago a last Camino post was installed for the pilgrims who come here. The Journeys end.

Our journey will continue to Fatima in Portugal and who knows where after that. But now our part on the Way of St James is over and this is the last post. Thank you to everyone  who ‘went with us’ on the Camino!

View more photos from week 8

Day 50 – Paying our respects to Saint James the Greater, Saint Iago

Today we prowled throughout Cathedral de Santiago. All its side chapels, art, and treasury of precious metal chalices, monstrances, and jeweled pieces. We learned the history of the Cathedral and of Saint James clear back to 44 A.D.  Very sobering. The outpouring of faith over so many centuries and the hardships endured by the millions who dared the trails that lead here.

The labor to build, and rebuild after wars and decay over an immense period of time. The effort required to provide a magnificent structure to welcome pilgrims, to house Saint James remains and make them available to every pilgrim. These things affect you deeply here and every pilgrim seems to take the time to learn these stories.

Not all who walk the Way are pilgrims. For many it’s just another trail to hike. They miss so much that we feel sorry for them in a way. Lots of tourists come here just to see what all the fuss is about. The narrow maze of streets opening onto wide plazas are filled with shops catering to both the pilgrim and tourist much the way old Jerusalem is. They come to the Mass and wander about taking pictures during this powerful catholic celebration of the Eucharist. They miss so much. The streets are full of beggars and modern minstrels playing for coins. Probably that hasn’t changed since the beginning and when you learn the stories you wonder, if you scrape the modern veneer off of what you see, if anything is really any different for us than it was for pilgrims so long ago.

We’ve spent a lot of time wandering through the Cathedral but have yet to kneel before his remains. This is because of the crowds that make this difficult. One tradition is for pilgrims to hug the life size statue of Saint James that stands above his crypt. The line for that is a block long.  But we are figuring out the crowd timing to avoid that and get some real time with the Saint. Early morning or at lunch when the tourists get hungry. So in the morning we will be back at the Cathedral. Then perhaps off to Finisterre on a 10 AM tour bus.

View more photos from week 8

Day 49 – Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostela

We made it! Most of our walk today from Lavacolla to the Cathedral de Santiago was through urban streets and traffic. But occasionally we could see the church spires at a distance. I don’t know if we were laughing or crying. So close now! We made it in time for noon mass. But just barely. We had to check our packs in to a storage room because they didn’t want packs inside the Cathedral, I guess to avoid terrorists blowing it up with thousands of pilgrims inside. So we were about the last in and had to stand for mass with a not very good view. We did manage to receive Eucharist. Then they fired up the giant incensor (botafumiero) and six or seven men in red garments swung it, trailing large streams of fragrant smoke, in a dizzying path over the pilgrims. It nearly hit the very high ceilings at the ends of its arc and nearly disappeared in a blur of speed as it swung through perigee by the altar.

We are here and have given thanks to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all the Angels and Saints, and the multitude of guardian angels who helped us on the Way. Now we just need a few days to sort out our minds and make sense of it all.

The day was exciting but long and tiring. We stood in line for over two hours to have our credentials verified and receive our Compostela. But we got them. We talked with a couple our ages from Utah while in line. We had a lot in common and hated to go our own ways after getting our Compostela certificates.

This won’t be the last post. We plan to bus to Finisterre to go to the Chapel there on the coast at the ‘end of the world’. Some pilgrims continue their walk to there, another 5 days. But the Way ends here and we have learned our limits. We will bus to Finisterre.

View more photos from week 7