Camino Super Stars

The Way

The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage route to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Today there are numerous different routes that lead to the final point of Santiago, but the most famous is the Camino Frances or ‘French Way’, which leads through northern Spain in 790 kilometers (491 miles) from France. Sally and I walked this route in 35 days.

Although the road probably served as a trade route for a long time, the pilgrimage route suddenly became immensely popular among pilgrims in the Middle Ages. This had everything to do with Saint James, an apostle whose body is said to be buried in Santiago.

The Man

This photo is of what is probably the most famous of the St James statues. Obviously it was raining and this was a selfie that had to include the gentleman holding out an umbrella for the good Saint. What makes this portrayal of St James special is the pose. He is pressing against wind and rain, the truly dedicated apostle come to bring the message of Jesus to the Spanish people.

Saint Jacob, James the Greater, Saint James, Santiago: he goes by many names. The biblical figure was, of course, a disciple of Jesus, oldest son of Zebedee and brother to John. But most important for this writing, James is the patron saint of Spain, and his image is everywhere.

The Myth

According to legends, Saint James traveled to Spain to spread the word of Christ. He is said to have spent about seven years here before returning to Jerusalem. Around Passover of C.E. 44, Saint James was the first of the apostles to die a martyr when he was beheaded under the command of Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great.

Saint James’s head is said to be buried in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter. In the Old City there is a cathedral dedicated to Saint James the Greater. Sally and I have been there many times. The building is said to mark the spot where James was beheaded. His head is believed to be buried under the altar, outlined by a piece of red marble and surrounded by candles.

According to the accounts, the body of Saint James made a long journey west (note, these stories did not begin to circulate until the seventh century). After the death of the apostle, his body was taken to the Iberian Peninsula in a stone boat led by an angel. After that, according to the stories, the saint was buried in the place where Santiago de Compostela is now located. This place is even named after him: the Spanish name of Saint Jacob, Santo Iago or San Yago, was shortened to Santiago.

And Us!

Our journey was mostly about being together doing something challenging. Neither of us thought much about a spiritual aspect to this adventure. And because I find it difficult to comprehend what constitutes ”spiritual”, I can’t say we had a spiritual journey. Others talk about meeting God on the Camino. I respect that. But honestly, I wasn’t looking to meet God on the Way. I have the stubborn idea that through the workings of the Holy Spirit God is on the way with all of us and all of the time. And I don’t think or talk about this “being with us” in supernatural terms. The possibility of the presence of God is enough for me.

However, two persons became very important to me. One was Mary, the mother of Jesus. I love Mary. Sally and I were introduced to Mary when we lived in Jerusalem. Before that she was simply the one who bore Jesus, a kind of a human incubator, nothing much more. But in Jerusalem we experienced Mary as the woman who said yes to God, and who raised a son so dangerous to the authorities of the day that he (Jesus) had to be murdered. What kind of woman is that then?

So we looked for Mary and found her everywhere. But the Mary we encountered was mostly the Mother of God Mary now elevated to almost divine status. I prefer the young woman who was confused by the whole thing, but still willing to go along, and the grown woman who stayed with her son all the way to the end. With her I can identify.

The Pilgrim

All along the walk we met St James the Pilgrim. He was a statue in the town square or one standing alone out in the middle of nowhere. St James was in every church we stopped by and we stopped by dozens of churches. And the Saint was always portrayed wearing a distinctive hat, sandals and a long cloak. He carried a wooden walking stick, a book (the story of Jesus), and a gourd for wine or water. And the shell, which represents many paths to Santiago, (many paths to God, maybe?) was attached to both hat and cloak.

St James was a pilgrim, a walker with the ”good news”. He was one of us on the way. The image he portrayed to me was one that reminded me daily that you don’t need much to move through life as a follower of Jesus—just the bare necessities. Everything on him and everything about him portrayed duty, steadfastness, and peace.

Then This

Yes, that’s James, but not James the Pilgrim, walking the way carrying the bare necessities. At the end of the journey, high in the center of the cathedral in Santiago, is James on a white horse brandishing a sword.

I like the pilgrim better. With him, I can identify.

And then there is Jesus, the teacher, the healer, the friend who somehow ends up the same as St James—riding a white horse while wielding a bloody sword.

I like the teacher better. With him too, I can identify.

Day 33 on the Camino Way

Day 13 on the Camino Way