“Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before.” --Dalai Lama
How does a pilgrim prove that he or she has, indeed, made the required journey on the Camino de Santiago? Proof is a serious matter. In order to obtain a Compostela--the certificate issued by the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago--you have to demonstrate that you have walked at least the last 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the Camino (200 kilometers if you cycle). Those of us who intend to walk the entire 790 kilometers have definite opinions about those who jump in at the final 100, but that's another Blix...
The proof is in the form of a fold-out piece of paper that all pilgrims carry, and protect as if it were a newborn baby. It's called a Credential (Credencial), or Pilgrim Passport. After the walk, it becomes a cherished keepsake. During the walk...it's your lifeline.
You get a Credential at the start of your pilgrimage. Some folks order them ahead, through their own country's Pilgrim Confraternity. I'm holding out for the French one, which I'll pick up in St. Jean Pied-de-Port, my starting point. Once I get it, I'll keep it safe in a waterproof Baggie.
Here's how it works, explained by Americans on the Camino: "While on their journey along the Camino de Santiago, pilgrims carry a credential (credencial), a document with which the pilgrim authenticates his or her progress by obtaining sellos (stamps) along the way. Sellos can be obtained at most hotels and inns, restaurants, bars, churches, museums, city halls, police stations and at all albergues."
Each stamp (sello) is unique to its source. Some are quite decorative, some portray a scene, story, or person associated with the stop. Here are some examples:
Very pretty, aren't they? You would want to collect them anyway. Good thing, because there are rules to be followed, regarding the sellos.
1. In order to stay in an alburgue along the Camino, you must present your passport to show that you walked (or cycled) from previous villages. Only "authentic" pilgrims are allowed to stay in these inexpensive means of hospitality.
2. For the first 400 miles, you must have one sello a day, to show that you are making continual progress. It's a good idea to get a couple each day--plus, they're pretty and help you remember your stops when you get back home.
3. During the final 100 kilometers, pilgrims are required to get two sellos a day. Because this is the minimum distance required, and because many people begin their walk in Sarria (the 100 kilometer town), more proof is necessary. Keeps everyone honest...although a pilgrimage seems like a terrible time to choose to lie. You're ending up at a cathedral holding the bones of St. James!
4. On completion of your pilgrimage at Santiago de Compostela, you present your credencial at the Pilgrim Office beside the Cathedral. You will then be given your Compostela certificate, the traditional document, in Latin, confirming your completion of the pilgrimage.
Then you take it home and frame it. Or put it in your bank vault. You also start to wonder if you wouldn't like to do another pilgrimage, along a different route...
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