A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. When the Holy Family travelled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover while Jesus was 12 years old, it was essentially a pilgrimage to the Holy Temple. In the Catholic Church, we have a long history, starting in the early centuries, of the faithful travelling to the Holy Land to visit the sites where our Lord lived, was crucified, and rose from the dead. The early Christians would also go as pilgrims to the sites where the Apostles and martyrs were buried, seeking the aid of their prayers.
One ancient pilgrimage is to a city in Spain called Santiago de Compostela. This is a pilgrimage in honour of St. James the Apostle. The body of St. James was taken by boat from the Holy Land to Spain. A shrine was built where his body was buried so that the saint could be venerated by the faithful. By the 9th century, Compostela had become a place of pilgrimage, with many different routes into the city. In past centuries, the faithful would travel by foot from all over Europe to visit the Shrine of St. James. Today, they come from around the world. To be considered an official pilgrim, the individual must walk at least 100 kilometres to the shrine.
When I first heard of this pilgrimage, I knew it was one I wanted to make. I enjoy walking and hiking—and doing so for a spiritual purpose would make it all the better. Therefore, in May 2019, I flew from the United States to Spain, going to the town of Saria which is just over 100 kilometres from Compostela. From there I began a five-day journey on the “French route”, staying in small towns along the way.
One of the first things I noticed as I walked each day was how many different languages I would hear on the route. There were pilgrims from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa. It was a true testament to the “catholicity” (that is to say, the universality) of our faith. Each person, for his or her own spiritual reasons, making the same pilgrimage–while united with others because of their common faith. Although I was making the journey by myself, I certainly did not feel alone.
In each town I stayed the local Catholic Church had a mass (in Spanish) at 8pm specifically for the pilgrims staying in the town for the night. Worshipping with others from around the world was another testament to what we profess each Sunday in our creed: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Receiving the Eucharist each day gave me the strength to continue the journey.
The climax, of course, is walking into the town of Compostela and finishing the pilgrimage at the Cathedral. Inside, the pilgrims line up to pay homage to St. James and to pray silently at the end of their journey. Most pilgrims will continue on to the Pilgrim’s Office run by the Cathedral where they receive their certificate, in Latin, formally designating them as a pilgrim.
Perhaps most important for me was the sense that although I was walking through towns and countryside in Spain, I was really moving more deeply within myself. The outer journey of the pilgrimage was an expression what was taking place within me as I walked with the Lord to the Shrine of St. James.
Fr Everson（易唯誠神父）
