At around 500 miles, El Camino de Santiago is one of the longest pilgrimages in the world. Beginning in France, then through the Pyrenees Mountains, and across Spain, it's a beautiful but treacherous journey. People are routinely injured and some have lost their lives.
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| Amazing views |
What is it and why would anyone in their right mind go? The legion is that James, brother of John the Baptist and cousin of Jesus, was sent to Santiago to bring the good news. When he returned to Jerusalem he was beheaded by King Herrod. His remains are now at the Cathedral of Santiago.
Originally, people world go on this ancient Walk for religious or spiritual reasons. But now folks from all over the world start this walk for all kinds of reasons. My understanding is that you may not start for a spiritual reason but it will become spiritual before you complete it.
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| Camino in Spain |
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Diane on right and her sister
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This morning in Forum, our church member and friend, Diane Homrich, shared her 2016 El Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage. Diane (she was 59 at the time) walked 400 miles on her pilgrimage. She stayed in hostels along the way never knowing who would be in the bunk next to her. She walked through sleet and rain and forests and up and down steep hills. She ate all day long and was always hungry. She carried all of her belongings in a backpack, taking only absolutely essential items with her. This included lots of duck tape.
Her sister, a professor at Rollins College, accompanied her at some points but they did not see much of each other on the trail.
Diane kept us mesmerized for almost an hour this morning. The consensus among every person I asked on the way out was that we all wished we had made this trip when we were young and strong enough to see it to the end.
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To get a better idea about this pilgrimage, consider watching the 2010 film, "The Way," directed by Emillo Estevez and staring Emillo and his dad, Martin Sheen.
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