Santiago de Compostela

We continue our journey to Santiago de Compostela, the celebrated end of the Camino de Santiago, a 800 km trek that begins in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France.

 Each year thousands of faithful (and probably some who are not so much) make the pilgrimmage to the burial place of St. James. Our thoughts of making this same hike next year are tempered by our weakened condition, a result of our encounter with food poisoning, and the cold, rainy weather in Santiago. Our exercising and walking have fallen off. We usually manage between 12 – 17 thousand steps every day - which is about 10 km, but this week we have not even hit 10,000 any day. We were thinking that we could average at least 20 km a day and do the Camino in 40 days, but now we realize that we would have to be in top shape to accomplish this.

The city is dominated by the Cathedral of St. James. Legend has it that the remains of the apostle James were brought to Galicia for burial. In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria, Bishop Teodomiro.The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II in Oviedo. To honour St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found.

The city itself is bustling with the triumphant pilgrims who have successfully completed the journey, and celebrate their accomplishments with impromptu songs, dances and chants of self-congratulation. Cafes and restaurants spill their tables into the streets, creating a festive atmosphere despite the gloomy weather. Of course, the main attraction is the cathedral itself, and it is stunning.

 Lorraine and I have been to the Vatican and seen the Sisteen Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. We have seen Notre Dame in Paris, France, but these have serious competition in the Cathedral of St. James. The sheer size of it, the stained glass, the gold leaf covering the detailed statues, the tapestries, the bejewelled mosaics, and the artwork simply awe the senses. We have never seen such a display of overwhelming wealth.

The cathedral is jam-packed with pilgrims, the faithful, and those of us who just want to see what it is all about.

I am sorry to say this, for it will alienate many of you, but for me, it was all about greed, pomposity, and the bullying of the Church. How many millions were spent in the glorification of God here? Was this to cow the people? To strike awe and fear into their hearts and minds by building this tribute to the almighty?

It was gaudy, pretentious and wasteful. It was interesting to note how many people surrounded the cathedral begging for food. How many people could be helped with the fortunes that were invested in the hopes of buying a stairway to heaven?

The Cathedral

Inside the Ornate Church

Pilgrims on the Camino