Pilgrim's Credential
Pilgrim's Credential
«The Credential or accreditation of the Pilgrim is the document given to pilgrims in the Middle Ages as a safe-conduct. Today there is an official model of credential distributed and accepted by the Office of Pilgrimages of the Diocese of Santiago. It can be obtained by requesting it in person at the Pilgrim Reception Office or at other institutions authorized by the Cathedral of Santiago for distribution, such as parishes, Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago, pilgrim hostels, brotherhoods, etc. In Spain and outside of Spain, some associations related to the pilgrimage have been authorized to distribute their own credentials with a reference to the goal of the pilgrimage in the Cathedral of Santiago. Anyway, official credentials can be acquired both in Spain and abroad, and to receive information about credential distribution locations in your country, region or city ».
Source: Pilgrim Welcome Office.
The Compostela
The Cabildo of the Metropolitan Church of Santiago issues the certificate, granting the "Compostela" to those who go to the Tomb of the Apostle for religious and / or spiritual reasons, and following the routes of the Camino de Santiago on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. For this, it is required to have traveled at least the last 100 kilometers on foot or on horseback or also the last 200 cycling, which is demonstrated with the evidence of the "pilgrim's credential" duly stamped along the route traveled.. Are excluded, therefore, other forms of displacement to access the Compostela, except for the disabled.
To get the "Compostella" you must:
- Make the pilgrimage for religious or spiritual reasons, or at least with an attitude of search.
- Do the last ones on foot or on horseback 100 Km. or the last 200 km. cycling. It is understood that the pilgrimage begins at a point and from there you come to visit the Tomb of Santiago.
- You must collect stamps from the places you go through in the "Pilgrim's Credential", what is pass certification. Church stamps are preferred, hostels, monasteries, cathedrals and all the places related to the Camino, but in the absence of these, can also be sealed in other institutions: town halls, cafés, etc. The credential must be stamped twice a day at least in the last 100 Km. ( for pilgrims on foot or on horseback) or in the last 200 Km. (for cyclist pilgrims).
Source: Pilgrim Welcome Office
More information: Association of friends of the Camino da Marca de Sarria