All of a sudden Santiago de Compostela comes out of the past and finds its own human and spiritual dimension. It is quite easy to understand why this is happening, while the rediscovery of the charm of this place of worship is a privilege reserved for those who will travel over the Compostelan itinerary; if they will not travel by foot, as the medieval pilgrims did, they will at least do so with the same desire to bear witness of their belief, be it religious, ethical or moral, and arrive at a destination suspended between reality and the divine; it is also a wonderful opportunity to discover a universe outside ordinary travel itineraries.

The Apostle Santiago and the city he gave his name to 

Tradition and history indissolubly blend and interweave around the person of the Apostle Saint James (Santiago in Spanish). In his Gospel, Saint Luke talks about him as “James the Greater”, to distinguish him from “James the Younger”. He was the brother of Saint John the Evangelist, therefore he too was son of the fisherman Zebedeo and of Salomè. 
In his Gospel, Saint Matthew clearly talks of him and this historical evidence confirms his existence. The historical reality of the ancient tradition that links the apostle Santiago to Spain is however less precise and less documented. In reality records establishing the date of his arrival on the Iberian Peninsula do not exist, but on the other hand the tradition that confirms his presence here was so deep-rooted and accepted in the Middle Ages, that it would be rather risky to refute its historical value. 
Even though historical documents that prove the presence of Saint James in Spain do not exist, there are three fundamental elements that prove the existence of this tradition: firstly, Santiago’s stay on Spanish land during his evangelization journey from Palestine through the Mediterranean and his subsequent return to Jerusalem, where he was martyred by order of Herod Agrippa in the year 44 AD.; secondly the transfer of his relics to Spain, by sea, carried out by his disciples who landed in Galicia (precisely at “Finisterrae”), then considered the farthest end of known Europe; lastly the recovery of these relics near Iria Fluvia, a bishop’s seat, today known as Padròn, by bishop Teodomiro at the beginning of the IX century AD., i.e. between 812 and 814. As from the recovery, historical evidence and records regarding Santiago become reality, as narrates the “Historia Compostelana”, a document that dates from the period and describes how the corpse of the Saint was found. 
“In a camp close to Iria Fluvia, inexplicable “burning lights” and angels were seen at night. The bishop Teodomiro examined these prodigious facts personally before informing Alfonso II, king of Asturias, who in turn ordered that the mystery be solved. This is how the marble sarcophagus containing the corpse of the saint was found.” 
From that moment the first religious constructions were built, with the king’s aid, and the foundations of what would later become the great city of the Apostle were laid. The place where the “burning lights” had appeared was called “campus stellae” in Latin, thus becoming “Compostela” in the language of the Iberian country. 

Santiago’s itinerary 

As from the XI century Santiago de Compostela witnessed an extraordinary expansion. A visit to the apostle’s tomb had the same value as visiting Rome, the place of Peter and Paul’s martyrdom, and Jerusalem, the place where Jesus was crucified. At the beginning the pilgrims were Spanish inhabitants of the Pyrenees, but in time they came by the thousand from the entire continent following to four precise itineraries: those who came from Northern Europe employed the road that traversed Paris, denominated “Via Turonense”; those who came from Central Europe followed the “Via Lemoincense”, that started from the city of Vezelay and got its name from Limoges. A third alternative was the “Via Podense”, that started in Le Puy; lastly, the “Via Francigena” started in Rome and passed through Arles and Toulouse. All the itineraries met in the locality of Puente la Reina, after having climbed over the Pyrenees through the Roncisvalle pass and from that moment “Todos los caminos a Santiago se hacen uno solo” (all the roads to Santiago become one road only), as proclaimed by the ancient “Guide of the pilgrim to Santiago”, a proper handbook that indicated itineraries, stages, places to stay scattered along the road, prayers to be said, the dangers to avoid or to face before reaching destination. 
And once the destination was reached and the prayers on the Saint’s tomb said, the journey was not over: one had to reach the sea, the farthest point, the end of the lands known until then, the “finis terrae”, today called Finisterre. 

The itinerary of the “Camino” 

In recent years a religious awakening has taken place towards the Compostela pilgrimage, mostly due to the celebration of the “Holy Years”. In fact whenever the 25th of July, the feast of Saint James Apostle, falls on a Sunday, an “Año Santo compostelano” is proclaimed, having the same qualities and indulgences as the Roman one, but with a different frequency since it falls every 6 - 11 - 6 - 5 years. The privilege of this event dates from a Bill drawn up by Pope Alexander III in 1179 and in fact in 1993 such a year was celebrated. The Holy Year before that was celebrated in 1982 in the presence of Pope John Paul II.  
750 kms lie between Roncisvalle and Santiago de Compostela; it’s like going from France to the Atlantic passing through Navarra, Rioja, Castile and Galicia. 
The traditional stages are 13, just as the ones described in the XII century by a religious Frenchman in his “Liber Sancti Jacobi”. They become 14 if one adds the stage that goes from Santiago de Compostela to Cape Finisterre; 140 km to reach the Atlantic, but they are well worth facing to enjoy the spectacle of this promontory  that extends out into the sea, marking the farthest north-western point of the European continent. Up to the XV century it was believed that it marked the end of the earth, but then Columbus came along to prove that it was not so. 

Thirteen stages among paths and ribbons of asphalt 

The “Camino” begins at the Franco-Spanish border, to be precise at St. Michel le Vieux, and this first stage ends after 28 km only, at Viscarret. Along the way the land is steep and forceful up to the Roncisvalle Pass, where a memorial stone commemorates the paladin Roland (or Roldan as the Spanish call him) who died here in 778. 
The second stage leads to Pamplona, once a medieval fortress and capital of the kingdom of Navarra. It stands on a rocky spur of the left bank of the Arga river, at the foot of the western Pyrenees and today is a modern city that preserves its historical nucleus. On the occasion of the feast of Saint Firmin, between the 6th and the 14th of July, the famous “feria de San Firmin” is held along its streets, during which the bulls destined to bullfights are left free to reach the bullring along a route that snakes through the old city. 
The third stage reaches Estella, passing through the city of Puente la Reina. Once the roads of the medieval pilgrims used to meet here to form one single road. 
From Estella one moves on to Najera, in the province of the Rioja, a region famous for its wines. Along the route one encounters the town of Clavijo, where Ramiro I of Asturia won a great battle against the Moors in 844. The legend goes that during the battle  (which was taking a turn for the worse for Ramiro) the Apostle Santiago appeared on a white horse, put numerous enemies to flight and gave renewed energy to the Christians. This is why he was called “Matamoros”, and it shouldn’t surprise us if we remember that Jesus called James “Son of Thunder” for his impetuous and perhaps intemperate character. The fifth stage leads to Burgos, a splendid city and the ancient capital of Castile and Leòn, as well as the scene of many a legendary enterprise carried out by Cid Campeador, the national Spanish hero. Along the way one encounters the city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, that gets its name from a monk who lived here around 1100 and devoted himself to helping the pilgrims. To date, in the Gothic cathedral, the visitor will find a live cock and a live chicken in a cage in memory of the “miracle of the hanged man”. In fact it is said that in the XIV century, a young man travelling to Santiago with his parents was unjustly accused of theft and was hung. Shocked, the parents prayed to the Saint to intercede for their unfortunate son and all of a sudden they heard his voice reassuring them: he was alive thanks to Santiago’s aid. On going back to the city, the parents went to the judge who had pronounced judgement to inform him of the miracle. He was seated at the table in front of two roast chickens. On hearing the news he answered sarcastically: “Your son is alive as these chicken that I am about to eat.” But he hadn’t  thought of the Saint because, no sooner had he pronounced those words than the two birds resurrected to his amazement. 
The sixth stage runs from Burgos to Fròmista, in the province of Palencia. Those who are able to should follow the ancient track through the countryside which passes through medieval villages that otherwise one would not see. 
The “Camino” continues from Fròmista to Sahagùn in the province of Leòn, a locality that gets its name from a Roman martyr, San Fagùn.  
The following stage leads to Leòn, a city of art founded by the Romans in 70 AD. on the Southern slopes of the Cordillera Cantabrica. It once was the capital of an independent kingdom that later on merged with the kingdom of Castile.  
To date storks make their nests on the spires of the cathedral and on the roofs of the houses in Leòn. 
The ninth stage continues from Leòn to Rabanal through picturesque villages and towns, even though today these are practically uninhabited. From Rabanal to Villafranca del Bierzo the itinerary is extremely evocative. The road climbs up to a height of 1400 metres, the highest point of the entire “Camino”. Along the road one encounters the Iron Cross, placed on the peak of a little mountain of stones heaped by the pilgrims as penance. 
The eleventh stage takes the pilgrims to Triacastela through Cebreiro, a village situated at a height of 1300 metres where the call of the past is still very strong: little round houses with straw roofs, that directly originate from the Celtic huts, in a landscape where the sun and fog alternate and in winter it snows. 
From Triacastela to Palas do Rei the route goes through Galicia and at this point Santiago is only 63 km away.  
The ancient trail runs along the national highway and reserves solitary terrains. Samos comes soon after Triacastela, with its majestic monastery, one of the major cultural centres of the Middle Ages and to date is a famous centre of international studies. 
And finally the last stage that leads to Santiago de Compostela, rich in charm and dominated by the ancient cathedral, imposing in its majesty, devoted to the Saint. An ancient city and mystic centre since the X century, Santiago de Compostela is overflowing with animation making it alive and boiling with activity. 
“El Camino”, as the itinerary that we have just described is called in Spain, is a unique experience.  
Even more so if we realise that we have become estranged from the past to live this pragmatic, superficial, long-winding, careless and often hypocritical present. In the silence of the long walks, interrupted often by the sounds of nature, perhaps one can capture the legacy bequeathed us by the uninterrupted flow of the pilgrims that preceded us along this trail made of faith, hope and charity, the three theological virtues that we have buried under piles of paradoxes, false ideologies, mendacious excuses and moral twists