Spain: Camino de Santiago

A DIALOGUE WITH NATURE, CULTURE, AND THE DIVINE

The Camino de Santiago crosses Spain along a path forged in the 11th century when the faithful walked to the place where the remains of the Apostle James the Elder (Santiago el Mayor) were believed to have been buried in northwestern Spain. Over the centuries, many pilgrims have worked their way across Europe to venerate the remains of the saint. Along the way, they shared stories, songs, architectural designs, religious feelings, and language, and for many it was on the Camino that the ideal of Christian identity and unity was solidified. Those who walk the Camino today experience an unparalleled sequence of historical, architectural, and artistic encounters that tell the story of Spain and of Europe. This study abroad will place your name alongside other pilgrims who have become part of the Camino legacy. More importantly, the Camino is a spiritual journey: a journey of self-discovery, of penance, of service, and of camaraderie. Modern-day pilgrims learn about themselves as they enter into the human conversation with others along the trail. Your interactions with other pilgrims along the way will teach you to appreciate and value the lives and experiences of those who are not of our faith or culture. The result is an increased love of God and humanity.  

Prior to beginning our trek on the Camino, we will spend time in Barcelona visiting significant sites that will inform our cultural experience. We will also visit the Monasterio Viejo de San Juan de la Peña, built in the 10^th century. The monastery played a significant role both in the development of the Camino as well as being the cradle of the Kingdom of Aragón. We will begin our nearly 475-mile trek along the Camino Francés in Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees and end in Santiago de Compostela in the western province of Galicia. On rest days, we will visit important cultural and spiritual sites, including the Monasterios de Suso y Yuso (the cradle of the Spanish language), the famed Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos, Oviedo, the Iglesia de Santiago de Peñalba and the Valle de Silencio. As you walk the Camino, you will collect sellos in your pilgrim’s credenciales. You will present these small booklets at the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela where you will receive your Compostela, the certificate awarded to you for completing the pilgrimage. At the end of the experience, we will travel to Finisterre (“end of the earth”), where early pilgrims often went to collect their seashell as evidence of the completion of their journey, and then to Muxia, another important pilgrimage site on the Atlantic Ocean.

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