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 forged. 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, 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. You learn to appreciate and value the lives and experiences of other pilgrims. The result is an increased love of God and humanity.  

We will walk the nearly 475 miles of the Camino Francés from Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in the western province of Galicia. On rest days, we will visit significant locations like the Monasteries of Suso and Yuso (the cradle of the Spanish language), the famed cloister at Santo Domingo de Silos and Oviedo with its pre-Romanesque buildings. As you walk the Camino, you will collect sellos in your pilgrim credenciales booklet. Upon your arrival in Santiago, you will present your credenciales to the Office of Pilgrims where you will receive your compostelana, the certificate awarded to those who complete 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.

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