El Camino de Santiago de Compostela

The legend says that the disciples of Saint James the Apostle brought his remains to the Iberian peninsula where he had once visited to preach the Gospel message. They carried his remains by sea aiming for the port city of Padrón. While at sea the body was tossed into the ocean during a violent storm, but when they reached land they found the body undamaged and covered with scallop shells.During the centuries, the faithful walked on pilgrimage to the cathedral that had been built to honor the relics of Saint James.
 
The ninth century has the first written account of pilgrims making this journey to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and gathering scallop shells at the Galician coast to bring home as proof of their pilgrimage. In the twelfth century, Pope Callixtus II, one of the great proponents of the pilgrimage, wrote the Codex Calixtinus, the fifth book of which serves as the model for modern guidebooks. In fact, the Codex contained what is considered the first "travel guide" ever written in the West. Over the centuries the frequency of pilgrims traveling El Camino has fallen and risen according to the events of history, but many souls have faithfully traveled this path.

In a few days, on June 20th, I will join the many who have walked El Camino. I will leave New York and make my way by plane and bus to the town of Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees and begin my own journey toward the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The love of my family and friends will be traveling with me. The prayers and petitions of those in my parish and diocese will be my own each day. The clothes and equipment for my journey will be on my back. Christ will be my companion - pray that my mind and soul are open to recognize him.