THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
HISTORY OF THE CAMINO
You have certainly heard about the Camino de Compostela or the Camino de Santiago (Santi-Ago, Saint James) from a friend, an article, or even a film. But what is it really about?
Many books have been written about the Camino, mostly autobiographical, recounting the very diverse experiences of pilgrims. However, all these books end with the same sentence:
“Whatever your motivation — religious or spiritual — you will not come out of it unscathed.”
When you walk the Camino, you become a “Jacquaire” — you belong to this fraternal brotherhood. You have done it! That’s all there is to it!
The name itself evokes the title of a medieval novel, carrying a scent of mysticism. So I humbly propose to introduce you to this mythical path.
Saint James, the Christian evangelist, was beheaded in the year 44 in Jerusalem.
Follow me — I will write four articles to guide you through this adventure: the first on the history of the Camino, the second on the Camino yesterday and today, the third on my personal experience of the Camino, and the last on the organisation and preparation to help any potential candidates for this great adventure.
The history of the Camino begins in the year 813 AD, when the body of Saint James is said to have been brought back to Spain, exactly to Muxia. The first pilgrimages then began to organise themselves, and they were essentially religious and Catholic. It was the era of the great pilgrimages, particularly to Jerusalem, but others would follow — Lourdes or Fatima, as well as Mecca for Muslims.
The pilgrimage has existed for more than ten centuries. Although it fell into disuse for many years, it has been revived in contemporary times. People today need spirituality, silence, and introspection to escape the constant noise of the modern world.
In 2025, no fewer than 520,000 pilgrims from all over the world (including 300,000 from France) collected their “Compostela” — the certificate issued by the city of Santiago de Compostela to pilgrims who have completed at least 100 km (I will explain later why this relatively short distance qualifies).
Pilgrims walk alone on foot and cover distances of up to more than 2,000 km to reach Saint James!
Pilgrims come from all over the world. Spain is of course the most represented country, followed by the USA, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. France only comes in 6th position, which is a paradox because the French routes are the most renowned.
