Compostela: Spanish v Latin

[Joe and Lydia Banales]

Perhaps in the off season pilgrims are questioned more thoroughly.  When I
approached the clerk for my Compostela, she asked me the usual demographics,
then looked in my eyes very intently and prefaced her next question with the
comment, "Now this is very important - why did you walk?" I knew the correct
answer, of course, and wanted my Compostela, not a tourist certificate. So I
said Religious and she stamped my document. I think for many pilgrims, the
"certificate" process is a bit of a let down, because it means that the
Camino is over. And along with that realization is the loss one goes through
of the friends met along the way, the process of the walk itself, and the
imminent return to reality. I don't know exactly how to express it , but the
other loss is the Innocence of that first Camino which can never be
experienced again. All the uncertainty, doubt, fear, exhileration when the
refugio really was where the guidebook said it would be, all the firsts. We
plan to walk another section in September but I'm having trouble gathering
the enthusiasm I had the first time. St. James will provide. Lydia

Joe English wrote:

> In another newsgroup a participant wrote the following, regarding the
> process of being issued with his Compostela: "You stand in line, approach
> the counter, fill in a statistical sheet, and indicate your motive for
> doing the trek.If you put down "religious" in that box, and if you have
> fulfilled the distance requirements (as demonstrated in your Credencial),
> they issue you the old Compostela in Latin. If you put down, "tourism" or
> "adventure" or something indicating a non-religious purpose, they give
> you a simpler certificate in Spanish. I saw this happen last month."
> Does anyone else know of this differentiation?
> Any information would be helpful.
> Thanks
> Joe