2002 Pilgrims

[Rosina Lila]

Much has been written about Spain and its impact in the definition of Europe. Spain is the only European country that was occupied, for centuries and centuries, by peoples from another continent possessing a different culture and a different religion.  For those centuries and centuries Spain fought to free itself from such outside influences and in January 2, 1492, the Catholic Kings of spain, Isabel and Fernando, presided over the final repulsion of the foreign occupiers and proceeded to reaffirm Spain's culture and religion.
The definition of Europe, as Europe, has relied, to a great extent, in such historical affirmation.
Because Spain attributed its triumph over the foreigners to the help of Santiago, the pilgrimage to his tomb formed a  continuance of the same concept. Through pilgrims going thereto from many other European countries, an interchange of ideas, customs, cultural currents, and even languages, from all over Europe met and fused somewhat on the Camino. To many people the Camino became the cultural axis of the European continent and its first common conscience.
Johan Geothe, the famed German writer and philosopher, wrote that "Europe was born on the pilgrimage to Santiago and its language is Christianity" (http:www.spitnik.info/infocamino.htm)
Dante Alighieri wrote that "The only true pilgrim is the one that walks to the tomb of Santiago in Compostela." http://www.iespana.es/revista-arbil/(23)rodr.htm)
In our own time, the Council of Europe has defined the Camino de Santiago as the primary European Cultural Itinerary, and UNESCO has declared the city of Santiago de Compostela a Cultural Patrimony of Humanity.
http://www3.gratisweb.com/caminosantiago/hiscamino.htm

There are many, many other such sources and expressions of the idea, but far too numerous to list here.
Rosina