[Gocamino] Brasilian departed pilgrim; pilgrims´´ 2007 data

Tue May 29 08:29:22 PDT 2007

Hello you all,
An American pilgrim sent me an e-m ail saying that he, and other pilgrims, had spent a day with Marcia in Boadilla shortly before she died. He says that he, and the others, were quite shocked and saddened by her death and mentioned that the couple that runs the albergue behaved magnificently an deserve our thanks and prayers.
Reportedly, and according toi her wishes, Marcia´s ashes had been strewn on the Camino.
The american pilgrim himself is carrying with him the ashes of his own mother who died nine months ago, as a tribute. This reminds me of the testimonial by the Spanish female pilgrim who did not know how better  to honor her mother than by walking the Camino (her testimonial was posted here a couple of months ago)....... and still, some would doubt the spiritual tenor of the Camino.
The american pilgrim mentions that it has rained a lot on the Camino and that he just loved the Leon Cathedral. (Welcopme to the club, Glen).

I sent the youtube video with the botafumeiro, and the French pilgrim singing Ave Maria, to the Pilgrioms Office in Santiago and to the Archicofradia.  They got a huge kick out of it, particularly of Sor Maria Jesus singing the Santiago hymn.  They invited the sisters who take care of the Cathedral to watch the video and Sor Maria Jesus, who had never heard herself sing before, was embarrassed. Imagine!

Well, here are some compiled pilgrims data for this yhear up to May 22, 2007:

January, 350; February 666; March 1,680; April 8,109; May (up to the 22nd) 9,337.

Total males: 11,996;  women: 8,148

1-16 years of age, 1,541; 17-35 5.845;  36-65, 11,230;  66-100  1,529.

French Way 15,880; English way 210; Northern Way 627;  Portuguese Way 1,928; Primitive Way 398; Via de la Plata 1,033
Other, 69.

On foot 17,028; by bike 2,986; on horseback, 127; on wheelchair, 4.

Purely religious motives. 7,507; religious/cultural, 12,046; non-religious 592.

>From Germany, 3,256; Argentina  84;  Australia  152;  Belgium  170; Brasil  253;  Canada 333; Korea  70;  Denmark  177; Spain  8,911;  United States  453;  Finland  116;  France  1,530;  Holland  290;  Ireland  276;  Italy  927  Japan  45;  Mexico  100;  Norway  154;  Portugal  1,149;  U.K.  407; South Africa  42;  Sweden  145;  Switzerland  186.

Starting at SJPP  2,064;  O Cebreiro  1,441;  Leon  1,329;  Roncesvalles 1,317;  Ponferrada 816;  Pamplona  788;  Le Puy  686;  Astorga  681;  Burgos  564;  Porto  539;  Villafranca  343;  Francia  (?) 291;  Ourense  250;  Oviedo  200;  Ferrol  150;  Germany  142;  Irun  113;  Logrono 111; Lugo  97;  Fonsagrada  95;  Jaca  65; Merida  65;  Lisboa  59;  Bilbao  58;  Braga 55; Holland  50.

There is a young American from Connecticut volunteering at the Pilgrims Office in Santiago.... also, they are working on a new Web page and site for the Pilgrims part of the Archdiocese byitself.  When that will be finished no one knows, but I would expect that there will be no pilgrims data posted on the official site before then.

I´ve much to tell..... but this Rio is so stunningly beautiful that it does seem to be a crime to be indoors.  

Um abraço.

Rosina

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