[Gocamino] New credential requirements, (message 1)

[Paul Newfield]

Rosina,

How will the American / Foreign / Non-Spaniard Pilgrim obtain these new 
credentials, and Where will he have to go to obtain them (it?)?

Paul




Rosina wrote:
> Hello you all,
>
>  
>
> From its origins the Santiago pilgrimage has been a deeply religious undertaking and since the 11th century the church has provided refuge, food, medical care and other assistance to pilgrims. The knights Templar and the Hospitaleros were organized to protect and care for pilgrims at the behest of the church.
>
> Over the centuries, and because of the tremendous growth on the number of pilgrims, municipal authorities, with limited authority, throughout the various routes leading to Compostela asked the church, because of its unlimited jurisdiction, to organize, coordinate and supervise the means of assistance to pilgrims, and thus the network of albergues, as we know them, came to be.
>
> In time, however, because of the great many abusers who saw the albergues as merely free lodging several attempts were made to limit such abuse by devising a means to recognize true pilgrims for whom the albergues were meant. Pilgrims were required to obtain a letter of introduction from their parish and a signature from the religious personnel of the albergues in which they stayed.  This went on for centuries and centuries, until fairly recently.
>
> The pilgrims’ credential as we know it was created in Jaca at the International Congress of Xacobean Associations in 1987. Its purpose was, and is, to substitute the notebooks and pieces of paper with seals that pilgrims used to carry with them and to allow the use of albergues, medical assistance, etc. In other words, it was meant as a “Pilgrim
> ’s passport” that would also qualify a pilgrim to obtain the Compostela.
>
> Over the past few years the number, type, appearance and provenance of  “pilgrim credentials” has multiplied beyond control, and a large percentage of them has been found to have been falsified, and even marketed, with the sole purpose of obtaining free lodging. Many free-loading non-pilgrims have caused significant safety and other concerns at the albergues. Because of this the Archdiocese and the Federation of Santiago Associations have been obliged to adopt measures to curb the problems, and one of those measures has been to require a uniform and acceptable credential.  Naturally, groups and people that for whatever reason dislike (or even hate) the church,  or uniformity, or any conformance whatever have objected and expressed their disapproval, sometimes loudly and unkindly, inexplicably forgetting that the Santiago pilgrimage is primarily religious in nature and that the network of albergues would not exist without the care and the sponsorship of the church.
>
> Be that as it may, Don Genaro Cebrian Franco, the Santiago Cathedral Canonic in charge of Pilgrimages, and of the pilgrims’ office in Santiago has issued a letter about the new credential requirements that will go into effect tomorrow, January 1, 2009.
>
> A translation of the letter will follow in a subsequent message.
>
> Hugs!
>
> Rosina 
>
>  
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>  
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