[Gocamino] Security on the Camino

[Rosina]

Hello you all,

For the first time the security patrols provided by the Xunta will be in service during Holy Week, that is from the 14th to the 24th of March. As a rule, the two patrol cars with uniformed, albeit unarmed, guards cover the portion of the French Camino in Galicia, from O Cebreiro to Monte del Gozo from the 1st of June to the 30th of September, but the Xunta has decided to extend the patrols services to include Holy Week, a high pilgrimage season, this year.

The patrols traverse the Camino 24 hours per day assisting pilgrims, preventing disturbances, alerting the authorities as to fires, accidents, etc., and, of course, reacting to miscreants and the like.  They visit the albergues and keep in constant contact with them  to insure that no problems exist or, if they arise, that they are taken care of promptly.

The Xunta has allocated 150,000 Euros (about 255,000 Dlls. at the current exchange rate) to the effort.

During January and February this year 1,009 pilgrims were awarded the Compostela by the pilgrims’ office in Santiago, and it is expected that about 3,000 pilgrims will seek one during Holy Week despite the fact that it falls unusually early this year and the temperature is still quite low.

 

Hugs!

Rosina