Built to hold the remains of James the Apostle, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is one of the world's major pilgrimage sites.
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Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is carried out, like many other pilgrimages, to pay homage to the remains of a martyr. In the case of the Camino de Santiago, the figure that is worshipped is Santiago the Elder. St. James Apostle was also a pilgrim who travelled all over Spain and Portugal.
1981 Santiago becomes Galicia's capital. 1985 Santiago is declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Catholic Church charges you 20 EUR to see the secret parts of The Cathedral, in particular, the Portico da Gloria or the Rooftop.
Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Basilica of the Resurrection, is home to the Edicule shrine encasing the ancient cave where, according to Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian belief, Jesus' body was entombed and resurrected.
It may be comforting for you to know that the locals have been supporting pilgrims on the Camino for 1,000 years. As I learned during my journey, they are very happy and proud to welcome walkers and keep them safe along the way. And there is another important fact to know: crimes along the Camino are extremely rare.
Is the Camino just for Catholics? Absolutely not. While the tradition is originally Catholic, nowadays most people walk the Camino for other reasons than a spiritual pilgrimage.
It is said that this symbol is a metaphor, in that its lines represent the different routes traveled by pilgrims from around the World, which all lead to one point, the tomb of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela. The Scallop Shell can be found on the milestone markers, guiding pilgrims in the right direction.