Fisterra Muxía
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CFisterra_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 31/5/13 12:46 Página 1 CFisterra_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 31/5/13 12:46 Página 2 EDITION S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo. COORDINATION Department for the Promotion of Tourism and Culture. S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo. Juan Pensado Barbeira. DESIGN Equipo Publicidad. PHOTOGRAPHY S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo Archive. TEXTS Quique Alvarellos. DOCUMENTATION Fe Arca, Coroni Rubio, Pilar Cuiña, Purificación Fariña, Sandra Pazos, Juan Pensado. SOURCES Página web Guía Eroski-Consumer, Federación Española de Amigos del Camino de Santiago, página web de la S.A de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo, Asociación Gallega de amigos del camino de Santiago. LEGAL DEPOSIT: C 1896-2012 Camino France?s_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 29/5/13 09:45 Página 3 THE WAY OF ST. JAMES BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE PILGRIM ROUTE TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA The discovery of the tomb of Apostle St. The discovery of this Roman sepulchre, James the Greater (Santiago el Mayor), around nearly eight centuries later, would mark the years 820 and 830, in the forest named Li- the beginning of a worship that has made bredón and where today the majestic San- the Route the real backbone of Europe and tiago de Compostela Cathedral stands is one the city of Santiago de Compostela and its of the most important events of the middle cathedral into one of the three great Chris- ages in Europe. The news of the appearance of tian pilgrimage sites, along with Rome and Santiago's remains travelled quickly around Jerusalem. the continent and soon the phenomenon of Not only does a stream of people of various pilgrimages emerged spontaneously. nationalities pass through the Camino de San- The objective is to worship one of Jesus’ fa- tiago that increases in Holy years - when July 25 vourite disciples in his tomb, Santiago, first falls on a Sunday and it is possible to obtain the martyr of Christianity, beheaded in Jerusa- Jubilee, a plenary indulgence, or remission of lem around the year 44. Several documents sins, which the Church gives — but it has also dating from the 6th century placed the pil- been a "highway of knowledge": a diffuser of grimage of the Apostle in Hispania between the great cultural and artistic movements that the years 33 and 42. His disciples wanted to were emerging in Europe - the Romanesque for bring him to this territory after his death. example, an architectural style which was born They decided to bury him near the magic on the road to Santiago de Compostela - and and the mystery of Finis Terrae, the end of has also been an unparalleled demonstration of the world at his time. human solidarity. Camino France?s_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 29/5/13 09:45 Página 4 But the route still has more: walk to the West Way, and its variant along the coast; the Silver through a route with 1,200 years of history and Way -or ”Via de la Plata”- wich starts in South leave behind the habits and routines of today. West of Spain-, the Fisterra-Muxía Way Just as at the dawn of the pilgrimage, it is a com- -which extends the pilgrimage to Finis terrae; the bination of sacrifice and reward which transforms Mar de Arousa y Ulla Way -which recalls the iti- he who experiences it at least once in their life. nerary by which, according to tradition, the apos- The itinerary begins in different points of tles´ remains arrived in a ship-. And, finally, the Europe. In France the routes proceed from Winter Way, an alternative to the cold summits of Italy or from the East of the Continent (among the Lugo mountains of O Cebreiro—. many other places in Europe). It enters into The goal is Santiago de Compostela, capital of Spain by way of the Pyrenees, and from the autonomous region of Galicia. Its historic Puente la Reina (Navarra) it is a single road, centre was declared a World Heritage site by known as the French Route, which runs UNESCO in 1985. In 1987 the Council of Europe through the entire North of the country, fi- acknowledged the Santiago Route as the first Eu- nally reaching Santiago de Compostela. ropean Cultural itinerary, and in the Holy Year of This route -described in the 12th century in 1993, the Santiago Route was declared a world the Codex Calixtinus- enters Galicia through peak heritage area. point of O Cebreiro and is a reference, but it is not In 2011, the Cathedral celebrated the 800th the only or the oldest one. In fact, there are ten anniversary of its consecration. Across from it, pilgrimage routes which were created throug- in the plaza de Obradoiro, each traveller un- hout history. The oldest, as we said, is called the derstands that “the goal is the route” and re- Primitive Route; next to it lies the Northern Route cords this moment in their mind, before the -both enter into Galicia through the region of As- majestic Portico of Glory, a cry of courage that turias-; the English Way -with the ports of A Co- since medieval times has always helped trave- ruña and Ferrol as landmarks-; the Portuguese llers to carry on: Ultreia! Camino France?s_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 29/5/13 09:45 Página 5 HISTORY OF THE PILGRIM ROUTES TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA IN EUROPE, S PAIN AND GALICIA To understand the quick consolidation of San- and Beato of Liébana. But this proof was mis- tiago as an international pilgrimage centre (cen- sing. Then, King Alfonso II visits the site and or- turies IX to XII) we must make mention of the ders that a modest church be constructed, later Union of forces and interests, in favour of Com- rebuilt by Alfonso III (year 899). We are in the ori- postela, carried out by major Western power gin of the current Cathedral and city of San- centres: the Crown (from Alfonso II to Alfonso VII tiago. The worship of Santiago became or Sancho Ramírez), the Papacy (Pope Calixtus II common in the astur-galaico Kingdom and re- or Alexander III) and the Ladakhi orders (the ab- ached beyond the Pyrenees, receiving a rapid beys of Cluny and the Cistercian order). This is popular response. how the Route will write its millennial history: But on August 10th of the year 997 the Arab When the remains of the Apostle were disco- warlord Al-Mansur, Prime Minister of the Cali- vered (9th century), Alfonso II reigned in the pe- phate of Cordoba, sweeps the city, stealing the ninsular North-West (known as Kingdom of bells of the Basilica and only respects the "holy Asturias). He is the first great protector. He had place", with the remains of Santiago. Upon been raised in the monastery of Samos and re- them, Compostela is to be reborn. The symbol ceived the news from the bishop of Iria, Theo- of Santiago is already too strong to succumb: demir, with enthusiasm: that a hermit named representing a unit identity and a common Paio had located in the forest, the ruins of a pri- force (spiritual and military) for combating the mitive burial. This appearance confirms a long- Islamic invasion: the Reconquest. standing popular tradition that had even been The golden age for the pilgrimages was documented by the monks Bede the Venerable from the 11th to the 13th centuries: France, Camino France?s_EN.qxd:Maquetación 1 29/5/13 09:45 Página 6 Italy, central and Eastern Europe, England, Ger- Cathedral and its Portico of Glory. On the other many, even Iceland, and, of course, all of His- hand, a fundamental fact: pania. They arrived on foot, horseback, and in 1879 the remains of the Apostle were re- boat.... and were assisted mainly by a network discovered. As it turns out three hundred years of hospitals of the Cluny and the Cistercian earlier (1589) Archbishop Sanclemente had hid- order which has been the true support of the den them due to threats from the English priva- Jacobean spirit. teer Francis Drake, and it was such their zeal that The first Jubilee year or Holy year (when the nobody would find them again until the end of feast of St. James, July 25th, coincides with Sun- the 19th century. Some archaeological excava- day) arrived, around the year 1428 (since then tions brought them to light, and behind them, it has been held, as dictated by the calendar, the return - although modest at first - of the pil- every 6, 5, 6 and 11 years). grimages. But another century would have to But upon arriving at the 16th century, things pass until the resurgence of the Route, after the changed. Luther concludes the religious unity first third of the 20th century marked in Spain by of the West; the route was threatened by the a bloody civil war and 40 years of dictatorship. presence of criminals and the wars plaguing Eu- In 1982 Pope John Paul II visited Santiago de rope force borders to be closed, the worst of Compostela, dressed as a pilgrim. In 1993 obstacles for this human river of pilgrims. (another Holy year) the Galician Government France - a Jacobean country par excellence - un- launches the Jacobean Plan, followed by the dergoes their revolution in 1789, and in Spain 1999, 2004 and 2010. Today, as in medieval the Church begins to lose its power and in- times, millions of pilgrims now journey fluence. It is a new world. to Compostela. It is a different type of pilgri- However in the 19th century, two facts will re- mage, but it does not deny its traditional as- kindle the Jacobean spirit.