Image and Pilgrimage: Camino de Santiago


The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage route that leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. In northwestern Spain this cathedral is thought to hold the remains of Saint James. The Camino de Santiago fosters a spiritual connection with the divine as pilgrims and other thru-hikers experience a spiritual journey. Perhaps the most important part of the trail however, are the signs with scallop shells the point the direction of the pilgrimage route. Yet the shells symbolize more than direction, according to Spanish legends, after St. James’ death, his disciples shipped his body to be buried in Santiago but on the way the ship was hit by a heavy storm and the body was lost at sea. His body was claimed to wash ashore, covered in scallops.

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