Credencial and Compostela

Our credencial (Pilgrim Passport) has been sent to our Australian address and we will see it for the first time when we return in April, prior to flying out to Porto.

We will need to have this stamped along the way to prove we have done the literal hard yards and present it in Santiago to receive either a Compostela or a certificate of completion. I am still struggling ethically with wanting a Compostela.  We are certainly walking for spiritual reasons, but not necessarily religious ones, a major criterion for qualifying for the beautiful document. We probably won’t be able to present it to St Peter when the time comes, but it would be so lovely to have. Apparently many people can comfortably fib about their religious purpose, but that doesn’t sit well. Looking for an honest way to qualify.

I have just come across a very informative article from CaminoWays that I will share here for readers’ interest. It mentions the scallop shell and I am currently preparing a separate post about this symbol. But the article explains the purpose and history of the credencial better than I ever could and has an image of a Compostela. Do you blame me for wanting one after making the journey? But perhaps the certificate will have to do.

Passports, Certificates and Compostelas

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they are lost. Dalai Lama