What’s so special about the Way of St. James?
The Way of St. James, known in Spain as “El Camino de Santiago” is a simple path or set of paths that all converge on the city of Santiago de Compostela (St. James of the Starfield). According to the story, one night in AD 813 a hermit living in the fields near Santiago, Galicia heard wondrous music and saw heavenly starlight. He followed it and discovered the place where James, one of the two Zebedee brothers had been buried in AD 40. One tradition states that James was a missionary in Spain around the year 40. He evangelized from Galicia all the way to the area near the modern day city of Zaragoza (then called Ceasar Agusta after the Roman Emperor).
James: buried in Spain??
[If you are a fan of the historical fiction movie “Gladiator” you know that Maximus, the Roman general who was imprisoned and forced to fight as a gladiator was from Spain. He had his family estate near Caesaragosto on the Ebro River. Just like Paul wanted to go to Spain to evangelize Jews and Gentiles there, tradition says James actually did get to Spain. He was not very successful in reaching people.
James died in Jerusalem
The legend says that James returned to Jerusalem to report on his mission in Caesaraugusta and there King Herod had him executed (Acts 12:2-3). His disciples purportedly took his body and buried his bones back in Galicia, Spain. They took James across the Meditarranean and up the Atlantic Coast. His body was transported the last distance up the rive Ulla in a stone boat. (One of the many boats carrying granite to and from constructions sites in Galicia). Its not this story of the AD 40 bones of a dead apostle re-discovered in AD 813 that is the chief draw these days. What is the draw you may ask? Read on.
It’s not about the destination! It’s about what happens to you “on the way”!
Anonymous
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and adventurers walk hundreds of miles every year to get to the City of St. James. Almost without variance they say the experience of walking together for days with friends was great. And making new acquaintances from around the world was worth as much and more than reaching the destination; Santiago. The daily physical exercise gives needed brain breaks from emotional pain, monotony, depression, sorrow, hectic living and urban suffocation. It offers long hours to meditate, decompress and think about “The One That Really Matters”. And God speaks in the silence!
I was changed by the Way of St. James
Adventure and spiritual hunger
Between 300,000 and 500,000 pilgrims travel on foot from different starting points to Santiago de Compostela and its famed Cathedral every year. 30,000 pass through the city of Pontevedra, where we live. We meet many of these pilgrims in the village church and rectory of Alba just north of Pontevedra. We give them encouraging words and let them experience the love of God shed abroad in us by the Holy Spirit. We also answer any questions pertaining to our spiritual journey with Jesus.
God shared a secret with me!
My name is “James” or “Santiago” or “Diego” in Spanish. While a friend was praying for me during a ministry equipping session in April 2021, God suddenly broke in and spoke to me in an “inner audible voice”. She was praying beautiful things aloud and I was listening to the following words within on a different channel. God said with a playful tone of voice in Spanish (a very good quality Spanish I might add!!: go figure!!) the equivalent of the following. “It stands to reason that I’m calling you to live on the Camino de Santiago. Isn’t your name Santiago? I had you named that on purpose when you were born.”
People will come looking for answers!
I heard Him say in my spirit this additional thought. “A new Camino de Santiago will start. On this Way of St. James people will come to your doorstep, Jim, so they can ask questions about ME (God) and the Story I have told about Jesus. They will also experience heaven on earth: the life of God in Christ in the heart of connected believers. (This will be a Camino or “Way to St. James” – i.e. Way to Jim DeJong’s Place in Pontevedra) not just to the famous cathedral of St. James one hour north of Pontevedra.)” So we are here now and look forward to seeing how God will work together with us to fulfill this promise and to multiply workers who He can thrust out into the harvest.
Why do the pilgrimage?
Many pilgrims make the journey to process difficult life events like divorce, a recent death in the family, the loss of a lifelong job etc.. They need a place to process hurts & hungers, a place to be healed and to ask questions. A place to metabolize pain and past traumas. They will be seeking to know Jesus and they will find him there. They will find His answers to their life questions. The Lord indicated to me that He would love it if our home became like a new version of L’Abri, the prayer and study and meditation center that Francis Schaeffer and his wife started in Switzerland in 1955. So here’s to NEW ADVENTURES WITH GOD! Cheers! Buen Camino!