From Private Devotion to Universal Phenomenon: The Way of Saint James in Spain, the case of Navarra

Abstract

This article analyses the process leading to the restoring, revitalisation and consolidation of the Way of Saint James in Spain in recent decades, and its conversion from a merely private and residual pilgrimage route of just several hundred individuals, into an important cultural and spiritual reality having a worldwide impact. The region of Navarra is used to highlight typical places of interest located on the Way of Saint James, and as an example of an experience that can be extrapolated and exported, of the activities, projects, events, decisions and actions undertaken in a huge collaborative effort that has given rise to the present-day successful reality of the Pilgrim Road in Spain.

Keywords

• Way of Saint James
• Pilgrimage
• Camino
• Santiago
• Compostela
• Jacobean