A folded Pilgrim Passport, with its blank pages eagerly awaiting stamps, is a constant companion in your backpack or pouch, carefully stored in a plastic bag for protection. This crucial document holds significance in more ways than one. The thrill of possessing it and the excitement of filling its pages with unique stamps represent each night’s stay along the journey. Each stamp tells a story, marking your progress and enriching your pilgrimage experience.
Purpose and Significance
The Credencial (credential)is a small, foldable cardboard document that serves multiple essential functions:
- Acts as a pilgrim’s official passport along the Camino to Santiago de Compostela routes, a way to collect stamps (sellos) throughout the journey
- Allows access to pilgrim hostels offering Christian hospitality
- It is essential for obtaining the Compostela certificate upon reaching Santiago de Compostela
What are the requirements
The final 100 km (on foot or horseback) or 200 km (by bicycle) must be stamped at least two times daily. I did not get it stamped twice on my last 100 km, but this step may be necessary if I walked only for the last 100 km.
- This is only valid for pilgrims undertaking the journey with a religious or spiritual motivation
- Issued by authorized organizations like:
- Pilgrim associations
- Churches
- Town halls
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Museums
- Albergues (pilgrim hostels)
- Post offices
- Police stations
Where do i obtain my credential?
- American Pilgrims on the Camino
- Camino Society of Ireland
- Australian Friends of the Camino
- Authorized Spanish associations
- Various churches and shops along the Camino route
The certificate!
After a long journey on the Camino, the tangible evidence of this epic adventure comes in the form of the cherished Compostela certificates. Two versions exist: Spanish and Latin, each reflecting the pilgrim’s motivation for undertaking the journey. Upon reaching the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, I removed my pack and shoes, taking a moment to contemplate my arrival. Overwhelmed with emotion—be it joy, exhaustion, or a mixture of both—I shed tears, realizing the magnitude of my accomplishment.
I anxiously went to the Pilgrim’s Office, where a document bearing my name in Latin awaited. The sense of elation and relief upon receiving this certificate was profound, marking the culmination of my pilgrimage to this remarkable destination.
These certificates, my stamped pilgrim passport, and other mementos are proudly displayed. They are potent reminders of the courage, resilience, and determination required to complete the Camino de Santiago, forever commemorating this transformative journey.
How about you?
Will you order your credential passport or pick it up when you arrive at your first location?