Our Church & the Caminho
Our Special Connection with the Pilgramage
Caminho Blessings
We offer the blessing of pilgrims at the end of each Sunday Eucharist (please make yourself known before we begin). After our service, we can also stamp pilgrim credentials. Blessings and stamping of credentials are available on weekdays are by prior arrangement.
What is the Caminho?
The Spanish word camino (in Portuguese caminho) means “way or path” and is now used to describe the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela. Here is the tomb of the first apostle to be martyred, Saint James, or in Spanish, Santiago.
Of course, modern pilgrims walk or bicycle these routes for a variety of reasons: as an opportunity to encounter God in a new context, to find space to reflect on their personal circumstances, to discover the history and culture of these Caminhos, as a physical challenge and exercise. Porto is the starting point for several Caminos/Caminhos. Our church has as its patron St James, so we enjoy a special connection. The distance between our church and the cathedral is about 280km.
St James the Apostle & the Caminho
Of course our church is named after the apostle St James (in Spanish Saint Tiago, hence, "Santiago"). According to tradition, his body is buried in the cathedral of the city that carries his name, Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia. One of Jesus' disciples, James was the first of the apostles to be martyred (Act 12.2). His body was taken from Judea to Galicia, where he had preached the Good News.
The place of his burial was rediscovered in the 9th century and, in the following centuries, drew an increasing number of pilgrims from all parts of Europe. The Portuguese word 'Caminho,' which means 'way,' is used to describe these routes used by pilgrims past and present.
Since the 1980s there has been a growing interest in following these Caminhos that lead to Santiago de Compostela. Often the idea of pilgrimage and “going on the Caminho” are interchangeable.
Going on Caminho with St James Church
Father Colin Jones has led caminhos for many years, and we usually host a group each Fall. Please see more details on this page for our upcoming outing.
