GALICIA, Santiago del Compostella

This is the most famous place in Galicia and the third most important place in Christendom.

Apparently, St. James (Santiago) came ashore in Galicia and travelled through this part of Spain to preach and convert people to Christianity. After returning to the Holy Land in 44 he was taken prisoner and tortured to death.St James’ disciples stole his body and took it to the Spanish coast. The apostle was buried in secret in a nearby wood. Nearly 800 years later, a hermit called Pelayo heard music coming from that section of the wood and saw something shining intensely. This led to the place being called Campus Stellae, field of the star, a name that in time evolved to Compostela. The local bishop, on receiving notice of this phenomenon, instituted an investigation, and the tomb of St James was discovered. The apostle was declared the patron saint of the kingdom and a chapel was built over his grave.

As a result, Santiago del Compostella has been the end point of a vast Pilgrimmage Route (Camino de Santiago) for over a thousand years. It is still walked by "pilgrims" today accompanied by their symbolic walking sticks and scallop shells hung from their necks. The Camino has one starting point in France and another in Portugal. Reports estimate that between 90,000 and 150,000 people walk the Camino every year.

The once modest Romanesque church erected over St. James' tomb later received a Baroque facelift. The facade soars in florid style as befits a cathedral of its significance. As I stood at the base of the building straining my neck to see the top I could only marvel at how much the Spanish craftsmen had wrought out of granite, a tough material to carve.