© * 2019 - Caminhos de Santiago - Testimonies, positive thoughts/reactions 2.

***CAMINHOS DE SANTIAGO PILGRIMAGE, the first form of CATHOLIC TOURISM throughout EUROPE, since the 9th Century, and also for the ones that do not like it, ending at the CATHEDRAL of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, at the TOMB of Santiago Apostle. ***Since 1239/1242 Pilgrims have left Tavira in the Portuguese Algarve, on their Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Galicia in Spain, walking by the Eastern Provinces of Portugal, to the North and from Castelo Rodrigo by Vila Flor, Mirandela to Chaves, crossing the Border to Spain and from Verín in Galicia by Ourense to Santiago de Compostela, to reach the Tomb of Apostle Santiago in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, to end the PILGRIMAGE over there. ***Before future Pilgrims travel to Tavira in Portugal they have to prepare well, and to assist again these Testimonies and Reactions, sent to Tavira's Association after the Pilgrimage, sometimes with photographs, Prayers or copies of Credencials or Compostela, which we are grateful for! -------------------------------------------------------------- *Reaction sent by M.P. from Cadiz(ES.),2018; -Before starting the Camino, before you start walking the Way of Saint James: The Way of Saint James is the result of the combination of different elements: Catholic Belief, history, art, nature, freedom, solidarity, respect and willpower,... but essentially it is a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience! For this reason it is possible to say that in reality there are as many "WAYS" as there are Pilgrims. Each Pilgrim has his/her own personal itinerary as the Pilgrimage is essentially an internal, spiritual experience, to encounter or reencounter oneself and life itself. The divine essence makes itself present in various forms through Providence, making it possible for people coming from the seven continents, to converge on and share this unforgettable experience walking towards their goal: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, APOSTLE SANTIAGO'S TOMB. *This centuries-old experience helps to humanize our current society, uniting people of all nations and cultures by using simple ways/methods. By walking together and living together human-beings make a tribute to coexistence, feeling part of an enormous universal heart, whose heartbeat is THE SOUL OF THE WORLD. *These simple reflections are an attempt to open up your heart on the path of life, and in particular, during thirty days, to renew the hope within you. This period of reflection can help us to become better people, committed towards a universal well-being. We all become Pilgrims for life, walking towards the same objective: LOVE THAT SUSTAINS THE SOUL OF THE WORLD.(ULTREIA SUSEIA! You can do it, go ahead, go on!). -------------------------------------------------------------- *V.J.- Vézelay, France on 25.07.2019: -(Para antes de partir; o para cuando viajes hacia el punto de partida, o para cuando comiences a caminar). -"Todo tiene su momento, y cada cosa su tiempo bajo el cielo: Su tiempo el nacer y su tiempo el morir; su tiempo el plantar y su tiempo el arrancar lo plantado, su tiempo el matar y su tiempo el sanar"(Qo 3,1-5). *Bom Caminho - Iter Stellarum. -------------------------------------------------------------

© * 2019-2020 Int. Correspondence on the Caminho since Eighties.

*VÉZELAY-YONNE-89./(EN.)/The small French town of Vézelay, Burgundian Romanesque historic significance. The Vézelay Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting Point(II) of a Chemin de Saint Jacques Pilgrimage Route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia-Spain. (Pèlerinage - 22 de Juillet.) -Vézelay, this important religious village has a hill-top Abbey that, Basilique Ste-Madeleine, so it was believed, held the relics of Mary Magdalene. -The French Abbot St. Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade at Vézelay in 1146.(2nd Crusade 1147-1149 Lisbon -In 1190 the English and French Crusaders met in Vézelay, before setting off for the Holy Land for the Third Crusade. (3rd Crusade 1189-1192). (28.03.2020.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***2020,(EN.),North of the Pyrenees in France, there are four main Routes connecting to the CAMINO FRANCES, starting from Paris(I), Vézelay(II), Le Puy(III) and from Arlés(IV). -I,From Notre-Dame de Paris, to Orleans, to Tours, to Poitiers, to Bordeaux, to Ostabat, to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles(Es.), -II,From Vézelay to Bourges, to Chateauroux, to Limoges, to Perigueux, to Ostabat, to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles(ES.), -III,From Le Puy by Conques, to Cahors, to Moissac, to Ostabat, to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles(ES.), following Camino Francés in Spain(see our Blog.) -IV, From Arlés to Montpellier, to Toulouse, to Auch, to Oloron, to Somport,Jaca,Berdún,Monreal,Puente La Reina in Spain on Camino Aragonés to connect to Camino Francés from Puente La Reina. (27.03.2020.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***Since the "Eighties" of last Century there has been Correspondence between Historians from Belgium, Germany and Austria about the Pilgrimage to Santiago leaving from Tavira, by the Eastern Provinces of Portugal, along Guadiana River and along the Castillian-(read Spanish-)Border, known of since the 13th Century(1239/1242). *Many times Pilgrims sailed from Beasuris(Castro Marim) and after the Lisbon Earthquake from Vila Real de Santo António(1776), up Guadiana River north, direction Alcoutim and Mértola, and from there on foot along the river, north to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. *Along the Route of this Pilgrimage, inside of Castles along Guadiana River and the Frontier to Castilla(later Spain), the Pilgrims found shelter and protection for the night, to continue the Caminho along the Route next day. *Because leaving from Tavira was a shorter distance and safer route, many times Pilgrims changed from the Via de la Plata (Castilla-later Spain), into Portugal to continue the Pilgrimage by the Route leaving from Tavira, Caminho do Este de Portugal desde Tavira-Algarve. *Distance from Tavira, starting from Igreja Matriz de Santiago(XIIIth Century)to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is about 960km, 34 Stages, and leaving from Sevilla's Cathedral by the Route of Camino de Santiago "Via de la Plata" to end in Santiago de Compostela at the Cathedral is 1002km. ---------------------------------------------------------------- *For Studying about "O Caminho do Este de Portugal desde Tavira-Algarve" we can recommend: -"A GRANDE OBRA DOS CAMINHOS DE SANTIAGO" - ITER STELLARUM - Hércules de Ediciones - 3 Volumes, Francisco Rodríguez Iglesias, -"POR CAMINHOS DE SANTIAGO" - Itinerários Portugueses para Compostela - Carlos Gil - Joao Rodrigues - Publicacoes Dom Quixote, -Public Libraries in Tavira, VRSA and Castro Marim, **BOM CAMINHO-ITER STELLARUM**