Central Coast Pilgrims and Camino de California kicked off the first-ever Camino de San Miguel pilgrimage this weekend, taking walkers along the historic route between Mission San Antonio and Mission San Miguel.
Organizers say about 75 pilgrims participated in the inaugural journey, which included stops at San Antonio Elementary School, Bradley Union School, and Manny’s Pizza.
The walk celebrates “the new relationship with the Pilgrim Office in Santiago whereby the Camino de California is officially recognized as part of the Camino de Santiago, through its integration into the Camino de las Américas,” organizers stated in a news released, adding that “this allows Camino de California to issue a ‘Distance Certificate' for pilgrims walking at least 30km and arriving at one of the 21 California missions.”
With 21 segments to be formalized under the new relationship with Santiago, the Camino de San Miguel marks the second. The Camino de San Francisco last month was the first and the next is set for August with the Camino de San Buenaventura.
“The vision is to eventually develop 21 separate pilgrimages, each to finish at one of the 21 California missions. Unlike the Camino de Santiago, each mission is a pilgrim ‘destination’,” organizers said in a news release.
At the start of the most recent walk, a blessing was given to the participants and a shell ceremony was also held where pilgrims received a “pilgrim shell.” In California, abalone shells are used.
The pilgrimage concluded as participants entered Mission San Miguel for Sunday Mass.
The pilgrims then went out to the Cruz de Ferro.
“It's a place where pilgrims bring a stone from home. And they drop that stone at the foot of the cross. It's an image of dropping your burdens... at the cross and then relieving yourselves of that.... burden," said Andy Allen, Central Coast Pilgrims coordinator.
Organizers say more than 500,000 pilgrims receive their Compostela every year when arriving in Santiago, “evidencing the completion of their pilgrimage.”
Until this year, only two other routes in the United States – one in Florida and another in Texas - were recognized requirements by the Pilgrim Office.
The Camino de California received the designation in February.
