Santiago de Compostela: The End of the Road

Ever since it was built almost a thousand years ago, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain has been a revered pilgrimage site visited by countless people from around the world. It marks the end of the Camino de Santiago, a Christian pilgrimage route even older than the cathedral itself. Arriving here after walking the Camino a few months ago was a moment I’ll never forget. As I turned the corner and got my first glimpse of that iconic facade, it almost didn’t seem real. It was as if this was a place I had seen in a dream and yet, here I was standing in front of it.

The Camino de Santiago is as much, if not more, about the journey as it is about the destination. After travelling so far and experiencing so much along the way, the arrival in Santiago can feel rather anti-climactic for some. While I can certainly understand that, it was not so for me. I was rather taken by this enigmatic monument here at the end of the long road to Santiago. After taking some time for reflection and much-needed rest, I was eager to explore the cathedral and learn all its secrets.

The Legend of Saint James

According to legend, Saint James the apostle travelled to the Iberian Penisula in the first century AD to preach to the local populations. In 44 AD, he was martyred in the Holy Land. Following his death, two of his closest disciples brought his body back to Galicia to be buried. The tomb was forgotten until the 9th century when a local hermit named Pelayo is said to have followed a field of stars that led him to the saint’s burial site.

Pelayo’s celestial journey to the tomb was the beginning of what would become the pilgrimage to Santiago. He alerted the local bishop to his find who commissioned a chapel to be built on the site. At the end of the 9th century, the chapel was replaced by a larger church to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims flocking here from all over Europe to pay homage to the saint. That second church was eventually replaced by the present-day cathedral of Santiago de Compostela which continues to attract pilgrims from far and wide.

A Medieval Work of Art

Construction of the medieval cathedral began in 1075 and continued until 1211 when the finished church was consecrated by King Afonso IX. Throughout that time, a large number of stonemasons contributed to the building. Their signatures can still be seen engraved on walls and pillars throughout the cathedral’s interior. These marks were used to track who worked on what and how much they would be paid. The Praza do Obradoiro (Workshop Square) in front of the cathedral is so named for the stonemasons’ workshops that were set up here from which they carried out their work.

Originally built in a Romanesque style typical of the period, significant changes were made to the exterior over the proceeding centuries. The iconic western facade in front of which modern-day pilgrims snap photos of themselves to commemorate their arrival would have been unrecognizable to medieval pilgrims. The grand Italian-inspired staircase added in 1600 hides a medieval crypt beneath the main entrance and the ornate Baroque facade we see today was the product of an 18th-century facelift.

Portico of Glory

In 1168, a master builder known as Master Mateo was hired to oversee the completion of the cathedral. He and his workshop were responsible for a number of impressive sculptures and other decorative features, most of which have been lost over the years as changes were made to the building. His most significant contribution to the cathedral, however, remains in its original location though it too looks quite different today.

Mateo’s masterpiece, the Portico of Glory, is a grand entryway adorned with over 200 sculptures of saints, prophets, angels, animals and mythical creatures. Originally the central portal into the church, it now lies hidden from view behind the Baroque facade. Mateo’s sculptures feature a remarkable level of detail and individuality previously unseen in Spain. This new aesthetic signalled a shift from the Romanesque style which had dominated religious art and architecture to that point to a more naturalistic early Gothic style that was just beginning to emerge in Europe.

In 2018, the Portico of Glory reopened to the public after an extensive decade-long restoration project. The work uncovered remnants of coloured pigment and other details long hidden beneath centuries of dirt and grime. To mitigate further deterioration of the stonework, access to the Portico of Glory is now carefully controlled. It has been closed off from both the exterior and the interior of the cathedral and it can now be seen only by obtaining a ticket from the cathedral museum. Prior to the renovations, pilgrims would enter the cathedral by climbing the staircase from the Praza do Obradoiro and walking through this magnificent gateway where Saint James and his fellow apostles welcomed them inside.

The Pilgrim Mass

It is customary for pilgrims to commemorate the end of their pilgrimage by attending the traditional pilgrim mass at the cathedral. A few days before arriving in Santiago, I received a tip from a fellow pilgrim that the 9:30am mass on November 3 – my expected arrival date – would include the Botafumeiro. This is a ritual which dates back to the Middle Ages though it is now typically reserved only for important religious holidays. It can, however, be requested by pilgrims – for a hefty fee – which was the case for this particular mass.

The Botafumeiro, Galician for “smoke expeller”, is a massive swinging censer (incense burner) first used in the 11th century. In addition to its liturgical role, it also served the secondary function of purifying the air to mask the odour of unwashed pilgrims. When in use, the Botafumeiro is suspended from the dome above the main altar by a system of ropes and pullies and hoisted high up into the air by 8 red-robed men known as tiraboleiros. It has been replaced several times over the years. The current one is a silver-plated bronze creation made in 1851 to replace the 15th-century version stolen by Napoleon’s troops during the Peninsular War in 1809. It weighs 53 kilograms and is 1.6 metres tall.

I was determined to make it there in time to attend the morning mass and witness this centuries-old ritual. This meant getting up at 5:30 on that cold, rainy morning to walk the final ten kilometres into Santiago in the pre-dawn darkness. It was my final challenge on my final day on the Camino. I’d been walking the last few weeks with another pilgrim I’d met along the way and we arrived there together that morning and watched in awe as the censor soared through the sanctuary emitting clouds of fragrant smoke. Our early arrival in Santiago also had the added benefit of providing us with a beautiful peaceful moment as we took our final steps of the Camino into an empty, silent Praza do Obradoiro. Had we arrived there later in the day as originally planned, we would have instead found the square packed full of people and buzzing with activity.

Holy Year

2021 was a Holy Year in Santiago, a tradition initiated by Pope Callixtus II in 1122. Holy Years are those in which the feast day of Saint James – July 25 – falls on a Sunday. Since the pandemic prevented many from making the pilgrimage to Santiago in 2021, the Vatican decided to extend the Holy Year to include 2022 as well. During a Holy Year, the Puerta de Perdón (Door of Forgiveness) on the eastern side of the cathedral is opened and pilgrims who enter through this door can receive plenary indulgences (forgiveness of sins). On December 31 preceding the Holy Year, the archbishop of Compostela performs a ceremony to officially open it during which he strikes a wall of stones in front of the door with a silver hammer and cleanses the doorway with holy water and olive branches.

Though the tradition of the Holy Year has existed far longer, the door was a 16th-century addition. The 24 statues flanking its exterior are from Master Mateo’s Romanesque stone choir which was replaced by a wooden one around the same time. Remains of that original choir and other stonework uncovered from archeological excavations over the years are now on display in the cathedral museum alongside an impressive collection of religious art and relics.

Pilgrim Traditions

Beneath the high altar, down a small staircase, lies the tomb of Saint James. Before the mass began, I made my way down there to pay homage to the saint as pilgrims have done since the 9th century. Standing in front of the silver reliquary in its austere stone chamber was a surprisingly emotional moment. This right here, I thought, was the reason for all of this. This is what had inspired countless people over centuries to leave their homes and embark on this treacherous journey. This is what they had walked hundreds of miles and struggled and sacrificed for. It was all to arrive at this very spot where I now stood. At that moment, I felt such a strong connection to this place and its history.

In years past, it was also tradition for pilgrims to hug the statue of Saint James before making their way down to his tomb. They would climb up a staircase to the small space behind the altar to embrace the statue and give thanks for a safe journey. The cathedral discontinued this practice during the pandemic and has yet to reinstitute it so this was one pilgrim tradition that I did not personally experience.

My journey on the Camino de Santiago was difficult. There were many times along the way that I was sure I was not going to make it to the end. So, when I finally did make it here and set eyes upon this illustrious cathedral, I felt overwhelmed with emotions. This beautiful church, steeped in tradition and symbolism, has undoubtedly seen its fair share of emotional pilgrims over the centuries. The centrepiece of the Camino de Santiago linking past and present, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is an intriguing historical and spiritual destination and a magnificent work of art. It’s a place that I am certain will stay with me for a long time to come.

Further Reading

• Official cathedral website: http://catedraldesantiago.es/en/
• Portico of Glory: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-portico-of-glory-master-mateo-s-masterpiece-cathedral-of-santiago-de-compostela/hQUhSvsh2im5Lg?hl=en
• Photographs from my journey on the Camino de Santiago: Camino de Santiago Photo Gallery