Happy New Year!
The good citizens of Santiago may very well be relieved that 2012 is over. What a year! 2012 started with the city still reeling from the theft of the medieval Codex Calixtinus. If the theft itself wasn’t enough people were shocked by its discovery in a garage in a suburb of Santiago along with over 2 million euros in cash methodically stolen from the collection boxes in the Cathedral. That started a chain of events leading to the recent resignation of the Dean of the Cathedral and the suspension of key personnel as everyone awaits the revelations which will come out during the January trial of the former cathedral electrician who it is alleged stole the cash and the Codex.
2012 was also the year when the mayor of Santiago, Gerardo Conde Roa, had to resign having been accused of tax fraud. That scandal occupied many column inches and was the only thing that nudged the Codex off the front pages.
So having lost the Codex, 2 million euros, the Mayor, key cathedral personnel and then the Dean people in Santiago must have wondered if anything else would happen before the cathedral bells welcomed the new year. And it did.
 |
| The scene of the crime |
In the week before Christmas new headlines screamed: El Niño Jesús desaparece del belén del Obradoiro "The Baby Jesus has disappeared from the crib in the Plaza Obradoiro."
It was soon announced that the figure of the baby Jesus hadn’t just disappeared, he had been kidnapped by a group wanting to draw attention to the plight of the poor and in particular the people who are being evicted because they can't pay their rent or mortgage because of the current economic crisis. The group Stop Desahucios Compostela issued a statement and a video, “the baby Jesus is unharmed and is being well looked after...he will be released when people understand the problems caused by evictions”. And he was. The baby Jesus was soon discovered being kept warm inside the foyer of a bank beside the Automatic Cash Dispenser.
It was soon announced that the figure of the baby Jesus hadn’t just disappeared, he had been kidnapped by a group wanting to draw attention to the plight of the poor and in particular the people who are being evicted because they can't pay their rent or mortgage because of the current economic crisis. The group Stop Desahucios Compostela issued a statement and a video, “the baby Jesus is unharmed and is being well looked after...he will be released when people understand the problems caused by evictions”. And he was. The baby Jesus was soon discovered being kept warm inside the foyer of a bank beside the Automatic Cash Dispenser.
Midst all of this drama during the year over 192,400 pilgrims arrived. All of them I am sure largely oblivious to the events in the Cathedral and in the Town Hall. Except perhaps for the much needed increased security in the Cathedral. This is but one of the measures instituted by the new Chief Executive of the Cathedral, the former Finance Director of Televes, personally appointed by the Archbishop to modernise the practices of the medieval institution.
There are many stories from Santiago in the last year. My favourites are those of the individual pilgrims I was able to meet and of course the wonderful Amigos who came to Santiago to welcome the pilgrims. Together they welcomed at least 100,000 pilgrims. A magnificent achievement.
This New Year also sees the first competition to guess the exact number of pilgrims who have arrived. The Pilgrims' Office has organised a Twitter Competition http://twitter.com/#/OfiPeregrinos and I have been asked not to confirm the exact number until it is announced in a few days. The following numbers are accurate as on noon on new year's eve. Go on Tweet what you think the final number is. You may win!
This New Year also sees the first competition to guess the exact number of pilgrims who have arrived. The Pilgrims' Office has organised a Twitter Competition http://twitter.com/#/OfiPeregrinos and I have been asked not to confirm the exact number until it is announced in a few days. The following numbers are accurate as on noon on new year's eve. Go on Tweet what you think the final number is. You may win!
Pilgrim Numbers
Over 192,400 pilgrims arrived during 2012. That is a 5% increase on last year. The growth rate year on year however appears to be slowing down and it will be interesting to observe this in 2013.
Also this year saw less Spaniards than before making pilgrimage to Santiago. A sign perhaps that the economic crisis is now starting to bite.
The big story continues to be the staggering rise in pilgrims from English speaking countries with the greatest increase being in the numbers coming from the United States.
Pilgrims from English speaking countries
Country
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
Growth
|
Australia
|
1015
|
1162
|
1352
|
1885
|
39%
|
Canada
|
2194
|
1879
|
2362
|
2904
|
23%
|
Ireland
|
1722
|
2306
|
2677
|
3841
|
44%
|
South Africa
|
262
|
301
|
513
|
711
|
39%
|
United Kingdom
|
1700
|
2028
|
2389
|
3756
|
57%
|
United States
|
2540
|
3311
|
3726
|
7071
|
90%
|
New Zealand
|
200
|
221
|
238
|
377
|
59%
|
Number of pilgrims who arrived in 2012 is "192,400"
Routes
Camino Number of pilgrims
Frances-Camino de 134961 (70,13%)
Portugues-Camino 25599 (13,30%)
Norte-Camino de 12919 (6,71%)
Via de la Plata 8163 (4,24%)
Primitivo-Camino 6341 (3,30%)
Ingles-Camino 3575 (1,86%)
Otros caminos 456 (0,24%)
Muxia-Finisterre 417 (0,22%)
Mode of transport
Mode Number of pilgrims
On foot 164725 (85,60%)
Bicycle 27403 (14,24%)
Horseback 281 (0,15%)
Wheelchair 22 (0,01%)
Gender
Gender Number of pilgrims
Male 108778 (56,53%)
Female 83653 (43,47%)
Reasons for pilgrimage
Reason Number of pilgrims
Religious and others 101153 (52,57%)
Religious 79460 (41,29%)
Not religious 11818 (6,14%)
Status
Status Number of pilgrims
Employed 43057 (22,38%)
Students 34737 (18,05%)
Technicians 24746 (12,86%)
Retired 22092 (11,48%)
Self employed 21771 (11,31%)
Teachers 14391 (7,48%)
Public workers 8751 (4,55%)
Manual worker 7252 (3,77%)
Unemployed 5168 (2,69%)
Housewive 4366 (2,27%)
Directors 1817 (0,94%)
Artists 1469 (0,76%)
Priests 1159 (0,60%)
Farmers 631 (0,33%)
Religious 477 (0,25%)
Sailors 350 (0,18%)
Sports 167 (0,09%)
Oikoten 30 (0,02%)
Ages
Age Number of pilgrims
30 - 60 109267 (56,78%)
< 30 54719 (28,44%)
> 60 28445 (14,78%)
Countries
Country Number of pilgrims
Spain 95252 (49,50%)
Germany 15617 (8,12%)
Italy 12391 (6,44%)
Portugal 10322 (5,36%)
France 8121 (4,22%)
USA 7071 (3,67%)
Ireland 3841 (2,00%)
UK 3756 (1,95%)
Holand 3011 (1,56%)
Canada 2904 (1,51%)
Korea 2493 (1,30%)
Poland 2307 (1,20%)
Brasil 2229 (1,16%)
Belgium 1955 (1,02%)
Australia 1885 (0,98%)
Austria 1772 (0,92%)
Denmark 1682 (0,87%)
Switzerland 1308 (0,68%)
Sweden 1275 (0,66%)
México 1047 (0,54%)
Japan 860 (0,45%)
Rep Checa 832 (0,43%)
Argentina 822 (0,43%)
Finland 720 (0,37%)
South Africa 711 (0,37%)
Slovaquia 636 (0,33%)
Russia 503 (0,26%)
Colombia 455 (0,24%)
Venezuela 444 (0,23%)
New Zealand 377 (0,20%)
Eslovenia 373 (0,19%)
Rumania 281 (0,15%)
Bulgaria 211 (0,11%)
China 1 85 (0,10%)
Ecuador 183 (0,10%)
Chile 178 (0,09%)
Lituania 169 (0,09%)
Uruguay 165 (0,09%)
Perú 162 (0,08%)
Israel 160 (0,08%)
Filipinas 127 (0,07%)
Puerto Rico 121 (0,06%)
Estonia 120 (0,06%)
Andorra 108 (0,06%)
Malta 106 (0,06%)
Luxemburgo 105 (0,05%)
Ucrania 91 (0,05%)
Croacia 71 (0,04%)
Letonia 60 (0,03%)
Grecia 59 (0,03%)
Taiwán 58 (0,03%)
Dom Rep 56 (0,03%)
Islandia 55 (0,03%)
Costa Rica 54 (0,03%)
Bolivia 54 (0,03%)
Paraguay 49 (0,03%)
Singapur 46 (0,02%)
Cuba 44 (0,02%)
India 38 (0,02%)
Malasia 36 (0,02%)
Líbano 33 (0,02%)
El Salvador 33 (0,02%)
Guatemala 30 (0,02%)
Panamá 26 (0,01%)
Turquía 21 (0,01%)
Marruecos 21 (0,01%)
Nicaragua 19 (0,01%)
Honduras 17 (0,01%)
Serbia 16 (0,01%)
Bielorrusia 12 (0,01%)
Irán 11 (0,01%)
Bosnia 11 (0,01%)
Angola 11 (0,01%)
Guinea 8 (0,00%)
Emirates 8 (0,00%)
Islas Feroe 8 (0,00%)
Indonesia 8 (0,00%)
Argelia 8 (0,00%)
Tailandia 8 (0,00%)
Vietnam 7 (0,00%)
Nigeria 6 (0,00%)
Egipto 6 (0,00%)
Macedonia 6 (0,00%)
Armenia 6 (0,00%)
Liechtensein 6 (0,00%)
Moldavia 5 (0,00%)
Saudi Arabia 5 (0,00%)
Albania 5 (0,00%)
Mozambique 5 (0,00%)
Namibia 5 (0,00%)
Zimbabwe 4 (0,00%)
Kenya 4 (0,00%)
Siria 4 (0,00%)
Senegal 4 (0,00%)
Camerún 4 (0,00%)
Mauritania 3 (0,00%)
Congo 3 (0,00%)
Georgia 3 (0,00%)
Pakistán 3 (0,00%)
Ghana 3 (0,00%)
Groenlandia 3 (0,00%)
Trinidad 3 (0,00%)
Irak 2 (0,00%)
Chipre 2 (0,00%)
Antigua 2 (0,00%)
Mali 2 (0,00%)
Kazajistán 2 (0,00%)
Túnez 2 (0,00%)
Libia 2 (0,00%)
Jordania 2 (0,00%)
Sri Lanka 2 (0,00%)
Togo 2 (0,00%)
Guyana 2 (0,00%)
Santo Tome 2 (0,00%)
Etiopía 1 (0,00%)
Timor 1 (0,00%)
Cabo Verde 1 (0,00%)
Chad 1 (0,00%)
Camboya 1 (0,00%)
Haití 1 (0,00%)
Tanzania 1 (0,00%)
Islas Caimán 1 (0,00%)
Jamaica 1 (0,00%)
Benin 1 (0,00%)
Eritrea 1 (0,00%)
Bermudas 1 (0,00%)
Samoa 1 (0,00%)
Bahamas 1 (0,00%)
Marfil 1 (0,00%)
Nepal 1 (0,00%)
Burkina Faso 1 (0,00%)
Starting point
Starting point Number of pilgrims
Sarria 40723 (21,16%)
S. Jean P. Port 22213 (11,54%)
León 10406 (5,41%)
Cebreiro 10313 (5,36%)
Roncesvalles 8465 (4,40%)
Tui 8436 (4,38%)
Ponferrada 7765 (4,04%)
Oporto 7635 (3,97%)
Astorga 5666 (2,94%)
Pamplona 4172 (2,17%)
Oviedo - C.P. 3956 (2,06%)
Burgos 3864 (2,01%)
Le Puy 3433 (1,78%)
Ferrol 3372 (1,75%)
Irún 3142 (1,63%)
Valença do Minho 3089 (1,61%)
Vilafranca 2667 (1,39%)
Resto Portugal 2660 (1,38%)
Sevilla 2287 (1,19%)
Ourense 2277 (1,18%)
Francia 2130 (1,11%)
Triacastela 2024 (1,05%)
Lugo - C.P. 1557 (0,81%)
Resto C. León 1358 (0,71%)
Samos 1300 (0,68%)
Resto Asturias 1189 (0,62%)
Santander 1134 (0,59%)
Ribadeo 1094 (0,57%)
Lisboa 977 (0,51%)
Logroño 941 (0,49%)
Bilbao 905 (0,47%)
Ponte de Lima 901 (0,47%)
Vilalba 845 (0,44%)
Holanda 786 (0,41%)
Gijón 731 (0,38%)
Oviedo 699 (0,36%)
Somport 664 (0,35%)
Alemania 603 (0,31%)
Avilés 552 (0,29%)
Salamanca 515 (0,27%)
Madrid - C.F. 480 (0,25%)
Zamora 459 (0,24%)
Resto País Vasco 430 (0,22%)
Sahagún 426 (0,22%)
Mondoñedo 374 (0,19%)
Bélgica 372 (0,19%)
Puebla de Sanabria 371 (0,19%)
Rates, S. Pedro 343 (0,18%)
Braga 333 (0,17%)
Resto Asturias - C.P. 324 (0,17%)
Vega de Valcarce 319 (0,17%)
San Sebastián 308 (0,16%)
Baamonde 305 (0,16%)
Resto Cantabria 298 (0,15%)
Jaca 295 (0,15%)
Chaves-Portugal 290 (0,15%)
Lourdes 279 (0,14%)
Suiza 277 (0,14%)
Muxia 273 (0,14%)
Frómista 261 (0,14%)
Barcelos 234 (0,12%)
Gudiña 227 (0,12%)
Neda 199 (0,10%)
A Guarda 198 (0,10%)
Porriño 197 (0,10%)
Fonsagrada - C.P. 193 (0,10%)
Sto. Domingo de la Calzada 191 (0,10%)
Vezelay 179 (0,09%)
Carrión de los Condes 176 (0,09%)
Puente la Reina 169 (0,09%)
Cataluña 164 (0,09%)
Lourenzá 163 (0,08%)
Arles 158 (0,08%)
Mérida 157 (0,08%)
Resto Andalucia 154 (0,08%)
Rabanal del Camino 152 (0,08%)
Resto C. León - V.P. 146 (0,08%)
Montserrat 145 (0,08%)
Finisterra 144 (0,07%)
Allariz 143 (0,07%)
Xunqueira de Ambia 141 (0,07%)
Francia 141 (0,07%)
Granja de Moreruela 140 (0,07%)
Hendaya 137 (0,07%)
Laza 130 (0,07%)
Fonsagrada 129 (0,07%)
Madrid 125 (0,06%)
Hospital de Orbigo 122 (0,06%)
Valencia 120 (0,06%)
Abadin 117 (0,06%)
Navarra 112 (0,06%)
Viana do Castelo 111 (0,06%)
Austria 110 (0,06%)
Estella 110 (0,06%)
Fatima 104 (0,05%)
Zaragoza 102 (0,05%)
Cáceres 101 (0,05%)
Verín 96 (0,05%)
Baiona 94 (0,05%)
Grandas de Salime - C.P. 92 (0,05%)
Barcelona 92 (0,05%)
Cadavo 91 (0,05%)
R.Pais Vasco 89 (0,05%)
Resto de Extremadura 86 (0,04%)
Vigo 85 (0,04%)
Grandas de Salime 81 (0,04%)
Com. Valenciana 79 (0,04%)
Tineo - C.P. 77 (0,04%)
París 71 (0,04%)
Italia 69 (0,04%)
Canfranc 62 (0,03%)
Castilla la Mancha 62 (0,03%)
Guimaraes 61 (0,03%)
Molinaseca 56 (0,03%)
Monforte de Lemos 56 (0,03%)
Povoa de Varzim 54 (0,03%)
Granada 54 (0,03%)
Tineo 48 (0,02%)
Ponferrada. C.Inv. 47 (0,02%)
Coimbra 47 (0,02%)
Castilla La Mancha 46 (0,02%)
Com. Valenciana 44 (0,02%)
Cast. la Mancha 43 (0,02%)
Huelva 43 (0,02%)
Nájera 40 (0,02%)
Benavente 37 (0,02%)
Badajoz 35 (0,02%)
Córdoba 33 (0,02%)
Polonia 32 (0,02%)
Malaga 32 (0,02%)
Roma 31 (0,02%)
Resto Europa 28 (0,01%)
Valladolid 28 (0,01%)
Castrojeriz 28 (0,01%)
San Sebastian 27 (0,01%)
Vegadeo 25 (0,01%)
Las Médulas 24 (0,01%)
Murcia 24 (0,01%)
Fonfría 24 (0,01%)
Reino Unido 22 (0,01%)
Cataluña 21 (0,01%)
Republica Checa 19 (0,01%)
Guitiriz 18 (0,01%)
Quiroga 14 (0,01%)
Eslovaquia 13 (0,01%)
San Juan de Ortega 13 (0,01%)
Salas 13 (0,01%)
Esposende 12 (0,01%)
Viseu 11 (0,01%)
Grado 10 (0,01%)
Faro 9 (0,00%)
Irlanda 9 (0,00%)
Hungría 8 (0,00%)
Dinamarca 6 (0,00%)
Finlandia 6 (0,00%)
Resto Galicia 6 (0,00%)
Aveiro 4 (0,00%)
Valcarlos 4 (0,00%)
Luxemburgo 4 (0,00%)
Vincios 4 (0,00%)
Peñaseita 3 (0,00%)
Rábade 3 (0,00%)
El Escamplero 3 (0,00%)
Jerusalem 3 (0,00%)
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