Sometimes all you can do is pray

It has been a black day in Santiago. As the bells of the Cathedral struck 9am I opened the green doors of the Pilgrims Office to welcome a long queue of pilgrims who wanted to arrive on the day of the Feast of St James. Instead of the usual euphoria the line shuffled forward in silence. One pilgrim said, "Like us, those people on the train were coming to celebrate the Feast...they were pilgrims too...our sisters and brothers". And so as they received their Compostelas with the most auspicious of dates they remembered those for whom there would be no certificate. Not in this life.

I'm simply posting this short message to thank all of you who have e mailed. Thank you.

This afternoon I went home to change and I got into the lift with the lady who lives next door. "This is terrible John," she said with tears in her eyes. "bad things never happen here". And it is true. Santiago is the safest of cities. Violent crime is almost unheard of and a burglary is front page news. Yet here is this tranquil medieval city caught up in a national tragedy.

All of thoughts must be with those who have died or are injured and those who love them. As my neighbour got out of the lift she shook her head still in disbelief. "Sometimes all you can do is pray."

And so we shall.
 

All the pilgrim numbers from Santiago - Spain down USA up!

American Pilgrims on the Camino? Yes they are in significant numbers which continue to increase.

Country	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	Growth
Australia	456	493	528	755	1248	65%
Canada	876	773	909	1147	1320	15%
Ireland	799	1090	1048	1754	2222	27%
South Africa	124	126	212	313	340	9%
United Kingdom	656	822	846	1511	1706	13%
United States	1098	1357	1540	2724	4526	66%
New Zealand	79	92	93	138	190	38%

In the period 1 Jan - 30 June 2012 67481 arrived. In the same period this year that number rose to 75,529. This is a 12% increase.

The table above also shows the continued growth from English speaking countries particularly the United States of America.

There is also a noticeable reduction in the number of Spanish pilgrims on the camino. This year 38% of pilgrims were Spanish. This is a 7% decrease on last years’ figures. Compare this with previous years:

Percentage of pilgrims who are Spanish

2012  41%

2011 45%

2010 64% 

2009 - 44%

The full analysis for the period 1 January 2013 – 30 June 2013 follows:

Total number of pilgrims - 75.529

Country           Nº de Peregrinos

Spain              29253 (38,73%)

Germany         7944 (10,52%)

Portugal           5355 (7,09%)

USA               4526 (5,99%)

Italy                4446 (5,89%)

France             3671 (4,86%)

Ireland             2222 (2,94%)

UK                 1706 (2,26%)

Holanda          1525 (2,02%)

Canadá            1320 (1,75%)

Australia          1248 (1,65%)

Brasil               1169 (1,55%)

Corea               1098 (1,45%)

Austria            880 (1,17%)

Dinamarca       727 (0,96%)

Belgica            720 (0,95%)

Polonia            601 (0,80%)

Suiza               550 (0,73%)

Suecia             509 (0,67%)

México            493 (0,65%)

Argentina        416 (0,55%)

Japón               414 (0,55%)

Finlandia         386 (0,51%)

Noruega          362 (0,48%)

Sudáfrica         340 (0,45%)

Venezuela       321 (0,43%)

Rep Checa       310 (0,41%)

Hungría           305 (0,40%)

Colombia         266 (0,35%)

Rusia              222 (0,29%)

China               192 (0,25%)

New Zealand 190 (0,25%)

Eslovenia         148 (0,20%)

Eslovaquia       137 (0,18%)

Bulgaria           121 (0,16%)

Ecuador           109 (0,14%)

Rumania          100 (0,13%)

Uruguay          86 (0,11%)

Chile                84 (0,11%)

Lituania           77 (0,10%)

Singapur          68 (0,09%)

Ucrania            57 (0,08%)

Perú                 56 (0,07%)

Puerto Rico     56 (0,07%)

Malta               46 (0,06%)

Filipinas           46 (0,06%)

Croacia            45 (0,06%)

Estonia            39 (0,05%)

Taiwán            39 (0,05%)

Israel               36 (0,05%)

Andorra           35 (0,05%)

Letonia            32 (0,04%)

Luxemburgo    32 (0,04%)

Grecia             30 (0,04%)

Costa Rica       29 (0,04%)

Bolivia             26 (0,03%)

Malasia            21 (0,03%)

El Salvador     20 (0,03%)

Islandia           18 (0,02%)

Dominican R   16 (0,02%)

India                15 (0,02%)

Cuba                13 (0,02%)

Panamá            13 (0,02%)

Guatemala       11 (0,01%)

Turquía            11 (0,01%)

Paraguay         10 (0,01%)

Líbano             9 (0,01%)

Jordania           8 (0,01%)

Angola            7 (0,01%)

Indonesia        7 (0,01%)

Marruecos       7 (0,01%)

Irán                  6 (0,01%)

Tailandia         6 (0,01%)

Mauritania       5 (0,01%)

Nicaragua        5 (0,01%)

Vietnam          4 (0,01%)

Albania            4 (0,01%)

Honduras        4 (0,01%)

Namibia           4 (0,01%)

Serbia             4 (0,01%)

Pakistán           4 (0,01%)

Bielorrusia       4 (0,01%)

Bangladesh     3 (0,00%)

Islas Feroe       3 (0,00%)

Brunei             3 (0,00%)

Zimbabwe       3 (0,00%)

Emiratos Arabes Unidos         3 (0,00%)

Routes

Camino           Nº de Peregrinos

Frances-Camino de     53119 (70,33%)

Portugues-Camino      11419 (15,12%)

Via de la Plata             3680 (4,87%)

Norte-Camino de        3451 (4,57%)

Primitivo-Camino        2089 (2,77%)

Ingles-Camino             1476 (1,95%)

Otros caminos             151 (0,20%)

Muxia-Finisterre          142 (0,19%)

Gender

Gender                       Nº de Peregrinos

Male               42290 (55,99%)

Female             33239 (44,01%)

Mode of transport

Mode              Nº de Peregrinos

On foot           64751 (85,73%)

Bicycle            10309 (13,65%)

Horse              450 (0,60%)

Wheelchair      19 (0,03%)

Reasons for making the pilgrimage

Reason                        Nº de Peregrinos

Religious/other            40686 (53,87%)

Religious                     30905 (40,92%)

Not religious               3938 (5,21%)

Status

Status              Nº de Peregrinos

Employed        17484 (23,15%)

Retired            12662 (16,76%)

Student           10137 (13,42%)

Self emplyed   9617 (12,73%)

Tecnicos          8622 (11,42%)

Public sector    3775 (5,00%)

Teachers          3730 (4,94%)

Manual            2777 (3,68%)

Unempolyed   1946 (2,58%)

Housepeople   1894 (2,51%)

Directors         1160 (1,54%)

Artists            701 (0,93%)

Priests             394 (0,52%)

Farm workers 263 (0,35%)

Religious         164 (0,22%)

Sailors             100 (0,13%)

Sportspeople   97 (0,13%)

Oikoten           6 (0,01%)

Ages

Ages                Nº de Peregrinos

30 - 60             43054 (57,00%)

< 30                 16439 (21,77%)

> 60                 16036 (21,23%)

Starting point

Starting point Nº de Peregrinos

Sarria                           17354 (22,98%)

S. Jean P. Port             10248 (13,57%)

Oporto                         4066 (5,38%)

León                            3766 (4,99%)

Cebreiro                      3251 (4,30%)

Roncesvalles               3191 (4,22%)

Tui                               2755 (3,65%)

Ponferrada                  2450 (3,24%)

Astorga                       1952 (2,58%)

Pamplona                    1785 (2,36%)

Valença do Minho      1650 (2,18%)

Le Puy                         1505 (1,99%)

Ferrol                           1419 (1,88%)

Burgos                         1361 (1,80%)

Sevilla                         1308 (1,73%)

Oviedo - C.P.             1193 (1,58%)

Irún                             1007 (1,33%)

Ourense                       934 (1,24%)

Vilafranca                   807 (1,07%)

Francia - C.F.             786 (1,04%)

Resto Portugal            729 (0,97%)

Triacastela                   644 (0,85%)

Lugo - C.P.                 568 (0,75%)

Samos                         477 (0,63%)

Lisboa                         450 (0,60%)

Resto C. León C.F.     378 (0,50%)

Rates, S. Pedro           376 (0,50%)

Ponte de Lima             351 (0,46%)

Holanda                      331 (0,44%)

Logroño                      309 (0,41%)

Santander                    288 (0,38%)

Resto Asturias - C.N   281 (0,37%)

Oviedo - C.N.             279 (0,37%)

Salamanca                   260 (0,34%)

Ribadeo                       259 (0,34%)

Bilbao                         257 (0,34%)

Chaves-Portugal          239 (0,32%)

Alemania                     230 (0,30%)

Somport                      224 (0,30%)

Barcelos                      218 (0,29%)

Madrid - C.F.             199 (0,26%)

Braga                           185 (0,24%)

Porriño                        175 (0,23%)

Avilés                         166 (0,22%)

Vilalba                         163 (0,22%)

Gijón                           161 (0,21%)

Zamora                        152 (0,20%)

Bélgica                        143 (0,19%)

Sahagún                      137 (0,18%)

Resto País Vasco        122 (0,16%)

San Sebastián             121 (0,16%)

Puebla de Sanabria      115 (0,15%)

Guimaraes                   114 (0,15%)

Lourdes                       108 (0,14%)

Vega de Valcarce        101 (0,13%)

Resto Asturias - C.P. 95 (0,13%)

Suiza                           95 (0,13%)

Vezelay                       88 (0,12%)

Finisterra                     84 (0,11%)

Fonsagrada - C.P.       83 (0,11%)

Jaca                             81 (0,11%)

Puente la Reina           81 (0,11%)

Frómista                      77 (0,10%)

Resto Cantabria          76 (0,10%)

Gudiña                        76 (0,10%)

Carrión de los Condes73 (0,10%)

Resto Andalucia         70 (0,09%)

Valencia O.C.             68 (0,09%)

Hospital de Orbigo     68 (0,09%)

Mérida                         66 (0,09%)

Francia - C.N             64 (0,08%)

Coimbra                      63 (0,08%)

Cáceres                        63 (0,08%)

Cataluña - C.F.            62 (0,08%)

Sto. Domingo             62 (0,08%)

Hendaya                      60 (0,08%)

Muxia                         58 (0,08%)

Rabanal del Camino    53 (0,07%)

Navarra                       53 (0,07%)

Neda                           52 (0,07%)

Tineo - C.P.                 51 (0,07%)

Arles                            48 (0,06%)

Grandas de Salime      48 (0,06%)

Viseu                           47 (0,06%)

Granja de Moreruela   46 (0,06%)

Baamonde                   45 (0,06%)

R.Pais Vasco C.F.       44 (0,06%)

Resto C. León - V.P. 43 (0,06%)

Granada                      42 (0,06%)

Zaragoza                     41 (0,05%)

Resto Europa             40 (0,05%)

Canfranc                     38 (0,05%)

Viana do Castelo        38 (0,05%)

Com. Valenciana         37 (0,05%)

Madrid - V.P.             37 (0,05%)

A Guarda                    36 (0,05%)

Fatima                         36 (0,05%)

Lourenzá                     35 (0,05%)

Verín                           35 (0,05%)

Molinaseca                  34 (0,05%)

Ponferrada. C.Inv.      33 (0,04%)

París                            33 (0,04%)

Barcelona                    32 (0,04%)

Povoa de Varzim        31 (0,04%)

Mondoñedo                31 (0,04%)

Xunqueira de Ambia   31 (0,04%)

Laza                            30 (0,04%)

Montserrat                   28 (0,04%)

Resto de Extremadura27 (0,04%)

Austria                        27 (0,04%)

Baiona                         27 (0,04%)

Cadavo                        27 (0,04%)

Estella                         27 (0,04%)

Cast. la Mancha          26 (0,03%)

Vigo                            25 (0,03%)

Abadin                        24 (0,03%)

Malaga                        24 (0,03%)

Esposende                   21 (0,03%)

Italia                            21 (0,03%)

La Rioja                      21 (0,03%)

Aveiro                         20 (0,03%)

Roma                           19 (0,03%)

Castilla La Mancha     19 (0,03%)

Castrojeriz                   16 (0,02%)

Com. Valenciana         15 (0,02%)

Huelva                         13 (0,02%)

Allariz                         12 (0,02%)

Monforte de Lemos    11 (0,01%)

La Mesa                      11 (0,01%)

Córdoba                      11 (0,01%)

Nájera                         11 (0,01%)

Benavente                   10 (0,01%)

Reino Unido C.F.       9 (0,01%)

Castilla la Mancha       9 (0,01%)

Valladolid                   8 (0,01%)

Republica Checa         8 (0,01%)

Cataluña - O.C.           6 (0,01%)

Faro                             6 (0,01%)

Valcarlos                     6 (0,01%)

Fonfría                        5 (0,01%)

Grado                         5 (0,01%)

Irlanda C.F.                 4 (0,01%)

Murcia                         4 (0,01%)

Chantada                     4 (0,01%)

Salas                            4 (0,01%)

Badajoz                       4 (0,01%)

La Bañeza                   3 (0,00%)

Andorra                       3 (0,00%)

XGrandas de Salime   3 (0,00%)

Inglaterra C.F.             3 (0,00%)

San Juan de Ortega     3 (0,00%)

Polonia                        3 (0,00%)