Photo of the Week #7

Years ago, probably in the 1980's, while in France, Rick and I bought this reproduction of a 1648 map of the various routes to Saint James of Compostela in Spain. I really like old maps, and have never had enough money to buy a real antique one (maybe some day I will.) This one did not cost that much money, probably no more than 10 to 20 Francs at the time. The problem was to get it framed, since framing posters or documents, and doing it well, is usually a rather expensive proposition.

Fast forward to about 4 years ago or so, and I decide to get this map framed to offer it to a friend. So, I go to the local frame shop (owned by one of Claire's best friend's mother), where I carefully choose a very attractive frame. A week later, I go and pick up my framed map and, upon kicking about $40.00 for the framing job and seeing the final product, I promptly decide to keep it for myself (the whole thing is about 24" x 18.5".) It is now on my living room wall:


My map of the Saint James of Compostela pilgrimage routes 

For a bit of background history, Saint James the Great, also known as Saint James of Compostela, was Saint John's brother, and one of Jesus' disciples. He supposedly went to Spain and preached Christianity there. According to the legend, he miraculously appeared during the Reconquista and helped the Christians boot the Moors out of the Spanish peninsula -- thus his moniker of "Saint-James the Moor-Slayer." As such, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and, according to Wikipedia, "his shrine at Santiago de Compostela, Galicia in northwestern Spain, became the most famous pilgrimage site in the Christian world. St James's Way is a set of routes that cross Western Europe and arrive to Santiago through Northern Spain."

In the Middle-Ages, pilgrims from all over Europe began walking the Way of Saint James (El Camino de Santiago) and visit the shrine in atonement for their sins. This trip would most often take months, and there are still tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world who undertake it on foot or on bicycle every year -- many of them no longer do this for religious reasons. There are many websites devoted to El Camino, including El Camino in Pictures, which nearly makes me think that I'd like to go on this pilgrimage some day, except that I do not believe that I could withstand the rather spartan refugio facilities.