The goal of the volunteer-run non-profit organization American Pilgrims on the Camino is to promote contact among the American pilgrim community. The association’s three main responsibilities are to assemble pilgrims, support the Camino de Santiago’s infrastructure, and enlighten and inspire both current and potential pilgrims in order to preserve the long-standing history of the route.
George Greenia, a renowned Hispanist and professor at the University of Virginia, is one of its founders. For his efforts as a researcher and advocate for the Camino in the United States, he was granted the Order of Isabel the Catholic at the Spanish Embassy in Washington. More like a group of friends interested in the Camino than an organization, Greenia travels back 35 years to discuss the origins of the American Pilgrims.
We made the decision to formally create ourselves twenty years ago, complete with an address and yearly meetings. We initially conducted it at our headquarters at the University of Virginia, but over time, they expanded to every region of the United States to help spread awareness about the Camino,” he informs us.
Its expansion has been remarkable. The American Pilgrims has grown from this original group of friends to 2,200 members spread throughout 44 delegations in various states. The delegation’s president in Miami, Yosmar Monique Martínez, thinks that American interest in the Camino de Santiago will continue to expand, as will the number of American Pilgrims.
According to Yosmar, the majority of the contacts are created to respond to commonly asked questions, such as where to sleep, what kind of backpack to use, and what boots to wear. Additionally, how to get to specific Camino locations in Spain, how to get in touch with family, etc. However, beyond these specific meetings, each delegation undertakes activities throughout the year that facilitate the meeting, the basic pillar of the American Pilgrims. “In Miami we have a walk every second Sunday of the month, every 2 or 3 months on the Camino, which many interested individuals attend. And then we have social occasions, when we meet to chat,” he tells us.
Increasing curiosity about the Camino
The Camino inspires and encourages an increasing number of Americans to travel it. George Greenia emphasizes word-of-mouth as another key factor contributing to this rising stardom, in addition to the previously stated film The Way. If we visit Facebook, where the American Pilgrims have a sizable and, more importantly, highly engaged virtual community, this point becomes clear. This public Facebook group has about 17,000 members, and in addition to sharing their experiences and images, it also acts as a place for debate and question-answering.
The primary cause is, above all, the experience of oneself. “A pilgrim may walk the Camino for cultural, religious, or exploratory purposes. In a world that is so mechanistic and dehumanizing, there is a chance to discover oneself and grow internally,” Greenia emphasizes. In fact, according to the American Pilgrims’ founder, a good pilgrim is one who encourages camaraderie and hospitality. “I am in awe of the Cathedral’s staff and canonigos’ warmth. They never get tired of greeting people with genuine friendliness. It is commendable. Additionally, that serves as a blueprint for the future.
Santiago Pilgrimage: An International Model
According to George Greenia, this direct, friendly, and open journey within oneself has made it a model to follow that presents numerous global opportunities in the twenty-first century. The College of William & Mary of Virginia’s World Pilgrimage Institute serves as an example of this. Greenia and his associates research international pilgrimages at this center, including religious, patriotic, and commemorative ones. Furthermore, they conclude that over half of them use the Camino de Santiago as a model for pilgrimages worldwide. It is a public ritual that serves as an example of organization and hospitality. It is consequently a model to follow. “A pilgrimage’s obligatory reference point,” he explains.
Yosmar and Greenia both have personal experience walking the Camino de Santiago. “I didn’t hike. But you never know when life will call. There was a period of my life that was not going well. Yosmar, who has made four trips along the Camino—two on the Camino Francés and the third on the Portugués and Sanabrés—explains, “And the Camino came to me as a very interesting option.” “I am a believer and all experiences are different, but the first Camino is the most special,” he asserts.
Greenia has completed over 5,000 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago. “I’ve completed the Camino roughly fourteen times. George Greenia, who emphasizes the Camino’s ability to be hospitable and integrating, says that “at this point in my life, I have only two options left: stop sinning or keep walking”: “It was once said that a visitor today would become a pilgrim tomorrow. Today’s pilgrim, however, is today’s tourism. Everyone is welcome in Camino because everyone is welcomed. due to the Camino’s transformative power, openness, and acceptance of strangers.”
The Camino de Santiago has actually gained such much popularity in the US that it is now cited in academic research. The Camino has been used by almost 50 colleges for courses in linguistics, infrastructures, art history, and Hispanic studies. “The research is extensive and highly varied. It’s a topic that can be changed, broadened, and applied globally,” Greenia says.
Obstacles: preferring hospitality
What obstacles do we face going forward in light of the increased interest in the Camino de Santiago? “Preserve the spirit of charity in the face of overcrowding, which is inevitable,” says Greenia. Due to the Camino’s preference for family enterprises, local companies, and the parish… It is impossible to lose hospitality and altruistic assistance. “Its natural heritage cannot be lost,” he adds.
Yosmar highlights the importance of creating a solid framework of volunteers to care for and develop the American Pilgrims. “Over the past five years, the association has expanded significantly. We have grown from 700 to 2,200 members. There are now 44 delegations, compared to the previous two. We used to give out 2,000 credentials, but now we’re giving them 8,000,” he says.
In this passage, Greenia reassures us that the American Pilgrims’ goal would remain to assist in pilgrims’ spiritual and bodily preparation (clothing, communication, etc.). “That they travel to Spain and experience the Camino always with respect and reverence to the history and to their neighbour.”
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