People who walk the Camino de Santiago learn to recognize several symbols along the way. These include items familiar to anyone who follows Jesus, as well as a couple unique to this pilgrimage. While we may not all undertake the Camino, these symbols represent questions for all of us to consider while on our spiritual journeys.

An Open Backpack

A pilgrim shares with others and receives back. A rucksack symbolizes our openness to giving and receiving. Often accepting help is harder than helping someone else, but we all need good people to walk alongside us during our times of struggle. Look for opportunities to both freely share, and humbly receive, as you journey.

A Scallop Shell

This type of shell has long identified pilgrims. It was worn on the chest or hat, and also served as a spoon or a cup. How do we identify ourselves as followers of The Way, The Truth, and The Life today?

The Pilgrim’s Passport

A completed passport, issued only by the Catholic church, is necessary to receive your Compostela (completion certificate) in Santiago. You need at least 2 stamps per day to prove you walked at least 100 kilometers. Every kiosk or restaurant or hotel along the Camino stamps passports. It’s important to mark our road through life, and remember those who helped us along the way.

A Stone

Many pilgrims carry a small rock as a symbol of their sorrow, burden, pain or loss. After wrestling with these issues before the Lord, we lay the stone down somewhere along the path. What are you carrying that God might be inviting you to drop from your hand?

In Summary

Each one of these symbols developed into a marker pointing pilgrims to the Lord. These remind me of another symbol referred to by Jesus: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).

Walking 70 miles in a week is challenging, but often spiritual, emotional and mental burdens create more daunting problems. Thankfully the yoke of Jesus, his symbol of care, applies to us all. Settle his harness upon your back, humbly walk before him, and find rest for you soul.

Camino de Santiago 2024

Photo: A shell tattooed on a pilgrim’s arm to remember the Camino experience