What does it mean to be a pilgrim?

Despite the fact that the concept of pilgrim itself has a different meaning for each and every one of us, we could start by taking a look at what the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) defines as a pilgrim.

On one hand, we find a fairly general meaning that defines the pilgrim simply as a "person who walks through foreign lands."

On the other hand, there is a more religious definition with a historical focus on what a pilgrim has been defined as: that person who "by devotion or by vow goes to visit a sanctuary". So originally and from a Christian perspective, pilgrims are all those who go to a holy place, be it Santiago de Compostela, Jerusalem, Rome or any other sacred destination in the world, to pay their respects, atone for their sins or ask for blessings. In the case of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrim would make the Camino with the objective of arriving at the Cathedral and kneeling before the tomb of Saint James the Apostle.

Over time, this religious approach has dissipated a bit and the definition of what a pilgrim is has become broader, more global. As of today, the meaning of a pilgrimage goes beyond faith and spirituality. More and more pilgrims travel to holy places in search of experiences such as the intrinsic adventure of the pilgrimage itself, with the intent of overcoming their own physical and psychological limits.

To us, a pilgrim is a person who walks a pilgrimage route in search of a personal objective. This objective is not necessarily religious. It can be just to have an adventure different from others, or to disconnect from the overwhelming daily life, to learn about the simplicity and wonders of walking surrounded by breathtaking nature, experiencing a different culture and maybe even enjoying a nice company, seeking to enjoy the walk, the historical and artistic heritage of the place they visit and much more.