Spirituality and the Quest for Transcendence on the Portuguese Way of St. James

Abstract

The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is a kind of proto tourism in a world where the number of pilgrimages has increased considerably. In the past the only motivation for such pilgrimages was religious, today we are witnessing the emergence of new motivations, such as cultural and even sporting ones. The research questions that guide this study are the following: Are faith and religion still strong enough motivations to justify pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela? Are there points of convergence between religious and secular pilgrims? Can the Camino be a means of awakening religious vocations? In short, what is the role of religion in modern pilgrimages along the Camino de Santiago? This research presents results of and applied case study based on the collection of data through semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis, focusing on the guest books of a hostel and a restaurant, both related to the Camino de Santiago. This researchers carried out a thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected. The main categories analysed in this article are three: the essence of the Way, evangelisation and, the pilgrimage process. The paper suggests that the Way of St James has given rise to a new spirituality based on values such as solidarity, cosmopolitanism, cooperation, friendship, empathy and mutual help.