Gallery

Camino Europa Compostela, an association of which we are a member along with many other European associations, continues its work. On 26 November, a meeting was held during which the association’s founding principles were revisited. It was also an opportunity to welcome representatives from Ukraine and Slovenia. We are all working on projects that have as their common theme the consolidation of the European values of equality, fraternity and interculturalism. Much attention is paid to the tradition of hospitality and the promotion of sustainable tourism.

C.E.C. conducted a survey on the motivations and values that animate the various associations. The survey was based on three points:

• What projects are being worked on to consolidate European values among members;
• What is expected from C.E.C. and what has been achieved so far;
• How can we contribute to the consolidation of European values.

The research highlighted a strong commitment to strengthening European identity through collaboration, sharing values and promoting joint projects.

It is very important for everyone to keep alive the tradition of hospitality and the promotion of the Jacobean routes. It has emerged that C.E.C.’s activities have brought about a strong sense of belonging, allowed for the sharing of good practices in the sector and increased mobility on the routes.

On our website, on the dedicated PAGE, you will find an overview of what C.E.C. does and what role AP plays within it.

The Accoglienza Pellegrina meeting for the year 2025, held from 31 October to 2nd of November in Rome at the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany was an important opportunity for members to meet and share experiences. The event was attended by about 70 people from all over Italy, who were able to enjoy an experience based on the values and principles of Accoglienza Pellegrina: welcome, hospitality, generosity, and appreciation of the pilgrimage routes.
Various activities took place over the three days: a beautiful walk to Rome with a short guided tour around the Vatican area; evening entertainment aimed at increasing the sense of belonging and team spirit; and free time.
The highlight of the event was the annual meeting, during which the results of the past year were reviewed, with ample opportunity for constructive discussion among members. Members will receive the minutes of the meeting by email. The meeting ended on a positive note, leaving participants with a strong sense of community, as evidenced by the feedback received through a survey, the results of which we are publishing.
Special thanks go to the board and all the organisers for their fundamental contribution to the success of the event. Photos and highlights are already available on our social media channels.

Survey results (46 responses received)

On 17 October, a conference on the States General of Religious Routes and the Via Francigena was held in Piacenza. Representatives from the Emilia Romagna institutions, the European Association of Via Francigena Ways and the main representatives of the Via Francigena and related routes were in attendance. The meeting aimed to network the routes in the Emilia Romagna region (the Via Francigena, the Via degli Abati towards Rome and the Cammino di San Colombano with reference to the Abbey of Bobbio) and to promote an authentic, physical, spiritual and cultural pilgrimage experience while supporting the region in terms of hospitality, services and infrastructure.

Our president spoke about the concept of donation-based hospitality: what donation-based hospitality is, where it originated, what it offers, whether it still makes sense today, and who the volunteer hospitaleros are. Our values and the role that Accoglienza Pellegrina wants to play on the routes were emphasised. Finally, a brief presentation was given on the facilities with which we collaborate.

The 2025 Accoglienza Pellegrina meeting and general assembly will be held from October 31st to November 2nd. The meeting will take place in Rome at the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany at Via D. M. Brun Barbantini, 151 which can be reached by train from Termini (Giustinian stop). Below is some useful information.

• We look forward to seeing you from 3 p.m.
• Please bring your own towel, sleeping bag or sheets; blankets are provided by the accommodation.
• We kindly request that you be punctual for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Click HERE to download the programme for the event

As we said in the August newsletter, the ADRIA CAMINO FESTIVAL took place in Sibenik, Croatia, from September 26th to 28th, and our association participated. It was an interesting opportunity to discuss the routes to Santiago originating in Eastern European countries and to analyze phenomena related to the development and evolution of pilgrimages. AP participated in the events on hospitality, a fundamental element for the existence of devotional routes, and also promoted the two most significant routes in the area: the Via Francigena and the Via Postumia. In Sibenik there is one of the most beautiful cathedrals dedicated to St. James. A long walk on part of the Croatian route was also included, with a large group of pilgrims. In an atmosphere of brotherhood and sharing, we initiated collaborative projects with representatives of associations in Slovenia, Poland, and Ukraine, and consolidated those with our traditional partners.

The 2nd ADRIA CAMINO FESTIVAL will be held in the city of Šibenik, Croatia, from September 26 to 28, 2025. It aims to be a celebration of the Camino routes, pilgrims, and the stories shared across Europe. Everyone is invited to join us to discover the existing routes in over 20 European countries.

What to expect?

With “QR Camino Europe” we’ll be able to explore the different Camino routes in Europe: by scanning QR codes in the old town, we’ll be able to watch interactive stories and receive a unique Compostela.

With “Voices of the Camino” we’ll find a panel open to pilgrims, roundtable discussions, and inspiring stories of pilgrims who have walked long distances, helped others, or experienced truly memorable journeys.

With “Camino Encounters” you can walk the local route, explore the open-air fair, meet pilgrims from all over Europe, and enjoy films, exhibitions, and much more.

The 2nd ADRIA CAMINO FESTIVAL is organized by the “Camino Europa Compostela” Federation, the Šibenik Tourist Board, and the Croatian Brotherhood of St. James. The latter is a non-profit organization whose goal is to promote the cultural, historical, and spiritual heritage of the Camino de Santiago. It is the official Croatian representative at the “Camino Europa Compostela” Federation and the Universal Archfraternity of the Apostle Santiago in Santiago de Compostela.

Camino Croatia is a project that aims to promote cultural heritage and a common European identity, support the sustainable development of local communities, promote healthy lifestyle habits, and offer a unique and effective way to relieve stress. It brings together people from different segments of society and helps people find their inner peace. The first edition of the Adria Camino Festival in 2024 brought together over 500 Camino enthusiasts from across Europe for an unforgettable weekend in Pula, filled with shared stories, inspiring talks, and the energy of a true pilgrimage.

The 2025 Accoglienza Pellegrina meeting and general assembly will be held from October 31st to November 2nd. It will be an opportunity for a day of sharing, inspiration, and vision for the future. The meeting will take place in Rome at the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany at Via D. M. Brun Barbantini, 151 which can be reached by train from Termini (Giustinian stop).

We will have 77 places available, divided into triple, quadruple, and quintuple rooms. Priority will be given to novatos who have completed their service, followed by veterans who have also completed their service. Ordinary members will remain on standby until ten days before the event. Once all places are filled or those who join later will be guaranteed participation in the meeting and scheduled activities but they will be responsible for their own food and lodging.

Registration must be completed by the form at the link and attaching a copy of proof of payment of the €75/person contribution (IBAN IT87N0306967684510787288103).

We look forward to seeing you on Friday, October 31st, starting at 3:30 PM. Dinner is scheduled for 7:30 PM, along with members of the community who will be preparing the meals.

We have planned a day of walking to reach St. Peter’s, walking part of the last path of the Via Francigena. Registered participants will be sent the final three-day program.

“Dear friends,
On behalf of Camino Europa Compostela, I am very honoured and delighted to wish you a very happy Saint James’ Day.
On this day, it is important to remind our members and supporters of the significance of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and, by extension, the essential role that the Camino de Santiago and pilgrims have played and continue to play in shaping the identity of our European society and spreading its values throughout the world.
These routes are places of fraternal sharing, hospitality and welcoming others in their differences and with respect. They are places that have become essential today for promoting, maintaining or rebuilding peace. They are places of freedom that must inspire us so that the future remains full of hope for our future generations.
Walking the paths of Saint James means being a stranger, a migrant crossing unknown territory, discovering it thanks to the hospitality of those who welcome them and, in return, learning to understand customs, ways of life and traditions that were unknown to them before they set out.
This ‘stranger’, who we are on the road to Santiago, also learns to become the future “hospitalero” that we will be, transformed by the road, on our return from our journey, our pilgrimage. The path shapes and initiates us. It takes us, even though at the beginning we thought we were choosing and organising it according to our needs and our ignorance of its true essence.
For some, the divine graces lavished upon us through the intercession of the apostle who joins our steps and our prayers lead us to Christ. We can also recognise this encounter in our travelling companions.
For others, the path opens the way to beautiful spiritual encounters in the broadest sense, exchanges of reflections on the beautiful values that comfort our humanity, because walking to Compostela is also an extraordinary humanistic journey.
So, on this day of celebration, let us think of all these important aspects of the Ways of Saint James and its pilgrimage, which unite us all on our own paths of life. On this day, let us spare a thought for each other and for all the pilgrims of the world, for all those who are also walking in search of a better life.
Long live Saint James and his paths! Ultreia!
Pascal Duchêne
President, Camino Europa Compostela”

Hospitaleros Voluntarios, founded 35 years ago under the auspices of the Spanish Federation of Friends of the Camino de Santiago Associations, has received the Hermann Künig Hospitality Award, created to recognize both individuals and institutions that stand out for their altruistic assistance to pilgrims. This is the first year the Hospitality Award has been awarded. It is named Hermann Künig, in memory of the German monk who wrote the first pilgrim’s guide in the 15th century.

Since 1990, the Volunteer Hospitallers have worked along the various pilgrimage routes on a voluntary basis and in solidarity with pilgrims. It is a very large group, with over 10,000 people from every continent participating since its inception—more than 700 in 2024—selflessly and freely, practicing traditional Jacobean hospitality in dozens of donation-based hostels. Members receive training before beginning their work; they are pilgrims, moved by the altruism they have witnessed along their journey, who therefore decide to dedicate part of their free time to assisting pilgrims on the European routes, practicing traditional hospitality.

This year they serve in the hostels of Santa Cilia, Arrés, Zabaldika, Pamplona, Estella, Viana, Logroño, Grañón, Bercianos del Real Camino, El Burgo Ranero, Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, Calzada de Coto, La Virgen del Camino, Villadangos del Páramo, Ponferrada, Cacabelos, Castilblanco de los Arroyos, Alcuéscar, Puerto Béjar, Salamanca, Zamora, Puente Duero, Medina de Rioseco, Alfaro and Alcanadre.

The group is led by the HOSVOL Coordinator, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Camino de Santiago Associations. Since its inception, four coordinators have served in this role: José Ignacio Díaz, Francisco Sánchez, Ana I. Barreda, and Manuel Oliva. The Hermann Künig Hospitality Award, consisting of a terracotta plaque, celebrates hospitality as a historical and identifying value of the Camino de Santiago, a particularly important objective in these times when commodification prevails, where everything has a price rather than a value.