The shell of the pilgrim, shell of Santiago
The shell of the pilgrims - Concha de Santiago
The Camino de Santiago is one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the world. The shell of Santiago , also known as the shell of the pilgrim , is the symbol of the pilgrims to Compostela. Every year, thousands and thousands of pilgrims make their way to the Sepulcher of the Apostle Santiago from all over Europe.
There are several routes that lead to Santiago, the French Camino de Santiago, the English Camino de Santiago, the Camino de Santiago de la Vía de la Plata, the Camino Primitivo de Santiago , etc... Each of these routes has stages that bring the walker closer to Santiago de Compostela.
Whichever Camino de Santiago they choose, the pilgrims of our days have something in common with the people who walked the Camino centuries ago, the shell of Santiago, popularly known as the shell of the pilgrims.
Shell of Santiago, symbol of pilgrims on the Camino
The scallop shell with the Cross of Santiago is the unequivocal symbol of those whose goal is to reach the Praza do Obradoiro, to reach the Cathedral of Santiago and be able to embrace the Apostle Santiago.
There are numerous explanations that try to shed light on the origin of the tradition of the pilgrim shell, the scallop shell , asa symbol and souvenir of the Camino de Santiago . One of these explanations, not very well known, is the legend of the Caballero de las Vieiras.
The one known as The Miracle of the Knight of the Scallops , for many, constitutes a miracle of the Apostle Santiago. The facts about the origin of the shell of Santiago as a symbol of the Camino de Santiago that this story describes are believed to have taken place on the beach of Bouzas.
The shell of Santiago, the miracle of the Knight of the Scallops
The miracle of the Knight of the Scallops, which many sources identify as the possible origin of the Santiago shell as a symbol of the pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, according to tradition, took place on Bouzas Beach.
These sources defend that this fact described in the legend The Miracle of the Knight of the Scallops constitutes a miracle of the Apostle Santiago.
The story appears in "Historia del Apostol de Iesus Chisto Santiago Zebedeo Patrón y Capitan General de las Españas", by D. Mauro Castellá y Ferrer, a book republished by the Xunta de Galicia, and which mentions the miracle of the Caballero de la Vieiras in page 124 and following, where it reads:
“MIRACLE THAT GOD WORKED FOR THE APOSTLE SANTIAGO IN THE WESTERN SEA OF SPAIN, BEFORE HIS HOLY BODY ARRIVED AT IRIA FLAVIA”.
“…….. When they claimed rights from Portugal, went along the coast of Galicia, to a place where the shaman Bouzas had a big party…”.
(........When they arrived directly from Portugal, and already along the coast of Galicia, to a place called Bouzas there was a big party). The story begins when the group that carried the body of the Apostle Santiago arrived at the seaside town of Bouzas. In that town the travelers found a great party. A wedding was taking place.
The story continues by mentioning that many men on horseback made a demonstration of their manhood by playing with spears (bafordo),
“Among these that bafordan, bafordaba or noivo not seu corcelía bafordando, or dun supeto pulo meteuse no mar e mergullóu. It looked like a ronsel of scales that swelled on the shores of the waves of the sea and faced the ship or the Corpo de Sant-Iago . In cabo saíu o cabalo co seu cabaleiro a tona do mar alí same a carón da nave. And everyone from terra was able to catch a glimpse of that mirage. E o cabaleiro catouse, e víu o cabalo ea sela eo pectoral e estribeiras e los panos todos cheos de scallops……………”
(.........Among those who competed with spears, the groom was riding his steed, the horse suddenly jumped into the sea and submerged. And only a trail of scales could be seen that floated above the waves of the sea and went towards the ship where the body of the Apostle Santiago was. In the end the horse with his knight came out to the surface of the sea right there next to the ship. And everyone from land could see the miracle. And the knight stopped, and saw the horse and the saddle and the breastplate and the stirrups and the cloths all full of scallops...).
In the midst of the celebrations, the groom of the wedding stood out. A very clever young man riding a beautiful horse. Suddenly, without warning, the horse jumped into the sea. The knight and his mount disappeared from the sight of the people who were there. The surprise of the first moment turned into concern. The young man and his horse had drowned.
The ship that carried the body of the Apostle Santiago was close to the beach. The crew of the ship could see the facts clearly.
After a few minutes, suddenly, the horse surfaced again with its rider. They appeared next to his boat in which the body of the Apostle Santiago rested. The boy and his horse were in perfect condition. The body of both was full of scallop shells.
The shell of Santiago, the Apostle protects the pilgrims
“…they begged God to reveal to them the enigma of those scallop shells, with which faith was adorned. They did so and a voice answered them, that those scallops were badges that the devotees and Pilgrims of Satiago would be adorned as their own, and that by them as theirs they would be known and gratified by God in this life and in the next for the service they provided. avian made the Apostle.
And afterwards, every Pelengrino who had gone to Compostela in search of Sant-Iago carried as a sign the scallop cumchas not chapeu and the escravina de saial”.
(...... they begged God to tell them the enigma of those scallops, of what faith it was adorned. They did so and a voice answered them, that those scallop shells were insignia with which devotees and Pilgrims would be adorned of Santiago for being so, and that for scallop shells like those they would be known and gratified by God in this life and in the next for the services they had done to the Apostle Santiago.
And later, every pilgrim who was walking to Compostela in search of Santiago carried the scallop shells as a sign in his hat and signal clothing.....).
After witnessing that miracle, everyone knew that it had been the Apostle Santiago who had interceded, saving the life of the young rider. From that day on, the scallop shells, the shells of Santiago , would be the symbol of the pilgrims who made the Camino de Santiago.