Camino de Santiago pilgrims: a spiritual journey beyond religion

08-07-24

The Camino de Santiago, a traditionally Catholic pilgrimage, is attracting a growing number of spiritual but non-religious people. This phenomenon reflects a change in the motivations of those who walk this historic route, which ends at the shrine of the apostle St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Traditionally an act of Catholic devotion, today the Camino is a journey that many undertake for reasons beyond religion, such as health, grief, life transitions, cultural exploration, history and adventure.

One example of how the Camino de Santiago can change lives is the case of a person who embarked on her first Camino after a personal crisis. At the age of 30, she quit her job and her health insurance to walk the Camino de Santiago. The experience was so transformative that she decided to return annually and eventually founded a travel company that organizes mourning walks and meditations on the Camino. Raised in a mix of Buddhist, Christian and Jewish traditions, this person reflects the growing diversity of pilgrims who find in the Camino a space for their own spirituality.

In 2023, nearly half a million people walked the Camino, with only 40% doing so for purely religious reasons. For example, one person from Newfoundland, Canada, walked a portion of the Camino in 2016 simply to spend time with friends and have a "purposeful" vacation. Despite not considering herself religious, she found a form of devotion in the rituals and challenges of the Camino. Another person, president of an organization in Santiago de Compostela, has found in the Camino life lessons applicable to everyone, religious or not.

The increase in "spiritual but not religious" pilgrims coincides with a growing interest in what is called "secular spirituality." Jacqui Frost, a researcher at Purdue University, notes that experiences such as meditation, yoga and "atheist temples" are secularizing rituals that were once strictly religious. This raises the question of how these practices can be meaningful without misappropriating their religious roots.

In a 2019 study published in the Journal Sociology of Religion, it was found that both atheist and religious pilgrims seek to connect with nature and their inner selves, although community and religious motives are 

Liz Bucar, an expert in religious ethics and author of the forthcoming book The Religion Factor: How Restoring Religion to Our Spirituality Makes It More Meaningful, Responsible, and Effective, suggests that to get the most out of a pilgrimage, it is essential to engage with its religious component. Bucar argues that spirituality is only one part of religion, and that religion as a whole is what provides the most profound benefits of a pilgrimage. She describes the Camino as a socially constructed and "curated" experience, and criticizes the tendency to seek transformative experiences superficially.

Some researchers see Christianity as central to the Camino, recognizing the importance of addressing both the positive and negative aspects of religion in this context. Despite the criticisms, they argue that all pilgrims, regardless of faith, can experience something special on the Camino, and argue that non-Catholic pilgrims should not be judged, as many find more than they bargained for.

The Camino de Santiago, with its rich history and ability to inspire wonder, continues to be a place of transformation and personal discovery for people of all faiths and none. The Camino experience is unique to each individual and suggests a mystery and magic that goes beyond simple explanations.

Author: Klaus Franck