Publication Date
8-6-2025
Abstract
The Camino de Santiago is a historically Catholic pilgrimage culminating at the alleged burial site of Saint James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Originating in 814 CE as a religious journey across the northern Iberian Peninsula, the Camino has since expanded beyond both modernday Spain and its Catholic roots, attracting a diverse and rapidly growing community of pilgrims. This shift reflects broader trends of rising secularism in contemporary Spain, where many religious traditions, including the Camino, have evolved in response to changing societal values. This article explores how the secularization of Spanish society has influenced the cultural and religious significance of the Camino de Santiago in recent decades. By analyzing the Camino's historical role, the process of secularization in Spain, and the evolving motivations and experiences of modern pilgrims, this study considers the potential effects of Spanish secularization on the Camino within the broader context of a secularizing Europe and the shifting nature of pilgrimage in the modern era.
Recommended Citation
Dear, Hannah E.
(2025)
"The Impact of Secularization on the Camino De Santiago in Contemporary Spain,"
Venture: The University of Mississippi Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 7, Article 4.
Available at:
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/umurjournal/vol7/iss1/4
