Pilgrims of Hope on the “A Orixe” Way: A Transformative Experience

There are paths that cross not only landscapes but souls; and the “A Orixe” Way has been one of them.

From July 3 to 11, seventy-four pilgrims from the Compañía de María, coming from Almería, Barcelona, Mollet del Vallès, Puente Genil, San Fernando, Valladolid, and Zaragoza, set out on a unique journey along the Camino de Santiago “A Orixe” so lovingly and wisely promoted by the Asociación Amigos do Camiño de Santiago do Barbanza e Sar.

Under the motto “Pilgrims of hope, in the Compañía de María” we discovered much more than a route: we lived a profound, meaningful experience that united us as a group and transformed us as persons.

From Ribeira to Santiago de Compostela, passing through Pobra do Caramiñal, Boiro, Rianxo, Dodro, and Milladoiro, we walked with our bodies… but above all, we also walked with our hearts. In fact, day by day we discovered that the Way is not only a path to be trodden with our feet, but an inner quest, a prayer in motion, and a way of loving life and others.

Along the stages we shared laughter, silences, weariness, surprises, landscapes that often left us speechless, and many conversations that drew us closer to one another. Each day began and ended with music, times of prayer and reflection, and each day included very special moments that helped us look within to recognize the “stones” on the way, our personal “backpacks,” those “boots” that help us walk each day… and all those other simple elements that become metaphors for who we are and what we carry within.

It is worth noting that each pilgrim carried a logbook—a silent companion in which we poured our thoughts, emotions, prayers, anecdotes, drawings… and everything the Way gifted us. Because on this Way, we assure you, everything counts and everything adds up: the kilometers covered, but above all what is moved and transformed within each one of us.

We also had the opportunity to live our faith in community through celebrations of the Eucharist and of the Word that were lively, heartfelt, and highly participatory. Indeed, spirituality was the guiding thread of this wonderful experience, as it helped us connect with ourselves, with the group, and with that good God who—though we do not always understand—makes himself present in every step and every encounter.

But none of this would have been possible without the support and dedication of so many good people who accompanied us along the way. That is why we now wish to express our most sincere gratitude to Don Manuel (president of the Association and parish priest of Santa María a Antiga, Pobra do Caramiñal), to Saturio, Marian, Moncho, Don Marcelino, Brais, and to all those who, with their time, generosity, and commitment, made this “A Orixe” Way possible.

Finally, we also wish to state that the longest, hardest, and also the most beautiful stage has been, is, and always will be the one that does not appear on the maps: the inner stage, the one that remains open after reaching the Cathedral of Santiago and embracing the Apostle, the one that urges us to listen to ourselves, to grow, to keep seeking with hope, and to walk all our lives—not as wanderers, but as true pilgrims.

Thank you, “A Orixe” Way, for having taught us so much; thank you, Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac, for becoming a path for all of us; thank you, Apostle James, for being that shining star that has guided us; and a very special thank-you to Mary, our Good Mother, for having protected us along the Way and walked by our side.

Source: Compañía de María