Credentials, or pilgrim passports are documents provided by Organisations authorised by the Pilgrim Office in Santiago that provide a means of recording the Way walked by a pilgrim, by the collection of stamps (sellos) along the Way. There are usually issuing offices in your country of Origin, or you can pick one up at the start of your walk -In St Jean Pied de Port, at the Pilgrim office there, and often in albergues along the various Caminos.
They are also necessary if you want to stay in the Albergues along the way as the proof you are a pilgrim walking the Camino (whichever Camino you may have chosen).
The photo at the top of this blog is the Credential provided by the Confraternity of Saint James, in the UK. It was with this one that I walked in 2010 along the French Way from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago, although there wasn't enough space for all the stamps collected so along the way I picked up another from one of the Albergues:
In 2011, when we walked the Camino Portuguese we obtained another of the same design from the confraternity once more.
In 2012 when I walked the Camino Primitivo I obtained a free (donation) credential from the Peterborough Pilgrims who were, at the time authorised to provide them (sadly this is no longer the case).
In 2013 we also obtained our credentials from the Peterborough Pilgrims office with which we walked the Camino Ingles.
After arriving in Santiago last year, instead of stopping we continued to Finisterre, and for this walk we were given a credential by the local tourist office (for free) along with a whole load more information.
And this year another style, which I obtained from the Pilgrim Office in Santiago, minimum donation 2.50.
And once the walk is done you can take your stamped, and often rather grubby credential to the Pilgrim office and get a compostella - a certificate of acheivement, by any other name!
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