Pilgrims and Hospitallers

Encounters on the Way of St. James

Why do pilgrims walk backwards down a mountain? Why does an American pilgrim wear children's socks in her heavy hiking boots? What are glass beads doing in a pilgrim's backpack? And how did a Swabian bell end up in the tower of St. Andrés Church in La Faba?

For almost 20 years, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago have found a place to stay at our hostel in La Faba, about 160 kilometers from Santiago de Compostela. The Stuttgart-based association Vltreia eV, which runs this hostel, asked pilgrims and hospitaleros about their experiences in La Faba, on the Camino Francés, and also on all the other Camino de Santiago routes in Europe.

The result is a book of encounters that reveal the diversity of pilgrimage. And that remind us often enough: miracles can happen anywhere if we are willing to open ourselves to them. We wish all readers emotionally engaging experiences with our stories on a mental pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago. Buen Camino!

ISBN 978-3-754306-32-1 | 236 pages | EUR 14.00

E-book version: ISBN 978-3-754381-21-2 | EUR 9.49