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Help has also been
given in various forms, human and economical support as well for
the shelters in Manjarín, El Acebo, and Camponaraya-Magaz.
During the Holy Years of 1993 and 1999, Not only has El Carmen
Camping for Pilgrims been attended but The J.T Sports Pavilion,
José Arroyo Pavilion , Secondary School Gil Y Carrasco, and the
Nursery Centre in Cuatrovientos, as well.
The Association has also participated in Pilgrim homes of new
construction together with Rabanal del Camino, “Gaucelmo”, St
James Confraternity of London and San Nicolas de Flue and the
parish of La Encina from Ponferrada.
Two mansions have been restored in Ponferrada as refuge for
pilgrims both being named as “Alberguería Virgen de la Encina”,
one of them in Plazoleta del Temple with the capacity for 100
pilgrims and the other one in Plaza de la Encina, for 92
pilgrims.
Since 1993 the Information Bureau for the Assistance of
Pilgrimage, depending on the National Association Federation of
Friends of The Way To Santiago manages it. Since 1999 another
office for information on El Camino de Santiago has been opened
and depending on The Town Hall of Ponferrada, this office is
also attended by two employees belonging to our Association.
The Association attends numerous congresses dealing with El
Camino de Santiago all over the Spanish territory as well as
abroad. At these congresses participators send their lecturers
to these meetings.
Several persons have received homage for their outstanding
participation in El Camino de Santiago and among the most
outstanding are, the German pilgrim, Heinrich Krause, who died
of a bicycle accident in El Acebo; the Fin pilgrim, Jouko Tyyri,
and four other pilgrims who died in a coach accident during the
pilgrimage organized by the Diocese of Astorga in the year 1999.
All of them are remembered in monuments where the accidents
occurred.
Other homage to be emphasized were those given to Don Jesus
Garzón Alonso upon his retirement who was a great Pilgrim Home
manager and a lover of El Camino de Santiago as well as Don
Elias Valiña San Pedro.
Dealing with cultural activities we are a prolific Association
organising The Pilgrim’s Week, conferences, lectures,
discussions, round tables and exhibitions.
Other activities which this Association also perform are
painting, photography, handicrafts, philately, books, theatre
and lectures in schools.
The annual magazine, “Osmundo”, (ten issues published); the book
“Pilgrims and Poor People in Medieval Bierzo” and also a
thematic magazine, “The Fountains of El Camino de Santiago On
The Way In El Bierzo”; brochures , maps, as well as articles
that were sent in the Holy Year, 1999, to the weekly magazine
,Nuevo Jaen, consisting on 14 articles sent weekly to that city
in Andalusia .
The Association always attended to Interviews in different
newspapers, radio broadcasting and television whenever required
And we must emphasize on the three programmes on El Camino en el
Bierzo through the Galician Television.
A pilgrimage to Santiago is annually organised in three
different ways: on foot, by bicycle or by coach.
We have assisted to “The Ages Of Man” (Las Edades del Hombre)
held in Castile and Leon , Galiza No Tempo (“Galician in Time”)
and Asturias.
In the year 2000, The Jubilee Year, it was granted by the Church
of Santa Marta in the city of Astorga.
Every year the Festival of The Apostle is celebrated on the 25th
of July with a procession to La Cruz de Ferro (The Iron Cross)
and where a hermitage has been also built in cooperation with La
Casa de Galicia.
The Association was also present at the Feast of Charlemagne, in
the German city of Aquisgran , in the Holy Years, 1993, 1999,and
2004 and visiting other associations in France, Germany, Holland,
Belgium and Luxembourg.
The stages of El Camino de Santiago on its way through El Bierzo
is another of the activities which is held every year.
We maintain relationship with other associations in Spain,
Europe and America accommodating and giving support to many of
them on their way through Ponferrada.
We are also always present every Holy Year at the inauguration
and closure of The Door Of Forgiveness (Puerta del Perdón) in
Villafranca del Bierzo.
We have laid the Foundation Stone in the Pilgrim Homes in
Ponferrada, La Faba, Foncebadón and Jato, in Villafranca del
Bierzo, among others.
The belfry of the Church of Rabanal del Camino has been restored
with the collaboration of Saint James Confraternity from London.
We are also promoting a Monument at El Acebo, in the trunk of a
tree of three meters tall and two meters wide, besides the one
also built in this village in memory to a pilgrim who died
during his pilgrimage.
The restoration of a stone cross, practically lost, not far from
the Pilgrim Home in Ponferrada.
The Council of Ponferrada has also been asked to build a
monument in honour to the pilgrims and where it should be
placed, urging La Junta de Galicia to donate to La Casa de
Galicia in Ponferrada, which they tried to install in the place
where we had previously chosen. Finally today is a reality.
The Prize “El Peregrino” has been awarded throughout these years
since 1993 to people and institutions who have been outstanding
in relation to the pilgrimage, The Way To Santiago or to our
Association.
We are also a member of the National Association Federation. Our
actual Chairperson is a member of the Board Of Directors,
Permanent Staff and a vocal to Castile and Leon, The Promotion
of El Camino de Santiago, Junta de Galicia, Arch-brotherhood of
the Apostle and the Town Hall of Ponferrada.
The following prizes have been received :
Diploma of The House Of Galicia from Ponferrada
Medal of the National Association Federation
Medal from The Sabadell Town Hall
To the Generous and Anonymous Participation from “La Cadena Ser”
Radio Braodcasting Network
We also honour various members with a Mass celebrated for
deceased members and pilgrims in general with a medal and a
diploma accrediting their belonging to the Association. and
afterwards the Annual Banquet.
In The Holy Year 1999 The Holy Week Brotherhoods from all over
Spain, in a Congress held in Zaragoza, the coordination of a
massive pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was granted the
honour of its organisation to this Association .
In the month of July of the year 2004 a pilgrimage with more
than 1000 pilgrims was organized by The Ponferrada Town Hall.
The Association also organized two Congresses for Pilgrim Home
Managers in the years 2000 and 2004.
The National Federation of Associations has deposited its
confidence in this Association in order to celebrate in the year
2005 the 7th International Congress of the Jubilee Associations
which will be celebrated on the following days: 20th, 21st ,
22nd and 23rd of October in the city of Ponferrada.
Traslated by: JUAN CARLOS
BARREAL SÁNCHEZ |
