About the Camino de Santiago:

A pilgrim undertakes this journey to search and find not only themselves but to invest in others, lose dependance of "things" and embrace life in its natural state.

The Camino de Santiago in Spain is the Pilgrims' Road from Roncesvalles, though I am starting on the French side of Pyrennes at St. Jean Pied De Port to Santiago de Compostella (where in the 813 a wandering hermit named Pelayo discovered a tomb which was taken to be that of the Apostle James (Santiago in Spanish)). The road is around 800 Kms long and typically takes a month to walk. The road is also called the Camino Francés as once people headed towards France. Now most start east and head west to Santiago.

To qualify for the Compostela, the traditional Latin certificate of pilgrimage, the Catholic authorities in Santiago require that pilgrims must
1) carry a credencial or pilgrim passport (which entitles you to a place in the Spanish refugios) and produce it, stamped and dated at each stage of the journey; 2) have walked or ridden on horseback the last 100 km to Santiago (at lot of people with little time or stamina start at the 100km, or cycled the last 200 km, and 3) declare a spiritual or religious motivation. There is a certificado, also in Latin, for those making the journey for other reasons, or not meeting the criteria.