camino

Discovering Cartagena

More Articles By Phillip Bruce www.raxomnium.com

Santiago Pilgrimage – The Cartagena Route

There are several well-established routes for the pilgrimage to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. However, these all start and finish in northern Spain.

The long tradition in Cartagena that Saint James actually arrived at the port city bringing Christianity to Spain has now been formally endorsed by the Catholic Church.

A Cartagena Route, or Camino, should be developed to allow pilgrims to trek right across Spain from South to North, from Cartagena to Santiago de Compostela, visiting holy and historic sites along the way. The route would start at Cartagena, cross Murcia and other provinces and finish at the Santiago Cathedral, as do all the other routes.

Here’s a suggested route for the Murcia section of the Cartagena Route and comments and suggestions would be most welcome.

Part One. Santa Lucia, Cartagena, to San Gines De La Jara. Starting at the waterfront at Santa Lucia; visiting the parish church at Santa Lucia; visiting the Old Cathedral in Cartagena city; walk to the old monastery at San Gines De La Jara; walk to the hermitage at Torre Pacheco.

Part Two. Leave Torre Pacheco; Walk to the Fuenstanta church of the Virgin in hills above Murcia.

Part Three. Walk from Fuensanta to Murcia Cathedral. Visit other churches in the city.

Part Four. Walk from Murcia City to Eualia Ermita, near Totana.

Part Five. Walk from Eualia Ermita to the big statue of Christ nearby, passing Stations of the Cross along the pathway to the statue. Then walk to Aledo; Walk through Sierra Espuña to Zarzadilla de Totana, Las Terras and on, or near to, line of C3211 leading to Caravaca de La Cruz.

Part Six. Visit the many Holy sites in Caravaca.

Part Seven. Walk from Caravaca de La Cruz; walk to Bullas; walk to Mula; walk to Archena.

Part Eight. Walk up the Ricotte Valley; visit churches at Villanueva, Ulea, Ojos, Ricotte, Blanca and Abaran.

Part Nine. Walk to Cieza.

Part 10. Walk to Jumilla. Visit holy sites there.

Part 11. Walk to Yecla. Visit holy sites there.

Part 12. Walk out of Yecla and into the next stage of the walk in Albacete or Alicante.

This route is only an initial suggestion and much refinement is needed. There must be many holy and historic places that have been missed out. It would be good to work in Lorca somehow. The route should run as far as possible away from busy roads and through regional parks and countryside areas.

As well as providing an interesting and rewarding experience for pilgrims and walkers the development of The Cartagena Camino would bring significant economic benefits to the region.

This is just an idea but, as an eastern philosopher said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Picture: Christianity arrived here.

BACK

Legal Notice - All script & pictures on this website are legally registered and the copyright property of Phillip Bruce. Any copying of material whatsoever from this site is strictly forbidden and legal action will follow unless prior permission is sought.

Gary Smith Fishing