The Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros (CGA) has “unique characteristics”, one of which is the growing number of pilgrims, which positions it as a favorite for officialization by the regional government of Galicia, among the eight “neo-paths” under study.
“The process for the officialization of the CGA is ongoing, integrated into the group of neocaminhos, which also includes seven other routes, some nearby and others scattered throughout Galicia”, explained Carlos de Barreira, president of the Codeseda Viva Association, during the Awards ceremony. Abbess Mariana.
From his perspective, “the path, which crosses the center of A Estrada [e parte de Braga]in addition to robust historical documentation, it has two distinct and decisive characteristics: it does not converge with any of the official paths, as it has its own direct access to Compostela and, since 2017, it has been followed by thousands of pilgrims”.
The Codeseda Viva Association and other entities promoting the CGA “registered 4,236 pilgrims, a number that exceeds that of any other route candidate for officialization and, in fact, exceeds the sum of the other seven routes”, highlighted Carlos de Barreira at the ceremony on Saturday, the day 27, in A Estrada, Galicia.
Therefore, the association “believes that the CGA will soon be made official by the Galician government”. In addition to this, two other itineraries under analysis begin in Portugal: the Caminho Minhoto Ribeiro and the Caminho de São Rosendo.
The Abadesa Mariana Awards were awarded to the writer, philosopher and Knight of the Order of Santiago, José Balboa Rodríguez, and the journalist Silvia Pampín Otero, for their commitment to promoting the CGA. The Peregrinus Dezae Association, from Lalín, Galicia, was recognized for its support for pilgrims, especially those who follow the Winter and Sanabrés Paths.
José Balboa Rodríguez was honored for being “a man dedicated to the Jacobean paths and, in particular, to the CGA, for which he has worked tirelessly, participating in various meetings, conferences and meetings in Portugal. In Beariz, he opened the donation hostel ‘O Repouso do Caminhante’ with his wife”, explains the Codeseda Viva Association, which awards these awards annually for the fifth time.
As for Silvia Pampín Otero, she was distinguished for “more than two decades dedicated to local journalism, during which she closely followed and reported progress in research and recognition of the CGA, contributing significantly to its dissemination”.
After the award ceremony, there was a debate on the Camino de Santiago, with emphasis on the CGA, moderated by Galician journalist Pablo Chichas, with the participation of Gonzalo Louzão, president of the Municipality of A Estrada, José Manuel Almeida, president of the Union of Parishes of Caldelas, Sequeiros and Paranhos (Amares), Carlos de Barreira and the winners.
The Caminho da Geira extends for 239 kilometers, starts at Sé de Braga and crosses the municipalities of Amares, Terras de Bouro and Melgaço, entering Galicia via Portela do Homem.
In the last seven years, it has been visited by more than 4,200 pilgrims, mainly from Portugal and Spain, but also from 13 other European countries, and from nations as diverse as Afghanistan, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, China, Colombia , USA, Japan, Mexico, Palestine and Uruguay.
Presented in 2017 in Galicia and Braga, it was recognized by the Church in 2019 and in publications by the association of cross-border municipalities Eixo Atlântico (2020) and Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal (2021).
The route stands out for including unique heritage sites in the world: Geira, the best preserved route of the ancient Western Roman Empire, and the Gerês-Xurés Transfrontier Biosphere Reserve. Furthermore, its route is one of the rare five that connect directly to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
