Episode 5-Stage 23 Caldas De Reis to Padron

Stage 23 to Padron from Caldas De Reis was even more fun than Stage 22 from Pontevedra to Caldas De Reis. It’s a bit shorter, the skies were overcast, cooler temps and it even rained some. I had a couple of just baked pastries for breakfast at a pastelería a block from my hotel and was on the Camino by 8:00 AM.

It was just a delightful day almost all of it walking on natural pathways through woodlands and vineyards and on quiet country roads.

And so fun because the Peregrinos who are walking to Padron are mostly the same ones who were walking to Caldas De Rei the day before so you begin to see lots of familiar faces. And I was happy to again see my new friend Padre Mario.

I was looking especially forward to arriving in Padron because it was Sunday when Padron holds its famous Mercado de Abastos.

The market has everything from clothing, footwear and accessories, produce, fruit and vegetables, cheese, cold meat, liqueurs, as well as all kinds of farming tools, furniture, household items and antiques.

And food stands with churros and Padrón peppers. The near by town of Hebron is the birthplace of the Padrón pepper. Another great attraction of Padrón’s market is “polbo á feira” octopus being almost the national dish of Galicia.

The Mercado de Abastos is huge atttacting thousands of people every Sunday from all over the region. And that’s how it’s been since the Middle Ages when Padron’s mercado was the most important in the region.

And Padron is of unmatched historical importance to the Camiño and James the Apostle. The stone from which the town got its name and which served as the mooring point for the ship that returned the remains of Saint James to Galicia is in the Igrexa de Santiago. But the life, ministry and teachings of Santiago is an equally important part of the his story and it was here in Padron that James the Apostle began his ministry on the Iberian peninsula.

My hotel Pazo de Lestrove is a restored 16th Century palace with its own private chapel. And I had the best dinner, bereberechos, the tiniest little clams, no bigger than your fingernails and baby lamb chops.

This is a big year on the Camino, it being the first year post Covid and also because it’s been declared Xacobeo, a special year when the Puerta Santa (Holy Gate) at the Cathedral is opened. The Holy Gate is an ornate special entrance to a Cathedral which is only opened on jubilee years and other years of great significance.

I think that there may be only seven Holy Gates in the world, five at churches in Rome, one at the Cathedral in Quebec and the one at the Cathedral in Santiago. I’ve seen both the one in Quebec and the one in Santiago but never seen them opened.

For Catholics the opportunity to enter the church through the Holy Gate offers the opportunity for plenary indulgences. I’m not sure if entrance through the Holy Gate is limited to those who take communion but if it’s open to everyone then I’m definitely going to enter the Catedral through the Puerta Santa.

The last stage to Santiago is 25 kilometers with some natural pathways and woodlands but blacktop and traffic as you get closer to town.

I’m gonna take it slower because it’s my last day walking on the Camino Portuguese and I know I’m gonna be sad it’s over when I take those last steps into Praza Obradoiro.

Buen Camino!