On Maria-Lynn’s “bucket list” since 2008, Marc Paradis and Maria-Lynn Johnson completed their journey across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago at the end of October 2014.
Responding to the curiosity of friends and acquaintances they will be providing a presentation of their adventure at Comox United Church (250 Beach Drive, Comox) on Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.
The 30-minute picture-and-video presentation will be followed by a Q&A.
Others who have walked the Camino are invited to attend and answer questions about their own journey. Everyone is welcome and particularly anyone interested in doing this adventure themselves or vicariously through others.
This pilgrimage, subject of the 2010 movie “The Way” starring Martin Sheen, has been a historical pilgrimage route since the ninth century and reached it zenith during the Middle Ages before the Black Death pandemic of the 14th century curbed enthusiasm for the journey.
Even though still used as a pilgrimage route, numbers fell off very dramatically to only 690 pilgrims in 1985. Since then the numbers of pilgrims has been growing again reaching 237,886 pilgrims in 2014. And Canadians feature prominently in the numbers of pilgrims.
“In fact, one of the hospitalieres (caretakers) in the Roncesvalles pilgrims’ hostels asked me: ‘Why are there so many Canadian pilgrims, seeing as how there are so many good hiking places in Canada?’” said Paradis.
Come and see for yourself! A small donation is requested to cover the cost of the room.