Mérida, a Jacobean Meeting Point

Among the Congress conclusions, three clear objectives emerged:

1. Preserve and promote the values of the Camino de Santiago, placing welcome and hospitality at the heart of the pilgrimage experience and protecting them as essential assets.
2. Foster inclusion for everyone who wishes to walk the Camino de Santiago, promoting a more accessible and diverse pilgrimage.
3. Rejuvenate the Jacobean association movement, which is essential for preserving and passing on the values that make the Camino de Santiago unique.

Official Postmark and Stamps Dedicated to Jacobean Symbols

Correos was also present at this 14th International Congress of Jacobean Associations, showcasing its services for the Camino de Santiago and its projects linked to the pilgrimage routes.

As a tribute to Mérida’s role as a Jacobean meeting point, Correos issued a special postmark available to all congress participants. The design is based on the reverse side of the As of Augusta Emerita, one of the most iconic coins minted in the city. It depicts the façade with the two arches of the main gate in the Roman city walls.

Correos also featured a philatelic corner where attendees could obtain this commemorative postmark and the latest Jacobean stamps dedicated to some of the most universal symbols of the Camino de Santiago: the yellow arrow, the yellow shell marker, the scallop shell, and the pilgrim boots.

Inclusive postcards created as part of the "More Accessible Camino" project were also available. This initiative, developed in collaboration with Fundación ONCE, aims to make the Camino de Santiago accessible to everyone who wishes to undertake the pilgrimage.

Correos, Support Along the Camino de Santiago

On the third day of the Congress, Correos delivered the presentation “Correos: Support Along the Camino de Santiago,” led by Charo Calvo Diéguez, Head of El Camino con Correos. During her presentation, she highlighted the ten-year journey of this Camino-focused project and reviewed its extensive portfolio of services designed to make life easier for pilgrims.

Among these services are Paq Mochila, for transferring luggage from one accommodation to the next; Paq Peregrino, for sending luggage and parcels to any point along the Camino de Santiago; or Paq Bicicleta, for shipping bicycles.  

The session also introduced key new developments, such as the expansion of pilgrim services into Portugal, including stage-by-stage luggage transfers and parcel shipments directly from Porto to Santiago. It also highlighted the possibility of booking all services online, from sending a bicycle back home from Santiago to reserving luggage storage.

Pentafinium Awards

Mérida also hosted the 2026 Pentafinium Awards, which recognize individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the care, promotion, and development of the Jacobean pilgrimage tradition.

The award recipients this year were:

• Pentafinium ‘Una Vida’. Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, for his dedication to the Camino de Santiago in the personal, political, and professional spheres, which contributed to the recognition of the Jacobean routes as the First European Cultural Route.

• Pentafinium ‘Una obra’. Fundación San Antón (Castrojeriz), for preserving and consolidating the ruins of the historic monastery where it established its unique pilgrim hostel. 

• Pentafinium ‘Un programa de actuación’. Cátedra Camino de Santiago y de las Peregrinaciones de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, for its work promoting scientific research into the history, heritage, and cultural and social impact of the Camino de Santiago.

Alongside these three awards, two additional prizes were presented in the field of culture:

• Fine Arts / Cinematography. Bill Bennet, Australian filmmaker and writer, for the film The Way, My Way. 

• Literature. Francesc Suárez, Fernando Lalanda, Lluisa Blanch y Valeriano Teja, for their work Las Credenciales Jacobeas, an unprecedented compilation of pilgrim credentials.

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