A new cultural route, Camino Podolico, has been inaugurated in the heart of Vinnytsia, Ukraine. This route serves as the starting point for pilgrims embarking on the famous Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James.
The location holds special significance, as it features a sculpture of the apostle James surrounded by greenery, stairs, and ramps. The official opening took place on July 25th, coinciding with the feast of St. James in the Gregorian calendar and in celebration of Vinnytsia’s entry into the European Federation of the Way of St. James.
The sculpture portrays the great martyr St. James with his characteristic Jacobean cross-sword and a scallop shell – the emblems of pilgrims walking the route to one of the three major shrines of Western Christianity, the Cathedral of St. James in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Currently, Camino Podolico spans over 250 kilometers and passes through numerous culturally rich settlements in the Podillia region. To facilitate travelers, there is a bilingual guidebook, a detailed route map with numerous points of interest, signposts along the way, a pilgrim’s passport, and certificates of completion.
The route can also serve as a path for psychological rehabilitation, self-reflection, and processing of personal experiences, making it a potential destination for veterans, their families, and internally displaced persons in the future. For now, individuals can walk certain sections of the route independently without official registration for pilgrimage, considering the limitations during wartime.
Camino Podolico offers a unique opportunity for both spiritual exploration and cultural discovery, making it a significant addition to Vinnytsia’s cultural and tourism landscape. With the well-established infrastructure and thoughtful planning in place, this new cultural route promises to be an enriching and transformative experience for all who embark on its journey.
