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Page 1 of 3   In the entire world, reportedly, there were three roads to Paradise in early Christendom. The first is the Camino de Santiago that meanders 500 miles across northern Spain. This has been trekked by millions of faithful for centuries on their way to pay homage to the remains of the apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela. Of course, the path from Rome, center of the Holy See, to Jerusalem must appear in this sacred trinity. But in second position and gaining in popularity is the Via Francigena (The Frankish Route).
Only recently has this important trail, whose origins date back at least as far as the seventh century, received the recognition it so richly deserves.
Originally the Via Francigena (VF) stretched as a series of trails from Canterbury, England to Rome. As far as anyone knows, its existence was first documented in a diary by Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, who returned via the route in 990 AD. It is open to speculation, but many say this route existed long before Siric’s wanderings as a major cross-continent trail for early kings, traders, artists and invading armies alike.
However, as the act of penance by pilgrimage fell out of popularity, walking paths were replaced by more sophisticated roads, and wars caused national boundaries to shift with startling regularity, this ancient passage grew less important and was nearly forgotten for centuries.
 Today, thanks to the efforts of the Rome-based Association Via Francigena and European Council that recently named the V.F. a “Cultural Itinerary,” this historic path is re-emerging phoenix-like from the ashes of historic obscurity.
New guidebooks have appeared for the modern-day pilgrim or pellegrino. Efforts are “afoot” to increase trail markings with signage featuring a pellegrino logo, to enlist support of local and national walking and alpinist clubs, to move the trail off often busy, two-laned roads onto more tranquil farmland or back onto remnants of the original pathway and to promote the Via Francigena throughout Europe and abroad.
In the early days, pellegrinos undoubtedly had to endure bandits, extreme illness, wolves, difficult river crossings and dangerous encounters with hostile armies. Today those challenges no longer exist, allowing wanderers to make this trek with somewhat less hardship.
As the first American to complete the 1155-mile journey from Val d’Aosta, just south of the Swiss border, to Rome in 2000, and in 2002 from Switzerland to Canterbury, I can attest that this is one journey you’ll carry with you for a lifetime. If you’re in fairly good physical condition, with perseverance and a relatively easy pace, you should be able to walk the entire route in 60-80 days.
But then again, who’s worried about speed?
 Unlike the frantic, planned itinerary typical of other modern types of travel, it is important to remember that trekking the Via Francigena is not a race. It’s a one-step-at-a-time mode of travel that slows down your mind and opens your heart.
Everyone walks at their own pace, either alone or in a group. Following signposts, or an up-to-date guidebook, you can anticipate walking 12-20 miles a day. Of course, it ultimately depends on the weather (heat, cold or rain), your physical condition and attitude. Equally important to consider is the location of villages, and whether they have accommodations (many do not), or parishes that are pellegrino-friendly.
To some locals, the pellegrino concept more foreign than the Euro. I had more than a few strange looks, as this weary, weathered backpacker shuffled into town. On one occasion, a lady nervously clutched her brooch as a fellow pellegrino and I passed her on the sidewalk. Another day, in the pounding rain, we were forced to present our identity papers to the obviously bored local Policia. With a bit of a flourish, we were amused to present our pellegrino credenzialis to the startled officers.
Before leaving on this pilgrimage, you can contact the helpful Association Via Francigena in Roma to request this passport-like document. The credenziali del pellegrino Romeo, with its origins in the Middle Ages, identifies you as a “true” pilgrim, and not just some impostor taking advantage of everyone’s hospitality along the route. Arriving in each village at night, you take your credenziali to the church, cathedral or duomo and have it stamped by the priest or even an unassuming archbishop, such as the one who stamped mine in Viterbo, Italy.
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Artists Without Frontiers Online Magazine -
Saturday, 22 November 2008
