Slovakia becomes part of European St. James Way

On Thursday, Slovakia for the first time will form part of the European Way of Saint James Christian pilgrimage, the final destination of which is Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The Slovak section of the pilgrimage spans 603 km, starting in the eastern city of Košice and ending in the capital. Until now, Vienna was the furthest point of the St. James Way. The Spanish ambassador to Slovakia Luis Belzuz de los Rios plans to speak to the Slovak Transport Minister Árpád Érsek (Most-Hid) about the importance of the Slovak route once it has been completed. "It represents another way of incorporating Slovakia into Europe," he said. Saint James, whose religious holiday takes place on July 25, is the patron saint of the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia, where Santiago de Compostela is located. Furthermore, he is also the patron saint of all warriors, sailors, doctors and, understandably, pilgrims. The Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage was officially recognised by the European Council as the first European cultural route in 1987. In 1993, the Spanish route of the pilgrimage was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.