The celebrations in honor of Santiago Apostle take place on July 25th of July, patron of Spain for his role in the reconquest and evangelization. On the same date, the official day of the Galician Community is also celebrated. When July 25 falls on a Sunday, the Compostela Holy Year is celebrated, which happens every 6, 5, 6 and 11 years.

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The Compostela Holy Year

The first Compostela Holy Year was in 1126.

The last one was in 2010. The next one will be in 2021. On January 1st of each Holy Year, in the Cathedral of Santiago, the Holy Door behind the apse, towards the Quintana square is opened, and remains open until December 31st. During the Holy Year the pilgrims increase considerably during the Compostela Holy Year  , although it is true that in the last years, the arrival of pilgrims increased considerably (2018: 327.378 | 2017: 301.036) exceeding in thousands the record of the last Holy Year 2010: 272.135.

Pilgrims and tourist queuing to get inside the Cathedral through the Holy Door

Pilgrims and tourist queuing to get inside the Cathedral through the Holy Door

Origin

 The Compostela Holy Year was established by the Pope Calixto II who had been a pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela when he occupied the archiepiscopal chair of Vienne (Isère) in France.

 In 1122, coinciding with the laying of the last stone of the cathedral of Santiago, the pope Calixto II gave Compostela the privilege of granting a plenary indulgence to those who visited the shrine of the Apostle in the years when the Saint’s day fell on a Sunday. This is recorded in the Bull, Regis Aeterni, issued by Pope Alexander III in 1179.

The Plenary indulgence during Holy Years

All those who arrive in Santiago de Compostela in the Holy Year will receive the plenary indulgence who voluntarily fulfill the following conditions:

  • Visit the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Apostle tomb.
  • Pray some prayer (at least, the Creed or the Lord’s Prayer) and ask for the Pope’s intentions. It is also recommended to attend the Holy Mass.
  • Receive the sacraments of penance and communion; that is, confess and receive communion (in the fifteen days before or after the visit of the cathedral)
  • It is also customary to access the cathedral through the Holy Door that opens only on the occasion of this solemnity.

The Apostle Santiago tomb

The Holy Door is only opened during Holy Years

31st of January: The Holy door is opened in the mid-afternoon of every 31st December that preceded the beginning of a holy year. A large ecclesiastical procession, pilgrims and faithful gather in the Plaza de A Quintana, headed by the archbishop of Compostela, in charge of the opening through an ancient ritual that suffered some variation through time.

A similar ritual serves to close it, on the afternoon of December 31 of each jubilee year.