From Rome to Santiago: A General at the Service of the Soul! Claudio Minghetti Conquers the Road After Four Decades in the Italian Army
After 111 days and almost 2,600 kilometers, the Lieutenant General in the reserve, Claudio Minghetti, has completed an epic pilgrimage from Rome in the Obradoiro, marking the beginning of his new life with a feat of faith and resistance.
Santiago de Compostela, Spain – After more than 40 years dedicated to service in the Italian Army, the Lieutenant General in the reserve, Claudio Minghetti, said goodbye to his military career last February. Just a few weeks later, and far from opting for a quiet retirement, this 61-year-old Roman citizen embarked on a challenge of colossal proportions: completing the Camino de Santiago from Rome.
"I understood that it was the best way to open a new page in my life after a career in the Armed Forces of my country that lasted for more than four decades," says Minghetti. And the experience, after 111 days of pilgrimage, cross three countries (Italy, France and Spain) and walk 2,583 kilometers, has been, in her own words, "incredible, very beautiful."
From Trastévere to Obradoiro: A Long Walk through Europe
Minghetti's arrival at the Obradoiro was received emotionally by his wife, Blanca Bouzas (originally from Compostela), and a group of Galician friends who carried a banner with the motto 'Claudio, champion'. The general remembered "as if it were yesterday" the day he left his home in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome to begin his tour of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, describing it as "a long walk through Europe."
«I am very happy; Hugging the Apostle has been very exciting and all my Galician friends have received me with great affection in Santiago," says Minghetti. He confesses that he got "goosebumps" when he saw the towers of the Cathedral from Monte do Gozo, a moment that deeply connects him with the religious dimension of the Camino. "The Jacobean Route keeps the roots of our history," he says.
106 Stages of Challenge and Reflection
Leaving Rome on March 28, Minghetti has been on a pilgrimage for almost four months, completing 106 stages in 111 days. Choosing a specific time or place on such an extraordinary trip is almost impossible for you. «I have walked through three different nations, each one with its peculiarities and things, but all very beautiful. The people are extraordinary, the landscape changes are incredible, and when you enter Galicia it is another reality. Either Cebreiro or Triacastela are spectacular. Also the French Pyrenees... But the most important thing is that each place transmits something to you," he emphasizes.
At 61 years old, Minghetti admits that a challenge of this type is both a physical and mental challenge. «Pain is intrinsic to the pilgrimage. If your ankle hurts, you know that it is inherent to the Camino," says this record-breaking walker, who only allowed himself brief breaks on Easter Day (with a visit from his family in Tuscany), in the Sanctuary of Lourdes and in Jaca.
The Lieutenant General in the reserve, member of the Bersaglieri, recounts his discipline: "Every day he walked from five in the morning and dedicated the afternoon to logistical tasks and resting."
His service record is as extensive as his recent pilgrimage, with missions in the former Yugoslavia, Albania or Lebanon; service in Afghanistan as head of the Western Herat region (2016-2017) in support of the Afghan Army; and two years in Türkiye, in command of NATO ground forces. "I have done a job that I have always loved, serving my country, Italy, and the international community," highlights Minghetti.
Now, in his new page of life, Claudio Minghetti enjoys the summer months in Corrubedo, with his family, after having completed a feat that symbolizes perseverance, faith and the capacity for personal transformation.
