Lithuania embarks on the Camino de Santiago: Rafael José de Espona is the honorary consul general of Lithuania in Galicia. In addition to his consular functions, for weeks he has been especially involved in the call for the pilgrimage that on Saturday he will perform Santiago a broad representation of the Lithuanian community residing in Galicia, which will also be headed by ambassador Lyra Puišytė-Bostroem, head of the diplomatic mission of the Baltic country in Spain.
It is a pilgrimage with truly remarkable meaning; First, because it has been in the making for almost 20 years. It was Ambassador Laurincus, who is a great personality of his country, apart from having been ambassador in Madrid, who began that pilgrimage, at first individually with some friends, and then also spontaneously with different Lithuanians who had been on pilgrimage for some time. Ambassador Laurincus gave it an institutional character, being the head of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Lithuania in the Kingdom of Spain who had personally been making the pilgrimage. He even did some sections by bicycle. And sometimes from Navarra.
That great pilgrimage was almost institutionalized, so that several of the later ambassadors, later successors, continued that tradition. The archbishops always received these pilgrims with great welcome. Lithuanians residing in Spain have important roots in their traditions and are also fully integrated into the Kingdom of Spain. And Lithuanian Catholicism is evident in that pilgrimage that is truly devotional.
It is not touristy, it is a devotional pilgrimage. The ambassador of Lithuania is coming—she has already been here several times—and this time is the last time she will make the pilgrimage as ambassador in this term. That is why it has a relevant meaning, in the sense that we then enter a new stage. The pilgrim ambassador as an institutional figure and also as a devoted person. And at the same time, a good part of the Lithuanian people residing in Galicia and other parts of Spain joins together. Sometimes they even come specifically at this time from Lithuania, traveling for the occasion.
It is a question that at this moment I am not in a position to specify because at the last minute is when there are more additions. But it is a notable number especially from the proportional point of view of the Lithuanians living in Galicia, who are very few. But there will be several dozen and they can even reach much more. Regarding the section, I know that last year they did 8 kilometers, although now I cannot specify where the chosen starting point will be this year.
