Applying for the Pilgrim’s Certificate or Credencial Caravaca Holy Year 2017

How to apply for the certificates and proof of pilgrimage during the Año Santo

During the Caravaca de la Cruz Holy Year (Jubilee Year or Año Santo) many hundreds of thousands of people will make a pilgrimage to the Holy City to seek plenary indulgence.

Although some will walk from outlying towns and follow one of the several routes leading to Caravaca de la Cruz in order to obtain a “Credencial”, many more will walk only from the Church of El Salvador to the Basilica to hear Mass.

This article explains briefly how the paperwork can be obtained in order to obtain the Credencial or Pilgrim’s Certificate

Click here for the full document relating to the Holy year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz.

Click here for full information about the Caravaca de la Cruz municipality

Applying for the Pilgrim’s Certificate or Credencial Caravaca Holy Year 2017

How to walk the Camino de Levante to Caravaca
The Camino de Levante is a series of connected footpaths (also apt for cyclists and those travelling on horseback) which are open to the public permanently, and it is therefore possible for anyone to tackle either all or part of the route whenever they choose. However, in Jubilee Years most “pilgrims”, whether they are taking part for religious or other reasons, prefer to obtain the official “credencial” document, which acts as a kind of ID card or passport along the route and enables official stamps to be collected at various points along the way.

Applying for the credencial
This document can be applied for directly from the Palacio Episcopal in Murcia or via the website of the Diocese of Cartagena.

In addition, every parish church in the Region of Murcia has copies of a document entitled "Solicitud de Credencial del Peregrino", so another option is to go to one of these churches and pick one up.

Once the document is filled in it will be stamped by the parish priest so that you can take it to the headquarters of the Diocese of Cartagena (in Murcia, this is the Palacio Episcopal in Plaza Belluga, alongside the Cathedral). It should be handed in to the “Secretaría General” of the Diocese, where the Credencial will be issued in exchange for a donation of 2 euros, which will be passed on to charities in Caravaca.

If a group or parish church wishes to request the Credencial for all the members of the group, a copy of the application form must be completed for each applicant. Groups or churches located outside the Region of Murcia can contact the Secretaría General del Obispado directly by email at canciller@diocesisdecartagena.org or by telephone on (+34) 968 221 371.

All of the documentation and information related to the obtention of a Credencial can be found on the website of the Diocese of Cartagena: Click here

Applying for the Pilgrim’s Certificate or Credencial Caravaca Holy Year 2017

Uses of the Credencial
The Credencial contains your personal details and identifies your starting point on the Camino, as well as spaces in which to accumulate the stamps supplied at churches, tourist information offices and other establishments. It is also indispensable for the awarding of the Pilgrim’s Certificate (or “Caravaquensis”) issued by the Diocese of Cartagena if the correct criteria are fulfilled.

In addition, it entitles the holder to discounts in affiliated establishments, lists of which are available at the Tourist Information Office in Caravaca and at the headquarters of the Cofradía de la Santísima y Vera Cruz de Caravaca upon arrival.

The Pilgrim’s Certificate, or “Caravaquensis”
It is supposed that the awarding of plenary indulgence is reward enough for those completing all or part of the Camino de Levante and the other pilgrimage routes included under the general title of “El Camino de la Cruz”, but in addition there is a Pilgrim’s Certificate, or “Caravaquensis”, which is issued to those who arrive at the sanctuary in Caravaca.

To achieve this document it is necessary to walk to the Holy City of Caravaca at least from Bullas (children from Cehegín), and to accumulate at least 60% of the stamps available at religious establishments along the way. These must be collected on the “Credencial” (see above).

Stamps may be collected at the following points:
• all churches, Stations of the Jubilee (Iglesia de El Salvador in Caravaca), places of Pilgrim Blessings (Church of San Antonio in Cehegín, Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación in Mula, Parish Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Bullas and the Church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in Albudeite) and important ecclesiastical monuments along the Camino de Levante, including the Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace in Murcia.

• other stamps are available at the Tourist offices of the municipalities through which the Camino runs (or Town Halls where there is no Tourist Office), and various affiliated establishments on the route.

Those visiting the Jubilee City of Caravaca by car or bus can also receive a Pilgrim’s Certificate issued by the Cofradía de la Santísima y Vera Cruz de Caravaca.

Reservations for individual or group visits of this kind should be registered with the Cofradía, or brotherhood, by email at cofradía@lacruzdecaravaca.es, where you will be asked to supply details. If you reserve your Pilgrim’s Mass long enough beforehand the Certificate will be ready for you when you arrive.

Applying for the Pilgrim’s Certificate or Credencial Caravaca Holy Year 2017
The Pilgrim’s walk within the Holy City
Each day at 11.30am, pilgrims wishing to complete the final stage of their journey to the basilica together, gather en-masse at the Iglesia del Salvador, where the pilgrims are received and welcomed with a brief celebration of the Jubilee Liturgy.

The Pilgrims are then blessed and make their way up to the sanctuary.

Many groups bring their own crosses and standards, which are welcomed and blessed, and it is not uncommon for music and song to accompany the pilgrims on their final stretch up to the Basilica of the Vera Cruz.

For those with limited mobility, the services of the tourist train are available to take visitors up to the sanctuary.

A brief explanation is given about the history of the Vera Cruz, before Mass is celebrated, the pilgrims blessed and the Vera Cruz displayed.

Following the Mass, the pilgrims may venerate the cross, many kissing it and touching it with beads or crosses which they have carried with them or purchased in the shops below, or with items of personal significance.

At weekends Mass is generally celebrated outside due to the large numbers visiting the sanctuary, particularly on Sundays, a day on which several thousand people will make the journey.
A pilgrim’s mass is held twice a day throughout the Holy Year. Click Pilgrim’s mass

Mass times for services in the Holy City can be found using the search mechanism provided by the Cartagena Diocese.

Steps:
Select Todas las parroquias y centros
Select location: in this case Caravaca de la Cruz
Select date
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Find more information by AREA, TOWN or URBANISATION

South West Murcia

Aledo
Alhama de Murcia
Aguilas
Bolnuevo
Condado de Alhama
Fuente Alamo
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Lorca
Mazarron
Puerto de Mazarron
Puerto Lumbreras
Sierra Espuna
Totana

North & North West Murcia

Bullas
Calasparra
Caravaca de la Cruz
Cehegin
Cieza
Fortuna
Jumilla
Moratalla
Mula
Yecla

Murcia Central

Abaran
Abanilla
Alcantarilla
Archena
Blanca
Corvera
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Lorqui
Molina de Segura
Murcia City
Peraleja Golf Resort
Ricote
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Urbanisations

Camposol
Condado de Alhama
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Torre Golf Resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Mazarron Country Club
Peraleja Golf Resort

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