Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz

Plenary indulgence can be obtained by those making a pilgrimage to Caravaca de la Cruz this year

Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Murcia Region, celebrates its Holy Year or Jubilee year (Año Santo) throughout 2017.

For many centuries Caravaca de la Cruz has been considered by the Catholic faithful to be an especially significant city, due principally to a miracle which is reported to have happened there in the 13th century and which resulted in a fragment of the True and Holy Cross on which Christ died being kept in the castle-sanctuary. This cross, the “Santísima Vera Cruz” in Spanish, is the item which led to the suffix “de la Cruz” being added to the name of the city, and it led to large numbers of religious orders coming to Caravaca, especially in the 16th century, after the threat from the Moorish kingdom had been removed by the completion of the Reconquista in 1492.

In later centuries the flow of religious orders and brotherhoods founding convents and monasteries may have dried up in Caravaca, (see History of Caravaca de la Cruz) but even nowadays there are still thousands of visitors who make their pilgrimage to the north-west of Murcia to see and worship the holy relic. The Brotherhood of the Santísima Vera Cruz has been spreading the word about the city to the Catholic world for well over 100 years, and in 1998 Pope John Paul II conferred upon Caravaca de la Cruz the status of Holy City. This makes it only the fifth such location in the world, alongside Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liébana.

What it means in practical terms, though, is that every seven years religious pilgrims have a special reason to make their journeys to Caravaca. The papal decision recognizes the right of Caravaca to hold a Jubilee every seven years, rewarding those who complete sufficient of the established pilgrimage route with plenary indulgence: in the Catholic religion, this equates to a complete pardon for sins committed.

Of course, this extra incentive leads to an especially large number of visitors to Caravaca, collecting stamps on their “pilgrim’s passport” (“credencial”) to prove that they have walked far enough to be worthy of forgiveness.

The first of these Jubilee Years in Caravaca was held in 2003, and was visited by the future Benedict XVI, the third is taking place in 2017 and the fourth in 2024.

However, it should not be imagined that the Jubilee Year is only an event for those who are religious in nature. As is the case with the routes leading to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, the paths followed by walkers are especially well populated in Jubilee Years, but by no means exclusively by pious Catholics seeking redemption: every walker, or “pilgrim”, has his or her own reason for wishing to follow the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of Saint James, and the same is true of the “Camino de Levante” in Murcia and other parts of the “Camino de la Cruz” which lead to Caravaca.

Of course these routes do not close for six years between Jubilees, and of course they are not reserved exclusively for those of Catholic faith: however, in Caravaca the Jubilee Year is considered the best time to undertake them for a number of reasons: the paths are cleared and signposting is improved for the occasion, the stamps and route maps are available only in these years, accommodation and other establishments along the route are better prepared for visitors, special Masses are held in churches along the route, exhibitions, concerts and other events are held to commemorate the Jubilee, and, last but not least, there is more company on the long walk through the Region of Murcia to the final destination at the Sanctuary of the Cross.

In short, the 120-kilometre Camino de Levante is a wonderful walk between the intensely religious cities of Orihuela (in the province of Alicante) and Caravaca, providing a chance to enjoy and learn about many aspects of the Region of Murcia: its history, its people, its food and drink, its countryside, local religious beliefs and much more.

And if you’re going to tackle either all or part of it, the Jubilee Year is the best time to do it!

Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz

The legend of the Holy Cross of Caravaca
Many mysteries surround the cross, but all versions of events talk of its appearance in the castle of Caravaca in 1231 (or 1232 according to some versions). At that time Caravaca and the rest of Murcia were still under Moorish rule, and thousands of Christians were taken prisoner and imprisoned by the ruler of Valencia, Abu Zeit.

Among them was a priest named Ginés Pérez de Chirinos, whose profession and religious beliefs provoked the curiosity of the Abu Zeit, who questioned him about the form of his religion and what he believed.

Abu Zeit ordered him to perform Mass so that he could see for himself what this entailed, but during the ceremony Pérez Chirinos realized that he was unable to complete the Mass without there being a crucifix present on the altar. Legend has it that at that moment the chamber was flooded with a brilliant light and two angels appeared, bearing a 2-armed cross, the Vera Cruz of Caravaca, containing the lignum crucis, wood from the true cross of Jesus Christ.

Overcome by the vision, Abu Zeit fell to his knees and converted to the Christian faith, and news of the Vera Cruz spread as it gained a reputation as a powerful protector and healer in the centuries to come.
This event led to the cross becoming known as the “True Cross”, and it was subsequently incorporated into Caravaca’s coat of arms.

(Another rather more prosaic version explaining the presence of the Cross in Caravaca is that it was brought here from the Holy Land by the Knights Templar, and protected by them until their order was disbanded by Pope Clement V in 1312. However, this is thought to be an attempt to marry the mystique and romantic idealism of the warrior knights to conveniently fit a legend, as they are not believed to have been in the area until 1241.)

Over the centuries the identity of Caravaca became inextricably intertwined with the Cross, and as the city grew it welcomed numerous religious orders: hence the proliferation of old churches, monasteries and convents in the city today.

However, the legend took on new twists in the 20th century.

On the night of the 13th/14th February 1934, the Cross disappeared from its sanctuary, and as the word spread a terrified mob gathered in the street, panicking that their protector had been lost. The chaplain was seized and dragged out to the street, with accusations of being involved in the theft ringing in his ears. Although he denied all knowledge of the disappearance he was executed in broad daylight with a single pistol shot from the impassioned townspeople.

Rumours abounded over what could have happened: some believed it had been taken for its own protection by the Knights Templar, others that it had been taken to Rome for safety in the face of the impending Civil War in Spain, and others maintain that it is still guarded somewhere in Caravaca.

The Civil War passed and still there was no sign of the cross, but following discussions with the Vatican Pope Pius XII decided to give the town 2 splinters from another section of the cross of Jesus, a treasure guarded for centuries within the walls of the Vatican. These were given in 1942, and in 2006, to celebrate the 775th anniversary of the appearance of the cross, 200 pilgrims travelled from Caravaca to the Holy Land and were given a third splinter of the true cross.

Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz
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

Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz

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.

Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz
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:
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Holy Year or Jubilee Year 2017 in Caravaca de la Cruz

The Camino de Levante and other pilgrimage routes to Caravaca
The main pilgrimage route to Caravaca in 2017 is the Camino de Levante, which covers a distance of 120 kilometres from Orihuela, in the province of Alicante.

This route is divided for convenience into five stages, although walkers and pilgrims are of course not obliged to cover the full stage distance in one day. A popular option is to tackle short distances of 5 or 10 kilometres at a time, which makes it possible to enjoy the sights and detours along the way, as well as a hearty lunch, without the pressure (and fatigue!) which can result from having to reach a destination over 20 kilometres away.

The regional site giving further information about the route, together with an app, is caminodelacruz.es

The five stages on the Camino de Levante are as follows:
1. Orihuela to Murcia along the Banks of the River Segura (24 km). This flat stage takes walkers on a journey between two cities rich in history, through the fertile farmland of the flood plain of the River Segura. The stage begins at the church of Santas Justa y Rufina in Orihuela and for much of the time follows the banks of the Segura, passing wide expanses of land where the vegetables for which the “huerta” of Murcia is famous are grown.
The route crosses under the Tajo-Segura water supply canal shortly before passing Beniel, and then reaches El Raal, from where the monumental statue of Christ in Monteagudo signals that the regional capital of Murcia is not far away.

2. Murcia to Alguazas, still in the “huerta” (26 km). This section of the Camino de Levante crosses another wide swathe of the “huerta”, first following the “Malecón” on its way out of Murcia and then heading for the large water wheel which has been preserved in La Ñora.
The irrigation ditches (“acequias”), many of which date from the Moorish occupation of Murcia which ended in the 13th century, are a reminder of the importance of water to the agriculture of the area, and the next stop is in Molina at the church of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación. From there the path follows the old railway line towards Alguazas.

3. Alguazas to Mula, through the badlands and into castle territory (26 km). The Camino de Levante now leaves the “huerta” and heads towards the north-west of Murcia, first crossing the “badlands”, a harsh and hostile landscape formed by water erosion between Alguazas and Mula. Take plenty of drinking water as you enter this barren landscape!
There is a detour to Los Rodeos and Campos del Río, with its typical village houses and special charm, and from there to the church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in Albudeite.
After passing Los Baños de Mula another detour allows the walker to see the Roman villa of Los Villaricos, after which the route heads to La Puebla de Mula and Mula itself.

4. Mula to Bullas, onto higher ground and vineyards (21 km). The walking becomes more strenuous now, as the route climbs to higher ground: the Mula stage rose to 300 metres above sea level, and now the terrain rises another 300 metres to the area of Bullas, famed for its wine production.
Along the route is El Niño de Mula, a village named after an apparition of the Infant Jesus which occurred in 1648, and the local fiestas commemorate the event every September.
Once in Bullas, take some time to see the church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario and the Museo del Vino (wine museum).

5. Bullas to Caravaca, the end of the journey (21 km). This is the hilliest and the hardest stage of the Camino de Levante, although on flat sections it follows the old railway line, this time leading to the Taibilla water supply canal, and then, flanked by vineyards and pine woods, to the spot known as Cristo Carrascalejo.

Shortly before arriving in Caravaca, when the destination is already in sight, the walker arrives in Cehegín, with its historic old centre and, just outside the town, the ruins of Begastri, an ancient Roman city which was the seat of a Diocese between the 6th and 8th centuries.

From there, it’s on to Caravaca, to the Santuario de la Vera Cruz on the hill behind the city and the end of the Camino de Levante.

Other “Camino de la Cruz” pilgrimage routes leading to Caravaca de la Cruz include the following:
The Camino de Roncesvalles: a walk which leads to Caravaca all the way from Pamplona in Navarra, joining the Camino de la Cruz with the Camino de Santiago. From Navarra the Camino crosses the regions of Aragón, Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, covering a distance of some 900 kilometres.

The Camino del Apóstol: this walk starts in the port of Cartagena, in the south of the Region of Murcia, where some believe that Santiago (Saint James the Apostle), the patron saint of Spain, arrived in the Iberian Peninsula shortly after the death of Christ. It covers 158 kilometres, and joins the Camino de Levante in Murcia.

The Camino de Lignum Crucis: this is a route which starts in the small Alicante town of Granja de Rocamora, and offers two options: one is to head directly towards Orihuela via Redován and Callosa de Segura before joining the Camino de Levante, while the other takes a picturesque northerly loop through Abanilla, El Rellano and Ulea before joining the Camino de Levante in Campos del Río (14 kilometres short of Mula).

The Camino del Altiplano: this 130-kilometre route starts in Yecla, in the north of the Region of Murcia, and passes through Jumilla, Calasparra and Moratalla on the way to Caravaca.

The Camino del Bajo Guadalentín: this is the route for walkers heading to Caravaca from Mazarrón. The 117-kilometre journey passes through Totana before climbing into the mountains of Sierra Espuña, stopping off at the villages of El Berro and Casas Nuevas before joining the Camino de Levante in Bullas.

The Camino del Alto Guadalentín: this takes walkers from the south-westernmost point in the Region of Murcia, in Águilas, on a four-stage route via Pozo de la Higuera, Lorca and Zarzilla de Ramos.

The Camino de Andalucía: this 45-kilometre route approaches Caravaca from the west, beginning in the mountains on the boundary with Andalucía.

The Camino de San Juan: this route starts in Cañada de la Cruz, on the Camino de Andalucía, and takes a northerly circuit towards the Campo de San Juan and some of the highest ground in the Region of Murcia. It then rejoins the Camino de Andalucía between Archivel and Caravaca.

The Camino del Campo de Cartagena: a 136-kilometre route from the port city of Cartagena heading in an almost straight line which takes walkers through La Aljorra, La Pinilla and Totana before climbing into the foothills of Sierra Espuña and reaching Zarzadilla de Totana. It then crosses the plain in the north of Lorca, through Coy and La Encarnación, before reaching the Holy City of Caravaca.

At the moment, there is little information available in English anywhere. A book has been written by Natursports which give excellent detail about the routes in Spanish. This can be purchased online or in many bookstores.

Click for more information about the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz