By Celine Klosterman
In an embrace of a centuries-old tradition, a member of St. Joseph Parish in Wellman plans to begin a pilgrimage known as Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James, next week.
John Conway, a 66-year-old farmer, leaves home May 13 to travel to Le Puy, France, where he’ll begin walking to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Legend holds that the church was the burial site of the apostle St. James the Greater.
Conway expects his journey to cover about 1,100 miles, including a detour to the site of Marian apparitions in Lourdes, France. He hopes that by walking about eight hours a day, he’ll arrive in Santiago de Compostela by the feast day of St. James the Greater on July 25.
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