Tuesday 1 January 2013

Then they lost the baby Jesus...All the Pilgrim Statistics for 2012


Happy New Year!
The good citizens of Santiago may very well be relieved that 2012 is over. What a year! 2012 started with the city still reeling from the theft of the medieval Codex Calixtinus. If the theft itself wasn’t enough people were shocked by its discovery in a garage in a suburb of Santiago along with over 2 million euros in cash methodically stolen from the collection boxes in the Cathedral.  That started a chain of events leading to the recent resignation of the Dean of the Cathedral and the suspension of key personnel as everyone awaits the revelations which will come out during the January trial of the former cathedral electrician who it is alleged stole the cash and the Codex.
2012 was also the year when the mayor of Santiago, Gerardo Conde Roa, had to resign having been accused of tax fraud. That scandal occupied many column inches and was the only thing that nudged the Codex off the front pages.
So having lost the Codex, 2 million euros, the Mayor, key cathedral personnel and then the Dean people in Santiago must have wondered if anything else would happen before the cathedral bells welcomed the new year. And it did.
The scene of the crime
In the week before Christmas new headlines screamed: El Niño Jesús desaparece del belén del Obradoiro  "The Baby Jesus has disappeared from the crib in the Plaza Obradoiro."
It was soon announced that the figure of the baby Jesus hadn’t just disappeared, he had been kidnapped by a group wanting to draw attention to the plight of the poor and in particular the people who are being evicted because they can't pay their rent or mortgage because of the current economic crisis. The group Stop Desahucios Compostela issued a statement and a video, “the baby Jesus is unharmed and is being well looked after...he will be released when people understand the problems caused by evictions”. And  he was. The baby Jesus was soon discovered being kept warm inside the foyer of a bank beside the Automatic Cash Dispenser.

Midst all of this drama during the year over 192,400 pilgrims arrived.  All of them I am sure largely oblivious to the events in the Cathedral and in the Town Hall. Except perhaps for the much needed increased security in the Cathedral. This is but one of the measures instituted by the new Chief Executive of the Cathedral, the former Finance Director of Televes, personally appointed by the Archbishop to modernise the practices of the medieval institution.

There are many stories from Santiago in the last year. My favourites are those of the individual pilgrims I was able to meet and of course the wonderful Amigos who came to Santiago to welcome the pilgrims. Together they welcomed at least 100,000 pilgrims. A magnificent achievement.

This New Year also sees the first competition to guess the exact number of pilgrims who have arrived. The Pilgrims' Office has organised a Twitter Competition http://twitter.com/#/OfiPeregrinos  and I have been asked not to confirm the exact number until it is announced in a few days. The following numbers are accurate as on noon on new year's eve. Go on Tweet what you think the final number is. You may win!  

Pilgrim Numbers

Over 192,400 pilgrims arrived during 2012. That is a 5% increase on last year. The growth rate year on year however appears to be slowing down and it will be interesting to observe this in 2013.

Also this year saw less Spaniards than before making pilgrimage to Santiago. A sign perhaps that the economic crisis is now starting to bite.

The big story continues to be the staggering rise in pilgrims from English speaking countries with the greatest increase being in the numbers coming from the United States.

Pilgrims from English speaking countries
Country
2009
2010
2011
2012
 Growth
Australia
1015
1162
1352
1885
39%
Canada
2194
1879
2362
2904
23%
Ireland
1722
2306
2677
3841
44%
South Africa
262
301
513
711
39%
United Kingdom
1700
2028
2389
3756
57%
United States
2540
3311
3726
7071
90%
New Zealand
200
221
238
377
59%



Number of pilgrims who arrived in 2012 is "192,400"

Routes

Camino           Number of pilgrims

Frances-Camino de     134961 (70,13%)
Portugues-Camino      25599 (13,30%)
Norte-Camino de        12919 (6,71%)
Via de la Plata             8163 (4,24%)
Primitivo-Camino        6341 (3,30%)
Ingles-Camino             3575 (1,86%)
Otros caminos             456 (0,24%)
Muxia-Finisterre          417 (0,22%)

Mode of transport

Mode              Number of pilgrims
On foot           164725 (85,60%)
Bicycle            27403 (14,24%)
Horseback       281 (0,15%)
Wheelchair      22 (0,01%)

Gender

Gender                       Number of pilgrims

Male                           108778 (56,53%)
Female                        83653 (43,47%)

Reasons for pilgrimage

Reason                        Number of pilgrims
Religious and others   101153 (52,57%)
Religious                     79460 (41,29%)
Not religious               11818 (6,14%)

Status

Status              Number of pilgrims

Employed                    43057 (22,38%)
Students                      34737 (18,05%)
Technicians                 24746 (12,86%)
Retired                        22092 (11,48%)
Self employed             21771 (11,31%)
Teachers                      14391 (7,48%)
Public workers            8751 (4,55%)
Manual worker            7252 (3,77%)
Unemployed              5168 (2,69%)
Housewive                 4366 (2,27%)
Directors                    1817 (0,94%)
Artists                        1469 (0,76%)
Priests                         1159 (0,60%)
Farmers                      631 (0,33%)
Religious                     477 (0,25%)
Sailors                        350 (0,18%)
Sports                         167 (0,09%)
Oikoten                      30 (0,02%)

Ages
Age                 Number of pilgrims
30 - 60             109267 (56,78%)
< 30                 54719 (28,44%)
> 60                 28445 (14,78%)


Countries

Country          Number of pilgrims
Spain              95252 (49,50%)
Germany         15617 (8,12%)
Italy                12391 (6,44%)
Portugal           10322 (5,36%)
France             8121 (4,22%)
USA               7071 (3,67%)
Ireland             3841 (2,00%)
UK                 3756 (1,95%)
Holand            3011 (1,56%)
Canada            2904 (1,51%)
Korea             2493 (1,30%)
Poland             2307 (1,20%)
Brasil               2229 (1,16%)
Belgium           1955 (1,02%)
Australia          1885 (0,98%)
Austria            1772 (0,92%)
Denmark         1682 (0,87%)
Switzerland     1308 (0,68%)
Sweden           1275 (0,66%)
México            1047 (0,54%)
Norway           969 (0,50%)
Hungary          885 (0,46%)
Japan              860 (0,45%)
Rep Checa       832 (0,43%)
Argentina        822 (0,43%)
Finland            720 (0,37%)
South Africa   711 (0,37%)
Slovaquia        636 (0,33%)
Russia             503 (0,26%)
Colombia         455 (0,24%)
Venezuela       444 (0,23%)
New Zealand 377 (0,20%)
Eslovenia         373 (0,19%)
Rumania          281 (0,15%)
Bulgaria           211 (0,11%)
China   1          85 (0,10%)
Ecuador           183 (0,10%)
Chile                178 (0,09%)
Lituania           169 (0,09%)
Uruguay          165 (0,09%)
Perú                 162 (0,08%)
Israel               160 (0,08%)
Filipinas           127 (0,07%)
Puerto Rico     121 (0,06%)
Estonia            120 (0,06%)
Andorra           108 (0,06%)
Malta               106 (0,06%)
Luxemburgo    105 (0,05%)
Ucrania            91 (0,05%)
Croacia            71 (0,04%)
Letonia            60 (0,03%)
Grecia             59 (0,03%)
Taiwán            58 (0,03%)
Dom Rep         56 (0,03%)
Islandia           55 (0,03%)
Costa Rica       54 (0,03%)
Bolivia             54 (0,03%)
Paraguay         49 (0,03%)
Singapur          46 (0,02%)
Cuba                44 (0,02%)
India                38 (0,02%)
Malasia            36 (0,02%)
Líbano             33 (0,02%)
El Salvador     33 (0,02%)
Guatemala       30 (0,02%)
Panamá            26 (0,01%)
Turquía            21 (0,01%)
Marruecos       21 (0,01%)
Nicaragua        19 (0,01%)
Honduras        17 (0,01%)
Serbia             16 (0,01%)
Bielorrusia       12 (0,01%)
Irán                  11 (0,01%)
Bosnia             11 (0,01%)
Angola            11 (0,01%)
Guinea             8 (0,00%)
Emirates          8 (0,00%)
Islas Feroe       8 (0,00%)
Indonesia        8 (0,00%)
Argelia            8 (0,00%)
Tailandia         8 (0,00%)
Vietnam          7 (0,00%)
Nigeria            6 (0,00%)
Egipto             6 (0,00%)
Macedonia      6 (0,00%)
Armenia          6 (0,00%)
Liechtensein    6 (0,00%)
Moldavia         5 (0,00%)
Saudi Arabia   5 (0,00%)
Albania            5 (0,00%)
Mozambique   5 (0,00%)
Namibia           5 (0,00%)
Zimbabwe       4 (0,00%)
Kenya             4 (0,00%)
Siria                 4 (0,00%)
Senegal            4 (0,00%)
Camerún          4 (0,00%)
Mauritania       3 (0,00%)
Congo             3 (0,00%)
Georgia           3 (0,00%)
Pakistán           3 (0,00%)
Ghana             3 (0,00%)
Groenlandia    3 (0,00%)
Trinidad          3 (0,00%)
Irak                  2 (0,00%)
Chipre             2 (0,00%)
Antigua           2 (0,00%)
Mali                 2 (0,00%)
Kazajistán       2 (0,00%)
Túnez             2 (0,00%)
Libia                2 (0,00%)
Jordania           2 (0,00%)
Sri Lanka         2 (0,00%)
Togo                2 (0,00%)
Guyana            2 (0,00%)
Santo Tome     2 (0,00%)
Etiopía             1 (0,00%)
Timor              1 (0,00%)
Cabo Verde     1 (0,00%)
Chad               1 (0,00%)
Camboya         1 (0,00%)
Haití                1 (0,00%)
Tanzania          1 (0,00%)
Islas Caimán    1 (0,00%)
Jamaica            1 (0,00%)
Benin               1 (0,00%)
Eritrea             1 (0,00%)
Bermudas        1 (0,00%)
Samoa             1 (0,00%)
Bahamas          1 (0,00%)
Marfil               1 (0,00%)
Nepal               1 (0,00%)
Burkina Faso   1 (0,00%)




Starting point

Starting point             Number of pilgrims
Sarria                                       40723 (21,16%)
S. Jean P. Port                         22213 (11,54%)
León                                        10406 (5,41%)
Cebreiro                                  10313 (5,36%)
Roncesvalles                           8465 (4,40%)
Tui                                           8436 (4,38%)
Ponferrada                              7765 (4,04%)
Oporto                                     7635 (3,97%)
Astorga                                   5666 (2,94%)
Pamplona                                4172 (2,17%)
Oviedo - C.P.                          3956 (2,06%)
Burgos                                     3864 (2,01%)
Le Puy                                     3433 (1,78%)
Ferrol                                       3372 (1,75%)
Irún                                         3142 (1,63%)
Valença do Minho                  3089 (1,61%)
Vilafranca                               2667 (1,39%)
Resto Portugal                        2660 (1,38%)
Sevilla                                     2287 (1,19%)
Ourense                                   2277 (1,18%)
Francia                                    2130 (1,11%)
Triacastela                               2024 (1,05%)
Lugo - C.P.                             1557 (0,81%)
Resto C. León                         1358 (0,71%)
Samos                                      1300 (0,68%)
Resto Asturias                         1189 (0,62%)
Santander                                1134 (0,59%)
Ribadeo                                   1094 (0,57%)
Lisboa                                     977 (0,51%)
Logroño                                  941 (0,49%)
Bilbao                                     905 (0,47%)
Ponte de Lima                         901 (0,47%)
Vilalba                                     845 (0,44%)
Holanda                                  786 (0,41%)
Gijón                                       731 (0,38%)
Oviedo                                    699 (0,36%)
Somport                                  664 (0,35%)
Alemania                                 603 (0,31%)
Avilés                                     552 (0,29%)
Salamanca                               515 (0,27%)
Madrid - C.F.                         480 (0,25%)
Zamora                                    459 (0,24%)
Resto País Vasco                    430 (0,22%)
Sahagún                                  426 (0,22%)
Mondoñedo                            374 (0,19%)
Bélgica                                    372 (0,19%)
Puebla de Sanabria                  371 (0,19%)
Rates, S. Pedro                       343 (0,18%)
Braga                                       333 (0,17%)
Resto Asturias - C.P.             324 (0,17%)
Vega de Valcarce                    319 (0,17%)
San Sebastián                          308 (0,16%)
Baamonde                               305 (0,16%)
Resto Cantabria                      298 (0,15%)
Jaca                                         295 (0,15%)
Chaves-Portugal                      290 (0,15%)
Lourdes                                   279 (0,14%)
Suiza                                       277 (0,14%)
Muxia                                     273 (0,14%)
Frómista                                  261 (0,14%)
Barcelos                                  234 (0,12%)
Gudiña                                    227 (0,12%)
Neda                                       199 (0,10%)
A Guarda                                198 (0,10%)
Porriño                                    197 (0,10%)
Fonsagrada - C.P.                   193 (0,10%)
Sto. Domingo de la Calzada   191 (0,10%)
Vezelay                                   179 (0,09%)
Carrión de los Condes            176 (0,09%)
Puente la Reina                       169 (0,09%)
Cataluña                                  164 (0,09%)
Lourenzá                                 163 (0,08%)
Arles                                        158 (0,08%)
Mérida                                     157 (0,08%)
Resto Andalucia                     154 (0,08%)
Rabanal del Camino                152 (0,08%)
Resto C. León - V.P.             146 (0,08%)
Montserrat                               145 (0,08%)
Finisterra                                 144 (0,07%)
Allariz                                     143 (0,07%)
Xunqueira de Ambia               141 (0,07%)
Francia                                    141 (0,07%)
Granja de Moreruela               140 (0,07%)
Hendaya                                  137 (0,07%)
Laza                                        130 (0,07%)
Fonsagrada                              129 (0,07%)
Madrid                                    125 (0,06%)
Hospital de Orbigo                 122 (0,06%)
Valencia                                  120 (0,06%)
Abadin                                    117 (0,06%)
Navarra                                   112 (0,06%)
Viana do Castelo                    111 (0,06%)
Austria                                    110 (0,06%)
Estella                                     110 (0,06%)
Fatima                                     104 (0,05%)
Zaragoza                                 102 (0,05%)
Cáceres                                    101 (0,05%)
Verín                                       96 (0,05%)
Baiona                                     94 (0,05%)
Grandas de Salime - C.P.        92 (0,05%)
Barcelona                                92 (0,05%)
Cadavo                                    91 (0,05%)
R.Pais Vasco                           89 (0,05%)
Resto de Extremadura            86 (0,04%)
Vigo                                        85 (0,04%)
Grandas de Salime                  81 (0,04%)
Com. Valenciana                     79 (0,04%)
Tineo - C.P.                             77 (0,04%)
París                                        71 (0,04%)
Italia                                        69 (0,04%)
Canfranc                                 62 (0,03%)
Castilla la Mancha                   62 (0,03%)
Guimaraes                               61 (0,03%)
La Rioja                                  59 (0,03%)
Molinaseca                              56 (0,03%)
Monforte de Lemos                56 (0,03%)
Povoa de Varzim                    54 (0,03%)
Granada                                  54 (0,03%)
Tineo                                       48 (0,02%)
Ponferrada. C.Inv.                  47 (0,02%)
Coimbra                                  47 (0,02%)
Castilla La Mancha                 46 (0,02%)
Com. Valenciana                     44 (0,02%)
Cast. la Mancha                      43 (0,02%)
Huelva                                     43 (0,02%)
Nájera                                     40 (0,02%)
Benavente                               37 (0,02%)
Badajoz                                   35 (0,02%)
Córdoba                                  33 (0,02%)
Polonia                                    32 (0,02%)
Malaga                                    32 (0,02%)
Roma                                       31 (0,02%)
Resto Europa                         28 (0,01%)
Valladolid                               28 (0,01%)
Castrojeriz                               28 (0,01%)
San Sebastian                         27 (0,01%)
Vegadeo                                  25 (0,01%)
Las Médulas                            24 (0,01%)
Murcia                                     24 (0,01%)
Fonfría                                    24 (0,01%)
Reino Unido                           22 (0,01%)
Cataluña                                  21 (0,01%)
La Mesa                                  19 (0,01%)
Republica Checa                     19 (0,01%)
Guitiriz                                    18 (0,01%)
Quiroga                                   14 (0,01%)
Eslovaquia                               13 (0,01%)
San Juan de Ortega                 13 (0,01%)
Salas                                        13 (0,01%)
La Rioja                                  13 (0,01%)
Esposende                               12 (0,01%)
Viseu                                       11 (0,01%)
La Bañeza                               10 (0,01%)
Grado                                     10 (0,01%)
Faro                                         9 (0,00%)
Irlanda                                     9 (0,00%)
Hungría                                   8 (0,00%)
Dinamarca                               6 (0,00%)
Finlandia                                 6 (0,00%)
Resto Galicia                           6 (0,00%)
Aveiro                                     4 (0,00%)
Valcarlos                                 4 (0,00%)
Luxemburgo                            4 (0,00%)
Vincios                                    4 (0,00%)
Peñaseita                                 3 (0,00%)
Rábade                                    3 (0,00%)
El Escamplero                        3 (0,00%)
Jerusalem                                 3 (0,00%)

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