St. Jakobskirche (St. James) in Rothenburg, Germany
Today, my first steps in my wish to accomplish a pilgrimage on the El Camino de Santiago in Spain begins. St. Jakobskirche (St. James) in Rothenburg is one of the many churches on the pilgrimage route to St. James grave in Santiago de Compostela. I visit this church to purchase my scallop shell, a symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Travelers attach a scallop shell to their backpack to note they are pilgrims of The Way. The scallop shell represents to the pilgrim: the waves of the ocean that wash scallop shells up onto the shores of Galilee as God’s hand guides the pilgrims to Santiago. One will notice the scallop shell in the hand of St. James in the sculpture located outside the church.
In the west gallery of St. Jakobskirche, is the masterpiece Riemenschneider’s altarpiece, known as the best woodcarving in Germany. The work was commissioned in 1499 to provide a setting for the Reliquary of the Holy Blood. The relic is contained in a crystal rock capsule in the center of the shrine. Truly a magnificent piece of sacred art.
With my scallop shell attached to my daypack and a small silver scallop shell chain around my neck, this pilgrim heads out to discover the charms of Rothenburg. This German town was one of my parent’s favorite places to visit. I even have a Weihnachtspyramide, a woodcarved Christmas candle carousel, that my parents brought back 30 years ago from Rothenburg.
In the west gallery of St. Jakobskirche, is the masterpiece Riemenschneider’s altarpiece, known as the best woodcarving in Germany. The work was commissioned in 1499 to provide a setting for the Reliquary of the Holy Blood. The relic is contained in a crystal rock capsule in the center of the shrine. Truly a magnificent piece of sacred art.
With my scallop shell attached to my daypack and a small silver scallop shell chain around my neck, this pilgrim heads out to discover the charms of Rothenburg. This German town was one of my parent’s favorite places to visit. I even have a Weihnachtspyramide, a woodcarved Christmas candle carousel, that my parents brought back 30 years ago from Rothenburg.