What's in a name?

I tried convincing 2 Italian peregrinas that my name was Juan Diego. I said it with gusto and exuberance, and a bit of a bow. They weren't buying it. Eventually when I said my name was Scott, the one woman thought I said "Stop" and so she did.

While Coleen and I are hiking the Camino Françes, it is also known as the Way of St. James in English, or Jakobsweg in German, or Chemin de Saint Jacques in French. All pilgrims head west to Santiago de Compostella -- the Iago being Spanish for James. All referring to Saint James.

A disciple of Jesus, James had a short mission to Spain after Jesus' death, returned to the Holy Land and was beheaded by King Herod for his efforts. James' followers send his body out to sea and somehow it makes it way to Spain where centuries later his bones are discovered near present day Santiago de Compostella -- field of stars.

What's in a name? A wonderful pilgrimage indeed.Read more