Mint set BU – Issue 2

The saint depicted is Jakobus der Ältere, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and brother of the Evangelist Johannes. According to the New Testament, he belonged to the apostles’ inner circle and was executed under King Herodes Agrippa I. A medieval tradition connects Jakobus with the Iberian Peninsula. According to this tradition, his remains reached Galicia (Galicien) and were discovered there in the early 9th century. This transfer cannot be substantiated historically; the tomb tradition, however, formed the basis for the emergence of the pilgrimage site. The name Santiago derives from the Spanish designation for Saint Jakobus.

A sanctuary initially developed over the venerated tomb, followed later by the cathedral. Construction of its Romanesque structure began in the 11th century; in the following centuries, it was expanded and altered several times. As a result, the building combines Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. The Holy Door is located on the eastern side of the cathedral. It is opened only in so-called Holy Years of Jakobus, when the apostle’s feast day on 25 July falls on a Sunday. Passing through it is then one of the religious practices of the pilgrims.

Since the Middle Ages, various routes from numerous parts of Europe have led to Galicia. Churches, monasteries, hostels, hospitals and bridges were established along these routes. The so-called Codex Calixtinus from the 12th century contains, among other things, information on stages, sanctuaries and local customs and is regarded as an early testimony to organized pilgrimage. The scallop shell became the widely recognized symbol of the pilgrims of Jakobus.

The issue belongs to a Spanish series of 2-euro commemorative coins dealing with UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain. The choice of the motif is therefore not explained by a single anniversary. Instead, the figure of the apostle and the Holy Door were chosen as two elements that directly connect the religious destination of the pilgrimage with the cathedral.