Thousands Gather at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral for Saint James Feast

On July 25, thousands of pilgrims arrived at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain, to venerate the tomb of the Apostle James on his feast day, which this year coincided with the World Day of Pilgrimage. The celebrations began on July 23 and run through the end of the month, featuring a pontifical Mass and other liturgical events.

The cathedral also hosted the unveiling of a four‑year 3D scanning project by the Cathedral Foundation, which used drone imagery and laser scans to map the building’s evolution from Roman origins to the 14th century, revealing previously unknown construction phases.

These festivities are part of preparations for the Holy Year of Compostela scheduled for 2027, with the Catholic Church and Spanish civil authorities coordinating security, infrastructure and visitor services to accommodate the growing international pilgrim flow.