The Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago (FEAACS) has announced the decisions of the various juries responsible for awarding the Pentafinium 2026 prizes. These triennial awards seek to recognize the creative efforts of individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the care, promotion, and development of the Jacobean pilgrimage, in accordance with the principles and foundations upon which FEAACS is built:

• attention to and care for the pilgrim, following the ancient tradition of Jacobean hospitality;
• defense, protection, and restoration of the Caminos de Santiago (Ways of St. James).

The Pentafinium award falls into two categories: Initiatives (personal or institutional) and Creative Works in the field of Culture.

In the first category, the awards have been granted to the following individuals and institutions:

A LIFETIME OF DEDICATION

To Marcelino Oreja Aguirre (b. 1935) for his dedication to the Camino de Santiago on personal, political, and professional levels. During his tenure as Secretary General of the Council of Europe (1984–89), one of his priority objectives was to secure the designation of the Camino de Santiago as the “First European Cultural Route.” He pursued this goal with the immense enthusiasm of a pilgrim, successfully achieving it in 1987. A plaque set into the pavement of the Plaza del Obradoiro commemorates that glorious day.

A PROJECT

To the San Antón Foundation (Castrojeriz), represented by its president, Ovidio Campo. The jury recognized the immense task of preserving and stabilizing the ruins of the historic Convent of San Antón; the work of research, documentation, and knowledge-sharing regarding the Camino and the Jacobean phenomenon—carried out through summer courses, publications, and “Antonian” gatherings; the promotion and preservation of the spiritual, social, and solidarity-based values ​​of the Camino de Santiago; and, finally, the establishment and ongoing operation of a unique pilgrim hostel within the convent ruins.

AN ACTION PROGRAM

To the Chair of the Camino de Santiago and Pilgrimages at the University of Santiago de Compostela, for its work in promoting the scientific study of the history, heritage, and cultural and social impact of the Camino de Santiago; the award is presented to its past and present directors: Domingo Luis González Lopo and Miguel Táin Guzmán.

In the field of Culture, the award recipients are:

FINE ARTS / CINEMA

To Bill Bennett, Australian filmmaker and writer, for the film *The Way. My Way*. The jury deemed it “one of the most authentic films ever made about the Camino de Santiago,” noting its use of a mix of actors and real pilgrims, its artistic quality and originality, and the way it “conveys the Jacobean principles that underpin the FEAACS.”

LITERATURE

To Francesc Suarez, Fernando Lalanda, Lluisa Blanch, and Valeriano Teja, for their work *Las credenciales jacobeas* [Jacobean Pilgrim Credentials]

(Ed. Valnera S.L., 2025) An unprecedented compilation of pilgrim credentials.

The jury considered this “an exceptional document regarding the historical research of the pilgrim credential—a key element of modern pilgrimage that has received little attention from Camino de Santiago researchers.”