Providence College athletes complete 160-mile walk to Santiago

Long-distance walking routes have become a common setting for personal reflection among college students. In May 2026, eleven student-athletes from four Division I teams completed a 160-mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

The group traveled the ancient route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which houses the remains of the apostle St. James. Rev. Dominic Verner, O.P., the athletics chaplain, led the expedition. He was joined by Erich Miller ’20 Hon. and PC parent John Barry. The participants included members from the women’s ice hockey, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and cross country teams.

Isabella Marcos ’28, a swimmer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, documented the journey. She noted that the path was physically demanding, causing aching pain in her legs and shoulders. Despite the physical toll, the group found a sense of unity. Marcos described the experience as shifting from an individual journey to a collective spiritual experience.

Key moments occurred at La Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the Camino Francés. Standing at 1,500 meters above sea level, the site features an iron cross surrounded by stones left by pilgrims. The group placed their own stones there to symbolize letting go. Marcos walked the second half of that day with Father Verner, discussing family, faith, and purpose.

The final leg of the trip covered 13 miles. The group walked together without splitting up. At the three-mile mark, they reached a decorated sign for Santiago de Compostela. Marcos, Polly Bogdan ’27, and Luci West ’29 left their shoes on the sign, a tradition for some pilgrims. The final mile brought them to the center of Santiago, where the streets were filled with shops and bagpipes.

Marcos said the silence at the cathedral was the most striking feature. She observed that pilgrims embraced strangers and stood in silence. The group arrived in Villafranca del Bierzo on Marcos’s birthday, where Father Verner had arranged a surprise cake. The walk concluded with the athletes standing before the cathedral, marking the end of the 160-mile trek.