A 355 km route will appear in Ukraine, connecting ancient princely cities — Chortkiv, Halych, Zvenyhorod, and Lviv. This was reported by the Lviv Tourism Office.

It is noted that Lviv will become the endpoint of the Camino Ruteno pilgrimage route through historical Galicia.

"The 355 km route connects historical princely cities – Chortkiv, Halych, Zvenyhorod, and Lviv. Camino Ruteno will become part of the European network of Saint James pilgrimage routes," — the message stated.

The Lviv Tourism Office explains that the legendary Via Regia, one of the oldest European routes, is the core of the route. It recreates the medieval paths used by travelers, merchants, and pilgrims to travel from Rus to Western Europe, specifically to Santiago de Compostela.

They add that scallop shells of Saint James, symbols of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, were found near Lviv, close to the village of Zvenyhorod. And on April 14, at a forum in Vinnytsia, Lviv signed a memorandum of cooperation on the development of the Way of Saint James in Ukraine.

"The route is currently being developed and aims to join the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, specifically the European Federation of Saint James Ways," — the office says.

As a reminder, next week in St. George's Archcathedral there will be displayed for veneration an icon with a particle of the relics of Saint Volodymyr the Great. 

Background

The Way of Saint James is the oldest cultural route of the Council of Europe, dating back to the Middle Ages. It leads to Santiago de Compostela, where, according to tradition, the Apostle James is buried. Hundreds of thousands of travelers set out on this path every year, starting from their own homes on foot, by bicycle, or, as in the past, on horseback. It is not just a route, but an experience that unites people and cultures.