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The yellow arrow on the Vía de la Plata
The yellow arrow
The yellow arrow as a current symbol of the Way
Despite its recent history (it was conceived in 1984 by the priest Elías Valiña), it is today one of the most international symbols of the Way of Saint James.
One of the most international symbols of the Way of Santiago is the yellow arrow, painted on roads, houses, fences and trees. It is of recent origin as it was conceived in 1984 on the initiative of a priest of O Cebreiro, Elías Valiña, and signposted the French Way from France to Santiago. Besides the yellow arrow, another identifying sign of the Way is the scallop shell, which is now historical and we can see it sculpted on many churches and monuments.
Besides the yellow arrow, another identifying sign of the Way is the scallop shell, which is historical and we can see it sculpted on many churches and monuments
At the present time, it is represented in yellow on a blue background, on vertical signal panels to identify the route as a European Cultural Itinerary.
The origin of the yellow arrow: the figure of the parish priest Elías Valiña
Elías Valiña was one of the most important conservationists and promotors of the Way of Saint James as a pilgrimage and tourism route.
Elías Valiña Sampedro (Sarria, 1929-1989), known as O cura do Cebreiro, was one of the most important conservationists and promotors of the Way of Santiago. The relation of Elías Valiña with the Jacobean route is extensive and admirable. He graduated in Canon Law from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas and obtained his Doctorate from the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, in the years 1961 and 1962 he wrote his thesis "The Way of Santiago. A historical-juridical study ", and in 1984 he undertook the signposting of the Way of Saint James, with yellow arrows from France (on the first stages he had collaborators from associations of Navarre) to Compostela.
In 1984 he undertook the signposting of the Way of Santiago, with yellow arrows from France to Compostela
In the stretch in Galicia, he carried out cleaning work, the recuperation of lost stretches, numbering in kilometres, etc. Today his signposting work is considered to be the surest delimitation of the original stretches of the Jacobean route. In addition, he encouraged the restoration of the village of O Cebreiro which was terminated in 1971 with the inauguration of the Ethnographic Museum.
His undoubted merits resulted in him being named unanimously Commissar of the Way of Saint James for the I Encuentro Xacobeo held in Compostela in 1985. In his last will he asked his family to ensure that the use of the yellow arrow on the Way was not lost, a request which his descendants carried out with the help of Associations of Friends of the Way of Saint James.