Testimonium is the name given to the certificate you can receive when you complete your pilgrimage to Rome along the Via Francigena. It is the Via Francigena equivalent of the Compostela awarded to those walking the Camino de Santiago.
In order to request your Testimonium, remember to take your ‘credenziali’ or pilgrim passport, and stamp it along the way.
There are two ways of getting your Testimonium:
Religious
This Testimonium is issued at the rectory in St Peter’s Basilica (use the Petriano entrance in Piazza S Uffizio). To receive this certificate, you must do your pilgrimage for religious reasons and it is only available for pilgrims who have walked (or travelled on horseback) at least the last 140km from Acquapendente to Rome – or cycled 400km from Lucca to Rome. The office is open every day from 8,30 until 12,30 except Wednesday and Sunday. Take a photocopy of your pilgrim passport with its stamps in case you don’t find the relevant person; if you leave your address and photocopy of the stamped pilgrim passport you can get your Testimonium sent by post.
Religious and Cultural
You can request your Testimonium certificate from Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi if you walk to Rome for both: religious or cultural reasons. You must walk at least the last 100km of the Via Francigena to Rome and present your credential at the office of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi (Piazza Pio XII, 9) in Saint Peter’s Square (Open Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm).
You can also request the Testimonium from the San Lorenzo Pilgrims Office Ad Limina Petri (Via Pfeiffer 24) in Rome. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm (Summer time).
In any case, your stamped Via Francigena pilgrim passport or ‘credential’ (as with the Camino de Santiago) will be the proof that you have walked the distance required to apply for the Via Francigena Testimonium and must be stamped from the beginning point of your journey to Rome and all along the way.
*Sources: Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, Association Internationale Via Francigena, PilgrimstoRome.org.uk, VieFrancigene.org
For more information about the Via Francigena, the Camino to Rome, or to book your trip, contact our travel specialists
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