Providence College Students Complete 160-Mile Walk in Spain

Eleven student-athletes from Providence College completed a 160-mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain in May 2026. The group, led by athletics chaplain Rev. Dominic Verner, O.P., walked the ancient route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which holds the remains of St. James.

The participants represented four Division I teams, including women’s ice hockey, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and cross country. They were joined by two mentors: Erich Miller ’20Hon. and PC parent John Barry. The group began their journey with varying levels of experience, with some having walked only six days prior to joining the main trek.

Swimming and diving team member Isabella Marcos ’28 provided a detailed account of the experience in a report for PC News. Marcos, a pre-med biology major from Pittsburgh, walked the route after her father, who was born in Asturias, completed the El Camino Primitivo in 2013. He shared over 200 photographs of his 2013 journey with her before she departed.

The group faced physical challenges throughout the trek, including a first day that covered 20 miles. A key moment occurred at La Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the Camino Francés at 1,500 meters above sea level. Pilgrims traditionally leave a stone from home at the iron cross to symbolize letting go of burdens. Marcos noted that the group shared a moment of vulnerability at this landmark before continuing for another 15 miles.

Marcos celebrated her birthday while the group was in Villafranca del Bierzo. Her teammate Elizabeth Glasspool ’26 carried her bag during the walk, and Father Verner arranged a surprise dinner with a cake. The group completed the final 13 miles together, arriving in Santiago de Compostela where Marcos said she found a sense of silence despite the surrounding noise.

The pilgrimage concluded with the arrival at the cathedral. Marcos, who is a member of the swimming and diving team and minoring in Spanish, described the final stretch as a time for reflection on her purpose and faith. The group's journey ended with a shared meal and a moment of quiet contemplation at the site.