These are two of the traditional rites of a pilgrim's arrival, and the cathedral describes both. For the embrace you climb a few steps to the small chamber behind the statue of the Apostle and rest your arms on its silver cape for a moment; the cape is a 2004 replica of the 1704 original, which is kept in the cathedral museum. The crypt below was arranged at the end of the nineteenth century, and there pilgrims pause to pray before the urn.
Go between the Masses. The cathedral allows no visits during celebrations, and the Pilgrim's Mass is celebrated at the main altar at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., noon, and 7:30 p.m., so the early morning, the afternoon, and the later evening are the times to come. On Saturdays in summer the cathedral closes at 8:30 p.m. Backpacks are not allowed inside, so leave yours at your lodging or at a luggage store first. The cathedral publishes no waiting times for the embrace; expect a line on busy days. The Portico of Glory, the museum, and the roofs are a separate, ticketed visit, open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In the Compostela Holy Year of 2027 the visit carries more. The cathedral's calendar sets the solemn opening of the Holy Door for 5:00 p.m. on December 31, 2026, and the conditions it gives for the jubilee indulgence are a visit to the tomb of the Apostle with a prayer, confession, and Holy Communion. The jubilee does not depend on arriving on foot or on receiving the Compostela. Hours here were read on the cathedral's website on October 10, 2026.