We needed to leave our beautiful accommodation at 4.30am. The Pilgrim Mass in Cathedral started at 12 noon, so we hoped to enter the cathedral by 11am because 2000 pilgrims arrived at Santiago every day. This time I borrowed Conchita's stick as my legs were really aching.
 |
| Welcome to Santiago! |
That morning was not the first time we walked in the dark. However, the stars were sooo amazing. (un)fortunately, Wei Lian's and Josephine's cameras were good enough to capture the stars, so we paused here and there to take photo of the stars. Interestingly, that morning we also made a new friend from Germany. She shared with Carol about her journey to find God and that day was her birthday! So, when we stopped for quick breakfast, we sang happy birthday for her.
There was one horrible uphill when we almost reached the Cathedral. It was called Mount of Joy because from the top of the hill, we could see the view of the Cathedral. However, it was cloudy on that day so we couldn't see much. Actually the uphill was not that bad =P
 |
| Mount of Joy |
 |
| When we almost reached the Cathedral, we saw this monument which displayed some images of the saints |
We finally reached the Cathedral around 11.20am. Apparently big backpacks were not allowed so after we got our seats, some of us deposited our backpacks at visitors' center. Our guide also lost her mobile phone in the Cathedral :(:(
The Cathedral was sooo amazing. I cried after I received the Holy Communion. I guess this 5-day-walk was really a renewal experience for me. Every morning we were not sure whether we could 'finish' the walk, yet God showed His grace through great people around us, great view, great singing-buddies, and we did finish the walk. I really feel that this pilgrimage is a mini-version of our life as pilgrims on earth. There will be lots of moments when we thought we can't do it anymore, but it's worthwhile. It's worthwhile to continue walking with our heavy backpacks. It's worthwhile to continue carrying our sleeping bags because the night was freezing. Perhaps these sleeping bags are the reflection of our norms of piety throughout the day: the prayer, the rosary, or even our formation. It require sacrifice to carry it, but it protects us from the coldness of the world.
 |
| the huge thurible which was not used unless on Fridays and Feast Days or during Pilgrim Masses in Jubilee Years |
 |
| the holy door |
 |
| the tomb of St James |
 |
| a side chapel where St Josemaria celebrated a Mass once here in the cathedral |
 |
| the inner part of the holy door |
 |
| It depicted how a priest found the tomb of St James |
 |
| below was the Necrapolis |
 |
| heaven was portrayed on the top part |
We had a yummy lunch and we dropped our bags at Maruxa's uncle's and aunty's house. Maruxa is our Spanish friend who worked in Barcelona but grew up in Santiago. We tried to encourage her to do Camino because she hasn't done the Camino even though her town is always filled with pilgrims! Then we had a tour in the Cathedral and we also explored the compound around the Cathedral. We didn't go down to the Necrapolis, a mass graveyard of the first Christians where you can see many people buried in the position of facing where St. James was buried (similar with the one that was found under St. Peter's Basilica). That's why the doctrine of Assumption of Our Lady was very evident. If Our Lady was not assumed to heaven, there should be similar Necrapolis around the tomb of Our Lady because it was the first Christians' tradition to want to be buried near to the holy people.
 |
| the father of St James |
 |
| and the mother of St James |
We took our bags then took bus to Maruxa's parents house. We had a very late dinner and shower (not too late according to Spanish dinner time, 11pm). The next day we needed to leave the house early to catch our train to Madrid for the Beatification Mass. Thus, the second part of our trip has begun ^^
No comments:
Post a Comment