Santiago - Pilgrim Mass on Friday

Friday, October 16

We slept in til 8:30 am and had a lovely breakfast in the sunroom of the Hotel Costa Vella. Then off to meet Carmen and Alberto in the cathedral for noon Pilgrim Mass. Mass was packed -- but we got there early for good seats to see the altar. About 15 concelebrants came out in a procession- all in red vestments. There were Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, German and Italian priests. The main celebrant read out all the starting places for the Camino and how many from each country had arrived. We were in the Astorga group.

It was very emotional to see the pilgrims just coming in and to feel a part of this huge community of peregrinos.

The highlight was the use of the enormous incenser at the end of Mass -- about 4 ft high and 2 ft wide that six men swing from from the high point of the church. It was amazing to see this huge incensor going about 40 mph and flying over our heads. It hearkens back to medieval times when pilgrims would come and sleep in the chursch and because of lack of washing facilities and mores of hte times, the odor was unbearable. Altar boys used to run up and down the aisles with incensers burning. The botafumeiro is from the 15th century.

After Mass, we bid adios to Carmen and Alberto who are heading to Vigo to visit friends. It was an emotional farewell -- they had bought us a gift of a beautiful post of the Camino and signed it for a remembrance. We shall miss them very much. They will always be a precious part of the Camino for us.

More later. I am posting from the Santiago Airport on our way to Madrid.