Santiago Pilgrim's Mass

Santiago de Compostella

Oct 15. Wednesday

The only kilometers we will walk today are to hail a cab for a ride to the airport. 

We are snug in bed in Josephina's third floor bedroom at 8 AM and it is still dark outside. John is snoozing soundly and the rain is coming down in bucketfuls outside of our window. He is in a lot of pain and was up and down all night. His back, hips, Achilles' tendon, Morton's neuroma, shin splints and general pain of the last 45 days of walking, have hit. Sleeping until 8 is a luxury. We don't do this at home, but since we are both so very tired, it's no surprise.

John did some laundry in our little bathroom yesterday afternoon and it isn't dry. The clothes he wanted to wear today are damp. Perhaps in an hour the t-shirt will be a bit better. As it stands, we will pack our damp clothes in plastic bags and stretch them out to dry at our hotel in NYC on Thursday afternoon. 

During the fair weather yesterday, we went to a few souvenir shops in search of a small bag to use for carry on. It seems like every tienda is filled with souvenirs, some very nice and some very junky. I'm not willing to walk through the airport with the backpack, hence the need for a little bag. I'm done with that. Maybe we should have purchased a shirt for John, too. We also stopped for some orujo, wine and food at a local place that was not too expensive. We enjoyed lively conversation with other pilgrims, two of whom we recognized from walking. Pink Hair Girl now has a name, Amanda, and is from Tasmania. She is delightful and we hope she will come over to couchsurf in Kapoho someday. As 7:30 PM drew near, we bid our fellow travelers farewell and headed to the pilgrims mass in the cathedral. 

Being the evening mass, it was not as well attended as the noon service probably is. Again, we followed along as best we could. The vespers service was delightful. The cantor's voice was a beautiful low tenor and I know God was listening in, as we were, to the praises and thanks. During the sermon, the priest spent time recognizing pilgrims who completed their journeys since the last mass at noon. Pilgrims from Hawaii were recognized. I, of course, was teary eyed most of the mass. That's me, 'Miss Emotions On Sleeve'.

Toward the end of the service, after sharing the Peace, communion and the Lord's Prayer, six men in dark red robes came near the alter to the pillar that held the ropes for the botafumeria in place. There were other men in the same dark red robes at the alter. The ropes were loosened, the botafumeria was lowered and the incense was lit.

Then began the swinging process. I tried to take video, but I was overtaken with emotion and really just wanted to watch.

It is an amazing flight of burning incense, in a beautiful golden basket. This festive part of the pilgrims mass does not happen at every mass. We were told, by the woman who processed our credentials, this only happens when it's paid for. I'm not quite sure what this means, but we were blessed to be at this particular mass to witness this ancient custom.  In ancient times, the incense most probably was used to help fumigate the pilgrims. 

After mass, we shivered our way back to the third floor of Josephina's place and decided to use our sleeping bags. It was SO cold. Some snuggling, then a few hours of restless sleep.