SanTiago and San Rocco and arrivederci.

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
    When I went to Venice for Thanksgiving I was not able to get any
substantial information about St. Rocco's pilgrimage to Santiago, other than
general assertions that in San Rocco's times most better off young men made
pilgrimages to Santiago, and that San Rocco, being French and, therefore,
closer to Spain, was surely to have done so.  I was directed, however, to
sources at the pontifical library in Assisi which are believed to contain
more precise information.
    In truth, I did not try too hard to find relative data..... Venice being
Venice... Besides, when I got there, and for most of the few days that I
spent there, Venice was entirely enveloped in a thick, magnificent fog.  It
was impossible to distinguish the sea, or lagoon, from the sky, and as people
walked they sort of disappeared in the mist and became one with the sea-sky
element.  Having being so occupied in the effort to process so many (so very
many) death certificates, I guess that my mind was death imbued .... yet,
watching people walking in Venice, and disappearing as though they had become
souls united to the universe, I was consoled thinking that death can be
beautiful.
    Further, during those times when the tourists give Venice a rest, the
Venetians take their city to heart and go to town having all sorts of
celebrations.  On thanksgiving day they were celebrating our Lady of the
Salute and had built a bridge on boats, for the occasion, leading from the
San Marco side to the church.  The bridge was lit by torches, day and night,
and looked after by the Carabinieri in full regalia, and edged by little
islands of winter flowers. I was mesmerized by the way in which the vaporetti
managed to make it under that bridge with about one inch to spare on either
side.  There were also those bagpipers and their lively dirges giving the
scene a fantastic atmosphere.
    There was a long line to get inside of the church, and once there one
easily could miss the NYC subway at rush hour for its comparative roominess.
There were services in all of the altars of the church, at the same time,
with music and all, and more candles that I have even seen anywhere. It took
about an hour or so just to make it through the inside of the church which,
as many of you surely know, it is really small.
    Outside, there were saltimbanchi and musicians in period costumes, and
lots and lots of pastry and candy making.... as well as that delicious white
wine which they serve hot to be stirred with a cinnamon stick.  As my
hotelier friend said "all Venice was there".
    The next day the bridge was gone, the church was back to its heavenly and
majestic  whiteness and the whole area was as clean and peaceful as a
postcard of the Dogana in winter.
    Back in New York and now, I have been medically ordered to take a rest of
a few weeks; the doctors are very insistent and I shall comply.  Therefore, I
am leaving tomorrow, Saturday for Venice to spend New Year's and a few days
there, and will spend the rest of January in Italy during my prescribed
idleness.  I plan to go to Pisa, to see the renovated tower, and spend a few
days in Assisi (which I love and where I would like to live out my life).
-Since I have the time, I will probably walk from Rome to Assisi, which is
something I have wanted to do for some time.-  The Pope is having a meeting
of world religious leaders there around the 25th of January, so I'll try to
get there much sooner and avoid the multitudes, in order to pursue the San
Rocco's leads which were given to me in Venice.
    I was going to send you this message tomorrow, just before I leave, but I
am doing it today so that if there is something that I can look up for you,
or get for you,  while I am in Italy there is time for you to send me a
message about it.
    On an unrelated note,  among my Christmas presents there is a book about
a pilgrimage in America called "The Road to Guadalupe, a Modern Pilgrimage to
the Goddess of America"; the book was written by Eryk Hanut, from Las Vegas
(who wrote a book about Marlene Dietrich) and deals with the pilgrimage to
our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City which receives an estimated
seventy five thousand pilgrims a month.  The book's ISBN is 1-58542-120-0.  I
haven't read it yet, but shall do so on the plane.
    By the way, three days ago the Pope inaugurated a website to the Virgin
of Guadalupe's Cathedral.   The site address is:
www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx
    There has been a series of very interesting messages, in Portuguese, in a
Spanish Camino list-serv,  from a Brazilian pilgrim referring to the believed
pilgrimage of St. Thomas to South America. After I finish the work that I
still must complete, and pack and all, if I have time I will translate the
messages and post them.   If  I don't have the time I may print and take them
 with me and will send them  from abroad.  (I do look into the cyber-world in
stores sand cafes now and then).
    Much affection to you all.  I am truly, deeply thankful for this list,
and for you, and I wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year.
    Love ya!
Rosina