Donkeys and the Camino

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
You may remember that when Howard MURPHY completed his pilgrimage, a couple
of months ago, he told us about the problems he encountered dealing with the
use of a cart and donkey which he had engaged for the Camino.
Many pilgrims have sought to use donkeys as porters of the backpacks, or to
carry tents and cooking utensils to avoid the time constraints of the
albergues, or, on occasion, to help carry small children.
A network has been established for those interested in the use of donkeys.
You may access it at:       plateroayahoogroups.com
The site will discuss relay donkey services from town-to-town, the care and
handling of donkeys to preclude the need of a handler, and night facilities
for them (several churches along the way have made their cloisters or
courtyards available for the purpose).
The site is named after a gorgeous prose-poem called "Platero y yo", which is
the story and relationship between a donkey, Platero (silvery), and a young
sensitive and soulful boy. I expect that the poem has been read by most, if
not all, the half billion or so Spanish-speaking people on this planet.
Donkeys have a long history and a hold warm place in the heart of Christians.
 It was a donkey that pregnant Mary rode on her way to Jerusalem; it was a
donkey's breath that warmed Baby Jesus in the manger of the stable where He
was born; it was a donkey that Mary and the Child Jesus rode in their flight
to Egypt to escape Herod's massacre of the innocents, and it was a donkey
that the Man Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Th. Gospels tell us
that Jesus instructed one of the Disciples to bring to Him a she-donkey, and
her young, for the purpose.
It is no coincidence that the greatest religious theater that I know of,
known as Holy Week in Seville, commences on Palm Sunday with the life-size
images of Jesus on the donkey, accompanied by some women with their children,
the donkey's offspring, some shepherds and our very own Saint James.  The
procession contains only children, hundreds and hundreds of them, dressed in
tunics that bear the Jacobean Cross and the bands play, among others,
several Santiago marches.
That procession is called "La Borriquita" (the small she-donkey) and is
immensely popular, not only because of the children, but also because of the
images.  After completing the official procession course the images are put
on exhibition in the church of San Salvador for the rest of Holy Week where
they are always surrounded by crowds of admirers.
Someone recently gave me a scanner..... if I ever learn to use it I shall
post some pictures of that procession with the children in their Jacobean
garb, our own Santiago, and of course the animal with the "angel eyes".
If the relay donkey services, etc., get coordinated and in proper running
order, I most certainly will use it next year.
Blessings and fond greetings,
Rosina