Sv: Re: Roncesvalles church

[fkjaer]

Polly,

You wrote:

> I wonder, Rosina, about the Pilgrims' blessing in Roncesvalles.  How often
> does the blessing happen, once a week, every day?  And are there other
> ceremonies like this along the way?
> Thank you,
> Polly

I take the liberty of trying to answer your question by forwarding a couple of old posting from the now closed Santiago Listserv, the 10th of July 2000; one by Paul C. Newfield and one of mine:

>>Ana and Liz,

I don't know if there is a blessing in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, but there definitely is one in Roncesvalles. At the end of the evening mass Monday the 19th of June at 08:00 p.m. we pilgrims were invited to the altar and received the blessing. It was in spanish and french plus an abridged version in english.
As I understood it, there would be a corresponding mass in the morning, but at that time most of us were on the way to Zubiri or Larrasoaña.
When I later went to mass in Estrella at the Iglesia de San Pedro, the priest asked if there were any pilgrims present, and again we were invited to the altar. The priest asked each of us where we were from - we were five, four spaniards and me from Denmark - and he told us that the prayer we had received at Roncesvalles dated from 1078, whereupon he said it again and added, that we would never be alone on the camino; Jesus would walk with us. Finally he shook our hands and wished us a "¡ Buen camino !" and we received a photocopy of the blessing in Spanish plus - for me - a translation in English.
Of the two blessings, I liked the one in Estrella the most, because it was more personal. The priest spoke to each of us individually, whereas in Roncesvalles we were so many pilgrims, that that was impossible. Furthermore, the blessing in Estrella happened at an ordinary evening mass ("Vesper"?) with the locals - mostly women (the men went to bar instead, I think!) - and came as a pleasant surprise.
The blessing of the pilgrims may be a part of the mass in other towns along the camino but I didn't hear it. Maybe others can shed a light upon that question? For example St. Jean-Pied-de-Port?
If other pilgrims or wanna-be's would like to know the text of the pilgrim's blessing at Roncesvalles it is here, copied from the paper I received in Estrella:

"BENEDICTIÓN AL PEREGRINO

ORACION

Oh Dios, que sacaste a tu siervo Abrahán de la ciudad de Ur de los Caldeos, guardándolo en todas sus peregrinaciones, y que fuiste el guía del pueblo hebreo a través del desierto; te pedimos que te dignes guardar a estos siervos tuyos que, por amor de tu nombre, peregrinan a SANTIAGO. Sé para ellos compañero y guia de marcha, aliento en el cansancio, defensa en los peligros, albergue en el camino, sombra en el calor, luz en la oscuridad, consuelo en sus desalientos y firmeza en sus propósitos para que, por tu guía, lleguen sanos y salvos al término de su camino y, enriquecidos de gracias y virtudes, vuelvan con salud a sus casas, con perenne alegría y paz. Por Jesucristo Ntro Señor."

In english:

"Oh God, You Who took up your servant Abraham from the city of Ur of the Chaldeans, Watching over him in alle his wanderings, You who were the guide of the Hebrew people in the desert, we ask that You deign to take care of these your servants who, for love of your name, make a pilgrimage to Compostela. Be a companion for them along the path, a guide at crossroads, strength in their weariness, defense before dangers, shelter on the way, shade against the heat, light in the darkness, a comforter in their discouragements, and firmness in their intentions, in order that, through your guidance, they might arrive unscathed at the end of their journey and, enriched with graces and virtues, they might return safely to their homes, which now lament their absence, filled with salutary and lasting joy. Through Jesus Christ Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
    May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend on you.
All: Amen.
Priest: May the Lord direct your steps with his approval, and be your inseparable companion an the entire camino.
All: Amen.
Priest: May the Virgin Mary grant you her maternal protection, defend you in alle dangers of soul and body, and may you merit to arrive safely at the end of your pilgrimage under her mantle.
All: Amen.
Priest: May the Archangel Rafael accompany you on the camino as he accompanied Tobias, and protect you from every injury and obstacle.
All: Amen."

I have copied the English translation from the recommendable:

Hoinacki, Lee: El camino. Walking to Santiago de Compostela.
The Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, Pennsylvania. © 1996.
Second printing, USA 1997. ISBN 0-271-01612-4

as it seemed to be better than the copy I received in Estrella plus it had some dialogue between the priest and the congregation.

After such a blessing: who needs pepper-spray or ultrasonic devises?

¡ Buen camino !

Frans.<<

and the same day Paul C. Newfield wrote:

>>Unless I was completely pooped, I would try to go to the evening
mass at the local church.  I was never dissapointed, and was
most usually delighted by the ~surprise de jour~.

At Los Arcos, we (some fellow pilgrims and I) went to the church, and
after the mass were given a blessing and a tour of the church.

The same at Viena, mass and then a tour of the church (Viena is where the
plaque on the sidewalk remembering Caesere Borgia). But Viena was special
because after the mass, the priest's tour included a viewing of the
church's treasury - a huge vault in the sacristy which when opened
disclosed 5 or so large glass shelves, rising from floor to ceiling and
behind security glass, and containing jeweled reliquaries, chalices,
monstrances, etc. And each item in the case had its own particular story.

Additionally, each of these churches has its own, particular ~cello~, and
it was another occasion to have my ~credenciales~ stamped. <<