Credential and a beer

[Rosina Lila]

Hola,
Sevilla is at its striking beautiful, as usual, but perhaps even more so.  The temperature is hovering around 100 degreed F., nevertheless, it is a bearable dry heat.
I don´t think I know another city as loved by its inhabitants and as well taken care of by its authorities.  Seville was, of course, the main center of the Romans in the Iberia peninsula, way back when, and, indeed, the birth-place of at least two Roman emperors, and the care that the Romans lavished on the city perdures; later, during the Moorish occupation, the city took on an Arabic flavor, characterized by the inner atria of the buildings with their center fountains and the lavish greenery everywhere.
I had not been in Seville during the Summer in about 15 years and I´d forgotten how beautiful it is bereft of the Holy Week multitudes; it is, however, fairly awash in French, Italian, British  and German visitors.
As in most Arabic-type cities, the streets are quite narrow with the idea of minimizing the impact of the sun bearing down on those walking by.  During the summer, there are canvas horizontal curtains stretched atop the streets, from side to side, to shelter the walkers from both sun and rain, those canvases sway with the wind and give an impression of a myriad sails of tall ships all over the city.
I just ADORE the place.
The Cathedral is the second largest church in Christendom, second only to Saint Peter´s in Rome. and it is unlike most large churches in that it does not hace a cupola, but it has a minaret, built by the Moors, which now functions as a bell tower. The church is immense and I, for one, have given up the hope to get to see it all since many of its chapels, naves, etc., are closed at one time or another. Built in the thirteen century and later, the church is a laberinthine place where it is difficult to find one´s way; the door to the office where the credentials are dispensed is a minuscule side door, easily overseen, and I would imagine, hard to find without perserverance and some knowledge of Spanish.
Which is why, Sevillians being Sevillians, have a system whereby a Santiago pilgrim may obtain the credential at a bar (yup! a bar).  The name of the bar is TABERNA MIAMI and it is located ot San Jacinto street No. 21 in the Triana neigborhood. Seville, like Paris, is divided by a large river, the famous Guadalquivir, and Triana is somewhat equivalent to Paris´left bank (The center of the City and the Cathedral are on the other side, referred to by the locals as "Sevilla".)
Most anything in Sevilla is within walking distance, as is Traana, and the Miami Tabern.  The Association of Friends of the Camino in Seville is located next door to the bar, at 25 San Jacinto Street on the 1st. floor (equivalent to our second floor), but someone is there only during certain hours, which is why the bar functions as dispenser of Camino information, credentials, etc.  At the bar, one must provide the usual personal data and fill up the usual form; the credential then is sealed on the spot, upon which one is offered a glass of beer or a glass of summer wine on the house.
Somewhat concerned about the validity of a credential rendered under such circumstances we went to the Cathedral the very next morning with our credentials and were assured that the credentials were indeed quite legitimate; we were given the Cathedral´s seal and the longest personal pilgrim´s blessing that I remember.  We four were asked to kneel and received the lenghty blessing, in Spanish, which, (I later learned), came straight out of the Codex.
We were also encouraged to go to confession before commencing the Camino (my relatives seemed relieved to know that there are no English speaking confessors in Sevilla).
Now, last year, at Castrogeriz, in the Church of the Apple, there was a lovely exhibition of poems, paintings, etc., about the Virgin.  This year marks the 150th anniversary of the time when Rome officially accepted that the Virgin is Immaculate; the religiopus authorities issued a dogma to that effect then.  In order to commmemorate the fact, there is an exhibition of art about the Virgin at the present time in the Cathedral which is, simply, spell binding in context and scope.  Further, to accomodate the vast exhibition, inner chapels are accessible; some of them are just as absolutely beautiful as that white one in the Burgos Cathedral about which Linda writes so admiringly in her book.
So, Kat, if you run acreoss Beverly Donofrio  (the author of "Looking for Mary" and other popular books, incljuding "Running around wity boys", which was made into a movie), do tell her about this exhibition which will run through November)
So long for now..... Summer wine awaits.
Big hug!
Rosina