Manjarin. Another botafumeiro

[Rosina Lila]

Hello,
The 'last Templar', Tomas Manjarin, and his devoted group of friends and 'new
templars'  now have a web page:
                                            www.manjarin.tk
the site has lots of pictures of that unforgettable albergue on the Irago
Mountain, by the Cruz de Ferro, in the snow, and announcements of the new
Templars activities. and plans  You'd like it.
  If the new Templars accept women I think I'll apply for membership since I
do have a very soft spot for those soldier-monk-bankers who, after
unbelievable achievements and sacrifices fell victim to the naked greed and arrogance of
a single French king.
(A new book about the Templars was published in Spain last June.  It is
excellent.... and sad.)
Anyway, do look up the web page, you'll enjoy it.  The basic narrative in
Spanish is short and I will translate it if you wish.
-----
Knowing my fondness for all things Medieval, a friend gave me a series of
DVDs last week containing the BBC production of the CADFAEL stories.  Brother
Cadfael was an 11th century Benedictine monk (and former soldier-crusader) who
was also a herbalist healer and a crack detective.  The episodes are mysteries.
One of the episodes, entitled "The Pilgrim of Hate" depicts not only the
panoply, devotion, chicanery,  disorder and messiness that we keep reading about
took place in pilgrimages way back then, but also a large botafumeiro
continually swaying through the length of  the church for its original purpose: to
minimize the olfactory offenses and injuries attending the presence of those
ancient pilgrims.
It is nice to read about what may have gone on centuries and centuries ago,
and while nothing can better one's imagination, it is also very nice to see the
imagined settings on a visual medium, particularly through those admirable
BBC productions.  The monk, by the way, is acted by (Sir) Derek Jacobi, of
cherished " I, Claudius" fame..
Of the slew of Camino books that I recently got in Spain, one of the most
enjoyable is "El Camino de Santiago",- andares de un peregrino en la Espana del
siglo X11-
(Camino of Santiago- wanderings of a pilgrim in twelfth century Spain) , by
Inez Ruis Montejo; 2004, ISBN 84-95-440-65-2. The book is written around
Aymeric Picaud experiences, and with such wit and style  that it actually manages to
turn the essence of the Codex Calistinus saga  into an irresistible
page-turner!
A bookstore chain informed that more than 400 books about the Camino have
been published so far this year.  Some of the ones I saw are gorgeous photograpic
and artistic numbers. I don't know whether the sheer number, and the luxury,
of the publications reflect the affluence of Spain (reportedly the second
fastest growing economy in Europe), or the fascination of all of us with that
state of mind and heart that we call The Camino.
Fond regards,
Rosina
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