[Gocamino] Santiago news

[Blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
Happy Dia de Santiago.
The light, sound and fireworks commemoration in Santiago last night were a 
resounding success..... to no one's surprise.
Among other things:
Because of the heightened state of alert everywhere the National Police 
deployed a helicopter guard to watch over Santiago. The machine, piloted by 
policewoman Pilar,  hovered 300 meters up in the air (four times the height of the 
Cathedral's towers) and kept watch over the Casco in  general, official 
buildings, Monte del Gozo and the railroad and bus stations.
Further, police dogs were in patrol both around Obradeiro, Quintana and 
Azabacheria, and even inside the Cathedral sniffing for gunpowder. As of 5:00 p.m. 
yesterday, and all of today, backpacks were not permitted in the Cathedral; 
the Pilgrims' office set up facilities not only for storing the backpacks, but 
even for carrying them there as pilgrims were arriving for the 6:00 p.m. Mass.
Because of the   number of pilgrims this summer, (much larger than expected). 
the Archdiocese is contemplating having a second Pilgrims' Mass at 6:00 p.m. 
for the rest of the summer and restricting visitors' tours to the same hours 
as last year.
And, yes, the Botafumeiro soars daily.

Also, yesterday, at 11:30 a.m. three Hungarian pilgrims arrived in Obradeiro 
on horseback, followed by a cart pulled by two donkeys carrying three young 
people and a dog. They were all  in Cossack  attire. These pilgrims started out 
in Vorpulota (100 kms. south of Budapest) on April 18, and traveled 3,332 kms 
to Santiago over the French Camino. They had to stop on the way because one of 
their mounts, a mare, gave birth to a foal in the Puente La Reina environs; 
(reportedly mother and child are doing well).  The pilgrims will go on to 
Fisterre "to burn their old clothes" and will return to Hungary using the same 
means: horseback and donkeys'-drawn cart.  They will have transversed 7,000 kms. 
in such manner by the time they get back home.
Last Wednesday, in anticipation of Saint James' Day, 60 new "Knights" and 
"Dames" were inducted in the "Order of the Knights of Santiago"  in Melide.  When 
they arrived in Santiago days later they attended the Pilgrims' Mass and then 
proceeded to the Pilgrims' Park to the traditional planting of the pilgrims' 
trees.   The word for "knight" in Spanish is "caballero" which literally means 
"horseman"; yet, all the new inductees decried the image of Santiago on 
horseback brandishing a sword, and pledged to work towards ameliorating its 
aggressive aspects. 
....It seems that such effort has already been afoot. The newest statue of 
Santiago on horseback, situated in front of the Deputies building on Orreo 
street (a block or so from Galicia Square),  has the Apostle riding side-saddle and 
showing a countenance full of tenderness, compassion and love.  The horse 
itself is a sweetie pie that one cannot keep from petting. 
(I've some not-very-good pictures of the statue and will attempt to put them 
here and send them to those of you who may want to see it). 
Happy Saint James day!

Rosina