[Gocamino] [saintjames] Re: Northern Way

[blaroli at aol.com]

Reb and all,
I was on the Camino del Norte, and the Sobrados Monastery, the Summer of 2005.?
The moss and the weeds were already overrunning the place, and the roofs had begun to leak seriously.?
That was why nine months ago the monks went to the Xunta with photographs of the conditions and the damage asking for assistance which, happily, is forthcoming.? If you went inside the large church you will have seen it empty and with sort-of an abandoned air. When I was there the only thing inside the church was a large replica, in wood and impressively detailed, of the Santiago Cathedral; the side chapels, as most of the church, were dark, but with the?light coming through? the top windows?one could not but be impressed? by the beauty of their carvings, niches, and doorways; walking?almost behind the altar, on the right side, there is an inconspicuous chapel, almost hidden, where the murals have survived in part. There is one with the monks standing, at vespers, with candles, which nailed me to the spot for almost half an hour.? I could feel transported centuries back in time.? The bottom part of the mural has faded away, and what remains of it is mostly in blacks and dark browns.... but the devotion depicted in the figures is so touchingly depicted?that one feels almost as an intruder......like looking inside a grave long-closed.
I don't remember if taking pictures was permitted in the church, but even if pictures had been allowed I would not have taken one feeling?that a flash, or a sudden burst of light, ?or wind, would damage what remains of the?mural, and the chapel?was too dark to attempt to take a photo without a flash.
By the way, one of the monks said that they do open the church? on special occasions and services are held there.
I looked and looked in the Monastery's little store for a book, or something, with illustrations of the contents of the chapels, but, alas! I didn't find any.??

In a related subject, the Santiago municipality has finally approved the Archdiocese's plan to refurbish the albergue at the seminary.? You might remember that there were a lot of bureaucratic difficulties because the Seminary is located in the Santiago Casco, as it were. The new albergue will be built on the part of the Seminary that fronts Lugo Avenue, next to the railing that divides the Rua Quiroga Palacios. It is planned that the new albergue will accomodate 350 pilgrims year-round and 500 in the summer months.? To carry out the project it will be necessary to close out the present Belvis albergue since its housing will be part of the new one.? It is expected that the new seminary-albergue will be completed in time for it to be used in 2010, the next Holy Xacobean Year.

Hugs!

Rosina?



----- 




Unsubscribe 





RECENT ACTIVITY



2

New Members


Visit Your Group 



Green Groups

on Yahoo! Groups

share your passion

for the planet.



Fitness Edge

A Yahoo! Group

about sharing fitness

and endurance goals.



Beauty & Fashion

on Yahoo! Groups

Share style tips

and advice.




.

 
__,_._,___ 

________________________________________________________________________
Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com