[Gocamino] [saintjames] Re: Festival Aims to Popularize Pilgrimages - Rome

[Rosina]

Hi Faymond,,
My message says that unlike ?Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, Medjourge or, even, the Pilar Virgin in Spain, Nossa Senhora Aparecida of Brasil is not related to an apparition of the Virgin Mary. .
To put it more clearly, of all the ones mentioned, the only one not related to an apparition, or vision, of? Mary is the Nossa Senhora Aparecida image in Brasil.
Our Lady Maria del Pilar (Mary of the Pillar), commemorates the apparition,? atop a Roman column, (pillar) of the Virgin Mary to Saint James, in Zaragoza, to revive the apostle's courage and commitment when he was returning to Palestine defeated, rejected?and dejected. That apparition of the Virgin is the more significant because when it took place Mary was still alive in Jerusalem.? When Saint James got back there the first thing he did was visit Mary.? Most of the things known about Jesus, of which many are reported in the Gospels, are believed to have been memories shared by Mary with the apostles?in the many years that she survived her Son.
The tremendously impressive Zaragoza Cathedral was built around the column upon which Mary appeared to Saint James. There is a small opening in the center of the Cathedral through which the?faithful may touch, or kiss, the pillar. An infinite number of women in Spain are named Maria del Pilar, as were my own maternal grandmother and my oldest sister. The Zaragoza cathedral also contains some of the most beautiful oil paintings and marble statues of Saint James. There are no words that I know to describe its "Mary chapel" It can only be visited, seen and thoroughly heart-experienced..?
The May walk to Rocio is a "romeria" (the largest in Spain) and not a pilgrimage per se.? Thousands and thousands walk from several cities and towns in Andalucia, particularly from Sevilla, to the? Rocio "Ermita" which is a white church abutting?a lovely lagoon (where white horses wade) where the Rocio image is housed. The entire walk is a week-long party in the open air.?Most of those who go, males and females, are attired in flamenco costume. Food, utensils?for cooking, wine, etc., are carried in oxen-drawn carriages elaborately adorned...... there is much singing, dancing, eating and drinking throughout, particularly at night around the cooking and warming fires.... the endeavor? may well take up to seven days, but could easily be done in two (from Sevilla). One sleeps in the open, under the trees and stars..... although with all the singing, playing and dancing all night sleep is nary impossible.... which is why there are ?long naps taken during the day. The houses (farm-like) around the church are unoccupied year-round, except for the May festival;?they are mostly? owned by grandees, aristocrats or rich entertainers who are devoted to the Virgen of Rocio (they call themselves Rocieros). The high?point of the festivities is the taking out of the (fairly small) image for a procession around the grounds in an atmosphere, and scenario?that is hard to be believed, even when witnessed, and which not even Spielberg could reproduce. It? is a torrential?outpouring of human sentiment at its fantastic extremes, with the color and music that can only cascade in Andalucia.
Visting the Ermita at other than the May festival time is quite lovely....It is still=quiet, very white, the lagoon is splendid, and because of its proximity to the Santa Ana bird sanctuary woods, one can sit in front of the church at the one bar that remains open year-round and sip a beer admiring the birds, the horses, and the uniqueness of the peaceful beauty of the place in all its splendor.? At night, under the moon that reflects on the lagoon, competing with?the white lights? that emanate from the church, and surrounded by the chirps of nocturnal birds, the place is very heaven.
Hugs!
Rosina
ps. I'll look around for some photos of the Ermita and will send them to you if you wish.
-----Original Message-----
From: Raymond Francis <raymondfrancis at hotmail.com>
To: saintjames at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:40 am
Subject: RE: [saintjames] Re: [Gocamino] Festival Aims to Popularize Pilgrimages - Rome







... While going thrun your last mail about Notre Dame of Guadeloupe, I came across thre the following statement:

"...Curiously,?unlike Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, Medjourge, or even the?Pilar Virgin in Spain,? "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" in Brasil, despite the name,?is not related to an apparition, or vision, of the Virgin Mary on earth.? It?is, however, surrounded by a very lovely, and very human story which I can relate to you if you wish..."

I was a surprised when the statement mentioned that "...Pilar Virgin in Spain is not related to an apparition or a vision of the Virgin Mary on earth". Please correct me if I am mistaken: My understanding thru what I read is that the Virgin Mary appeared to St James around the year 42AD and gave him a statute and a column and required to build a church on the apparition site...? 

I take this opportunity to express the unforgettable and intense emotions I experienced during the last 112kms to Compostela that I have achieved in 7 days the last month; to the extent that I am considering at present to make in May, 09 the pilgrimage to the Virgin of Rocio.

I greatly appreciate if you can extend some guidance with this regard. I only know that it is a 7 day walk from Sevilla. But I don't have any clue about the dwelling during the walk. 

Thank you for your advice!

Raymond Francis 
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