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

[Rosina]

Hi Raymond,
In mediaeval times those making a pilgrimage to Rome were called "romeros" and the effort was called "romeria", those going to Jerusalem were called "palmeros" and those going to Santiago were called "peregrinos" (pilgrims). Those three were, and are, the historically traditional Christian pilgrimages.
Over the centuries during which the Spaniards freed their country from the Moors, the attempts to make a pilgrimage to Rome were highly curtailed, and the faithful who wanted to "pray with their feet"  formed long-distance processions to a preferred church to visit a venerated image.  As the various kingdoms that today form Spain united and freed themselves from foreign religious influences the mood in visiting regional churches became triumphantly festive, and it is that gaiety that today characterizes those marches who adopted the name of "romeria". As mentioned, there is much music, played on some kind of drums and flutes..... and much flamenco playing, singing and dancing throughout the entire way.  It seems to me that the only physical fatigue in the Rocio romeria comes from dancing (or attempting to) the much beloved Andalucian dance called "Sevillanas". 
A pilrimage is much more introspective and the one to Santiago is meant to be undertaken "pietates causa" (with a soul-cleansing religious purpose).
There are many groups that organize themselves to go to the Rocio Romeria. In fact I myself went with the one organized by the Miami bar in Triana (the bohemian side of Sevilla) which dispenses Via d
e la Plata credentials for Santiago pilgrims and next door to which the "Friends of Santiago Association of Seville" is housed.
I will be in Seville for Easter (early April) and can find out about Rocio romeria groups where non-Spaniards may feel comfortable.
After reaching the Ermita do not count, however, in getting anywhere near the image of the Virgin when they take her out. I saw the procession from the relative safety of the roof of the house and there came a point where I actually, and truly,  feared for my safety believing that the outside pressure of the multitude would cause the house to crumble. . Multitude and human-activity wise the scene is reminiscent of the run of the bulls in Pamplona (less the bulls) only ten times more so. At night, though, there is flamenco dancing and singing in the open all over the small town, and even in the lagoon, around the myriad small fires; the intensity, and liveliness, of such communal scene  is something that one is not likely to  forget, not ever..... made more memorable by the chirping of the birds from the nearby Donha Ana sanctuary who are kept awake all night by the goings on.
Hugs!
Rosina.


-----Original Message-----
From: Raymond Francis <raymondfrancis at hotmail.com>
To: saintjames at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 9:41 am
Subject: FW: [saintjames] Re: [Gocamino] Festival Aims to Popularize Pilgrimages - Rome




Thank you Rosina for the valuable and extensive information kindly conveyed in 
our mail; either with regard to the
 apparition of the Virgen of Pillar to St. 
ames, or the one pertaining to the “Virgen del Rocio”.

 was even struck by the intensity of your description about the procession:

…The high?point of the festivities is the taking out of the (fairly small) 
mage for a procession around the grounds in an atmosphere, and scenario?that is 
ard to be believed, even when witnessed, and which not even Spielberg could 
eproduce”. 

 now understand better the documentary I saw two days ago on arte. 

y the way what is the difference between pilgrimage and romeria? 
m trying at present to find on internet more about how to go about it in May 
nd whether there are organizers or brotherhoods who can give guidance to non 
paniards.

hanks in advance for the pictures.

ind regards,
aymond  
To: saintjames at yahoogroups.com; GoCamino at oakapple.netFrom: Blaroli at aol.comDate: 
hu, 18 Dec 2008 16:15:28 -0500Subject: Re: [saintjames] Re: [Gocamino] Festival 
ims to Popularize Pilgrimages - Rome

his Group is based in the site: http://www.caminhodesantiago.com - Caminho de 
antiago de Compostela - O Portal Peregrino. All of information the pilgrims 
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