[Gocamino] [saintjames] Re: Roncesvalles to SJPP

[Rosina]

Glenn,

Eunate is located in the last stage of the Aragonese Camino, between Monreal and the French Camino Puente La Reina (there is a Puente La Reina de Jaca in the Aragonese Camino). The church has eight sides and a cloisters-like circling wall which is enchanting.

The haunting allure of the church cannot be ignored by those who visit it, which is probably why it attracts many magic-believing people… pilgrims or not. The name of the church means “room of the hundred doors” in Euskadi, which is believed to be the oldest syntax-articulated language in Europe and which is still spoken in its modern form in Navarra. In fact, there are two TV channels in Pamplona where the language used is Euskadi.  It is difficult to comprehend the terrible assessment of the Navarrese in the Codex Calixtinus in view of their historical love for music.  As far as can be remembered the Navarrese have held, and continue hold, at least three song-composing and singing contests per year. Coming across one of them accidentally I was surprised by the softness and melodiousness of the music.

Anyway; there are several versions of the origin and purpose of the Eunate church…. The only feature generally agreed upon is that it appears to have been built to resemble the eight-sided structure of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Indeed, in the Sistine Chapel in Rome there is a large painting (on the left wall as one goes to the exit door opposite the altar) showing the Holy Sepulcher church which appears identical to Eunate, except for the arcaded surrounding wall.

Another wonder that recommends the Aragonese route is the fact that the incredibly gorgeous monastery of San Juan de la Penha, carved in a cave on the side of a high rocky mountain, is right there, out of Jaca, at a small detour. Further on, also, there is also the wondrous Leyre Monastery.

The Leyre  Monastery has had, for quite a while, a sort of  bed-and-breakfast facility for anyone, pilgrim or non pilgrim. It is, however, only available for men who partake of the meals with the monks. Gregorian chants are held there every day in the morning before breakfast and at Vespers. 

At San Juan de la Penha a sort of retreat-hotel has been built on top of the mountain (by the “New” monastery) in the middle of the wooded forest with its blue-ice pure air and the view of the valley below, and of the not-so-distant snow-capped Pyrenees.

If you can get Linda Davidson’s book “The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago; the complete cultural handbook” ISBN 0-312-25416-4, which is, in my view, absolutely the very best book about the Camino, bar none, not only in E English but in the languages I know, including Spanish, you will be inevitable enthralled by the first part of the book which covers the Aragonese portion of the Camino Frances.

Hugs!

 

Rosina 



-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn <Guha2005 at hotmail.com>
To: saintjames at yahoogroups.com; GOCAMINO at oakapple.net; blaroli at aol.com
Sent: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 6:53 pm
Subject: Re: [Gocamino] [saintjames] Re: Roncesvalles to SJPP


Please forgive my Camino daydreaming one this wintery Kentucky day.... 
 
Now my curiousity is up with the talk of the beauty of the Camino Aragon. If I would start at Somport, does the route pass by Eunate? It looks close, and that is a very special place for me that I would hate to miss. Also, how does one get to Somport? 
 
Glenn  


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