[Gocamino] Eunate

[Sil]

When you look closely at the Iglesia* de Santa Maria de Eunate* (Murazabal)
and most monuments along the caminos you will see hundreds of medieval mason
signs carved into the stones, made by the stonecutters, mason builders and
the master masons who built churches and other monuments throughout Europe.
Some marks were the registered signatures of the mason (and ensured thathe
would be paid for the stones he laboriously cut), others are marks to
indicate the placement of each stone and others have are more esoteric
symbols.  I became a 'firmado en la piedra' twitcher on my first camino and
have collected photographs of over 200 signs - the largest of which is a
hexagon on the wall of the collegiate church in Roncesvalles. The woman who
runs the museum in Roncesvalles explained that many of the stones used to
build the 'new' church were recycled from the walls of the original hospice
so any signs in the stones pre-date the church building.
Happy sign hunting!



On 18/02/2008, Glenn <Guha2005 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Rosina,
> I missed Eunate on my first Camino, and regretted it.  In 2007 it was high
> on my list of places to visit.  I was not disappointed.  I arrived there
> at
> about 9am.  The hospitalero had opened it for a German fellow.  We sat
> there
> in silence for 20 or 30 minutes.  It was one of those Camino places that
> caused tears to well up in my eyes...not sadness nor joy, just some
> intense
> emotion.  Later I talked to the German, and he said the same thing
> happened
> to him.  When we left a bus load of tourists arrived.  I wonder if you
> could
> have that same experience in a crowd...I doubt it.
>
> I thought that the Basque people were very nice.  I was invited into the
> home of a Basque family after just meeting a couple of their friends in a
> cafe.  It was a very lively and friendly bunch who sang and danced in
> their
> living room.  My only tense experience came when I asked them what the
> difference was between Spanish Basque and French Basque people was.  It
> got
> silent for a moment and then one of the gentlemen corrected me by saying
> "There are no Spanish Basque people...only Basque people."  I understand
> that up until recent times they were not allowed to publicly use their
> language, but kept it alive within the confines of their family at home.
> Now, I was told that they even teach it in schools so the children will be
> at least bilingual.  I saw a quiz program on their TV station that used
> mastery of that language as the competition for prizes.  I do not know if
> there is any ethnic difference between Basque and Narravese people, but
> Euskadi is used by the Basque.
>
> 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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-- 
Sil
www.amawalker.blogspot.com
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