[Gocamino] July 25th. Day of Saint James

[Rebekah Scott]

As someone a bit neurotic about crowds, this makes me say "Holy Moley!" 
But as a Springsteen fan, I can tell all and sundry "The Boss" is playing Santiago August 2 of THIS year, the un-holy 2009... doing a stand at Monte del Gozo, a place built for His Holiness John Paul II. So a good Pope leads, logically to...The Boss!  


Rebekah Scott (yeah, I got my ticket!) 
www.moratinoslife.blogspot.com


--- On Tue, 7/21/09, Rosina <blaroli at aol.com> wrote:

> From: Rosina <blaroli at aol.com>
> Subject: [Gocamino] July 25th. Day of Saint James
> To: GOCAMINO at oakapple.net, saintjames at yahoogroups.com
> Cc: acaciopaz at yahoo.com.br
> Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 7:06 PM
> 
> Hello you all,
> 
> Next Saturday, July 25th, is the Day of Santiago (St. James
> Day) which the city of Santiago and its environs commemorate
> big time.
> 
> I was there last year, and accustomed as I am to the
> stunning gregariousness of the Andalucians during Holy Week,
> the April Fair and the Romeria of the Virgin of Rocio, I was
> pretty much taken aback by the celebrations in Santiago for
> the “Dia del Apostol” (Apostle Day). During the week
> leading to the day the entire Casco was a playground cum-
> food-fest during the daytime and a huge dance, music and
> dining contest, during the evening with many stages set up
> throughout the city whereon famous artists from Europe and
> South America performed. (Next year, a Holy Year, Bruce
> Springsteen “the Boss” will be one of them).
> 
> The Alameda was transformed into a fair with a roller
> coster, flying chairs and all sorts of rides and a huge
> “Noriega” (Ferris Wheel) that could be seen from very
> far away.  They also had lovely welcoming tents from
> several countries:  there was a Brasilian one where that
> delicious national Brasilian drink “caipirinha” was ser
> ved and young man and women from Brasil were conducting
> “samba” classes to willing learners; there was another
> tent from Cuba where “Cuba Libres” and Daiquiris were
> being served and young Cubans were teaching how to
> “rumba” and so on. There was also a tent from Mexico
> with a very lively 18-musicians mariachi band and, of 
> course, margaritas, although I was somewhat surprised by
> the fact that most visitors to that tent were drinking their
> tequila straight with salt and lemon.  In all those tents
> there were offering of national dishes of the various
> countries.
> 
> And there were many others tents, including a huge one from
> somewhere in Galicia, where they were serving octopus in
> every form imaginable.
> 
> The facade of the Cathedral was covered with structures
> that would lead to its “burning”, and all through the
> day there were dozens of bagpipers in traditional costumes
> playing their lively tunes in the square.
> 
> At about 10 p.m. of the day every inch of Obradoiro was
> occupied; it would have been impossible to fit a needle in
> it, despite the threat of rain. Well, it didn’t rain and
> the “burning” took place which was indescribably
> spectacular.  While I myself couldn’t take any pictures
> because I just couldn’t move, somehow Mari, of the
> Pilgrims Office (recently married) managed to take some
> pictures while standing still and unable to move one single
> step.  The pictures may give some idea of what goes on
> during the “burning”.  If you wish, you can see the
> pictures by going to 
> 
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xRSyKQOZPw
> 
> While I was hugely impressed by the spectacle, frankly I
> couldn’t help thinking about the possible damage that such
> bombardment would cause to a structure which is almost 1,000
> years old, particularly since it went on and on.  While I
> was sti
> ll in Santiago the papers reported that future celebrations
> would not be so fireworks-lavish and extensive because some
> damage to the Cathedral had been detected. 
> 
> True, the whole thing was pretty much out of this world,
> but I must admit that I enjoyed the festivities for the
> opening and the closing of the Holy Door much more. While
> they also have a lot of music, and food, and stages with
> performers and spectacular fireworks, there is something
> about them more pleasing to me. In fact, I’ve already have
> reservations to go to the opening of the Holy Door next
> December 31st.  Perhaps the burning of churches is anathema
> to my perception, even if in play, or perhaps the fact that
> the opening of the Holy Door, beyond the celebrations, has
> sort of a purpose: to go through it. I don’t know.
> 
> Be that as it may, during the celebratory Mass of the Day
> of the Apostle last year there was a different, and more
> extensive, use of the Botafumeiro to the singing of a hea
> venly choral group. That alone would make me want to go to
> Santiago on another July 25th some year.
> 
> Well, I thought you might want to see the pictures. Our
> techie wizard, Grant, put them together and added the music,
>   which happens to sound just like what was being played
> on Obradoiro on July 25th last year.
> 
> Hugs!
> 
> Rosina
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