[Gocamino] Wet blanket; Access to the Cathedral

[Rosina]

Wet Blanket.

Next year the 119th Xacobean Holy Year will be commemorated. Because there will not be another one for the next 11 years huge  crowds are expected in Santiago and the preparations therefor are reaching a frantic pace. 

A couple of days ago Jose Maria Dias, the Dean of the Cathedral (I’m not sure what that means) stated that during the Holy year the Quintana Plaza will be strictly off-limits for concerts or any such.  The reason given is that the Holy Door is right in Quintana and that it is unseemly to have boisterous and crowded gatherings next to it, particularly since the crowds seeking to go through the door are expected to be immense.

The Holy Door will open on December 31, and it is expected to be a tremendous celebration. I was in Santiago at the last opening of the Holy Door, in December 31, 2003, and indeed, that night (the Door was knocked down at about 6:00 p.m. , after the Mass, and the processions, and all the observances took place), from 8:00 p.m. until the door was closed at 11:00 p.m. there was an enormous throng of people outside wanting to go throught it.  When the door reopened at 6:00 a.m. next morning there was a line of people waiting to go through, and for the next few days, the serpentine queue, six across, nearly covered the whole of Quintana and waited hours and hours to go in.  The ancient passage way of the Door is almost a thousand years old and  is very narrow; only one person can go=2
0through at the time. Furthermore, those who go through stop in the door lintel to perform the ancient ritual of  placing their hands on each side (hand indentations similar to the one in the Portico de Gloria’s tree of Jesse can be seen there), crossing themselves and saying a prayer; and so it takes forever to go through.

In this sense, the decision to leave Quintana free and clear makes sense.

Yet, the chamber music concerts that take place on the steps up and out of Quintana, with little tea candles all over the wide stairway are very beautiful. Also, the concerts on the stage set up at the other end provide for comfort and space, and the selling and collecting of tickets for them.  The Dean also mentioned that in the Platerias square (the one below Quintana with the fountain) concerts and such will also not take place. - I wonder why, since the Holy Door is not near there-.  He did allow that such proscriptions would not apply to Obradoiro or Azabacherias which will continue to hold public event.

 On December 31, 2003, at about 11:30 p.m. in Quintana commenced one of the most beautiful and joyous celebrations that I have ever seen anytime, anywhere, with music, fireworks cascading from the roof of the Cathedral, torches, candles, paper trumpets and free bottles of “Cava” (Spanish champagne), -one per adult-..  I remember at the time feeling that I had never been as happy as in those very moments.  I took some pictures which, as I remember,20were posted here, together with my over-the-top enthusiastic comments.  

I would expect that the celebrations this year would be just as impressive, and I am determined to go, but in trying to secure a hotel room I have learned that 95% of all hotel rooms in the Santiago Casco have already been booked. Therefore, if some of you would like to go to this once-in-a-lifetime experience I would suggest that you begin acting on your plans.

In making his announcement about the restrictions on public events at Quintana, the Dean reiterated that the Cathedral had not been built around a city, but that the city had been built around the Cathedral.

 

Access to the Cathedral.

The Santiago Archbishop, Msgr. Julian Barrio , has stated that during the Holy Year the maximum number of persons allowed in the Cathedral at any one time will be 1,200. He did mention that bona-fide pilgrims would be given priority. He also said that because of the limit to be imposed the number of Masses will increase during the year, and that perambulating through the Cathedral will not be permitted during religious observances;

Tourist groups will be allowed only during specific times.

This is pretty much what they did in 2004, and I do remember that for the Pilgrims’ Mass those at the door were guiding Compostela-holding pilgrims to the area of the Cathedral where the door leads to Azabacheria square, and that the seats there had been reserved for them.  I thought that was very nice.  Those pilgri
ms that could not find seats were allowed to seat on the floor in the area between the benches and the altar grill. 

A lot of other measure are being considered and adopted, including information aids, back-pack storage, etc., and, of course, the security measures in and around the Cathedral will be significant.

 

Hugs!

 

Rosina