[Gocamino] "On Foot to Santiago" movie.

[Rosina]

Hello you all,

A couple of weeks ago a film festival was held in Santiago. Among the movies shown was the French movie "pilgrims" which was released about a year ago and a lovely movie from Switzerland that came out in 2007.

While most of the movies released, or being filmed, interweave fictional or quasi-fictional stories for entertainment purposes the Swiss film was made by an internationally acclaimed documentary maker, Bruno Moll, and is neither an entertainment film nor a travelogue.

The film festival referred to the movie thus:




"The stark, ascetic documentary On Foot to Santiago de Compostela observes the trek of an average young Swiss man, Roman Weishaupt, as he undertakes a grueling on-foot journey from his picturesque hamlet in Switzerland into the Pyrenees. A recent college graduate, awash inside with the fundamental questions of life (but freely exhibiting a marked aversion to religious conversation), Weishaupt undertakes his sojourn as a physical and emotional catharsis used to clear his thoughts. The journey in question spans over 1,300 miles; documentarian Bruno Moll follows the wayfarer for 30 out of 80 days, as he contemplates the direction of his personal and professional life and the establishment of specific individual goals that may lie ahead for him.".



In other Santiago news:? the Archdiocese and the Xunta have come to an agreement whereby next year, a Holy Year, the facilities of San Martin Penario (across the entrance to the Cathedral's door in Plaza Azabacherias) will be used for pilgrims to store their backpacks, walking sticks, etc. before entering the Cathedral. Because of the huge crowds anticipated no one will be allowed in the Cathedral carrying bulky items.

The Archdiocese also stated that next year there will be at least four pilgrim masses daily and that every effort will be made to have the Botafumeiro fly after each Mass.? For this purpose several replacement ropes for the Botafumeiro are being made in Valencia and will soon be tested.

Special security and assistance provisions are being readied for the opening of the Holy Year next December 31st. An unprecedented number of people are expected to descend on Santiago for the occasion since there will not be another one for eleven years.

Also, the Archdiocese is fairly confident that Pope Benedict will visit Santiago during the Holy Year, although they are not sure of the precise date. He will be the second "sitting" Pope to visit Santiago. The first one was, of course, John Paul II; (the monument at Monte del Gozo commemorates his visit). John Paul II and Pope John XXIII had made the pilgrimage to Santiago as ordinary pilgrims when they were young priests, walking the Camino del Norte (the Northern Way) which is believed to be the route followed by Saint Francis of Assissi on his pilgrimage.

Some of us New Yorkers have already made all the arrangements to go to Santiago for the opening of the Holy Door; if other New Yorkers, or members of these list-servs, will also be going do get in touch.? It would be nice to get together there. Besides, on the practical side, I know the one place in the town where one can get decent Bloody Marys which will be much desired on January 1st. (The classical hangover remedy in Santiago is hot chocolate and torrijas -syrup soaked fried toast- which doesn't do the trick for many of us).










Hugs!



Rosina