[Gocamino] "Translatio" (of Saint James)

[Howard Mendes]

How necessary was it to ascribe "Jewish" to king Herod in Rosina's lengthy discourse on St. James?   Probably just as important as describing the boat as "ratty".   If she wants to enlighten her readers, the less editorializing the better. If she wants to get respect as a Camino scholar, she should be more circumspect in her writing.


Howard Mendes, NYC (Waiting for the Rosina admirers to attack me for daring to criticize their icon)



In a nutshell, Santiago historical lore tells us that after St. James was 
decapitated by the Jewish king Herod in the year 47 A.D.  James' disciples 
Theodore and Atanasio got hold of his body and placing it in an old ratty boat 
they set  asea to "wherever the waters would take them".





-----Original Message-----
From: Rosina <blaroli at aol.com>
To: GoCamino <GoCamino at oakapple.net>; saintjames <saintjames at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Fri, Dec 30, 2011 6:57 am
Subject: [Gocamino] "Translatio" (of Saint James)



Hello you all,
In a nutshell, Santiago historical lore tells us that after St. James was 
decapitated by the Jewish king Herod in the year 47 A.D.  James' disciples 
Theodore and Atanasio got hold of his body and placing it in an old ratty boat 
they set  asea to "wherever the waters would take them". The boat landed in the 
Galician coast close to the Celtic-Roman city of Iris Flavia, close to the 
present day's Padron. The, erstwhile pagan. queen of the environs, Lupa, 
transfixed by the surprising qualities of the cadaver, provided Theodore and 
Atanasio with a cart and gave them the choice of two untamed and brave bulls to 
pull the cart and take the cadaver inland. Miraculously the two bulls behaved 
like the most tame of animals and, unbidden, followed a route to the spot where 
St. James was buried and wherein the cadaver remained until nearly eight 
centuries later a path of stars led Bishop Pelagio to it..... and the rest, we 
all know.
The carrying of the body in a cart led by the bulls is commemorated as the 
"Translatio". (The etymological Latin origin of the word "Translate" was to move 
from one land to another. In modern Spanish the word is "transladar", whereas 
going from one language to another is "traducir").
Today the festivity of "Translatio" is celebrated in Santiago in a big way. At 
the Cathedral a solemn Mass, attended by Government and Royal representatives, 
is celebrated at 11:00 a.m; before the Mass a symbolic procession "translating" 
the body of Saint James takes place .At 6.00 p.m. there is a special  Mass for 
families.  At 7:30 p.m. tere is a  Mass for pilgrims at the end of which new 
members of the Archconfraternity receive their recognition medals.
The times when I have been in Santiago for the Translatio celebration there was 
much bag-pipe music playing around the Cathedral, and many Mass attendees were 
dressed in regional Galician dress. Some had brought a cart pulled by oxen (not 
brave bulls). The music was unforgettable.
I have managed to scan a ceramic plaque of the "Traslatio", and a card showing 
the body being taken from the boat first, and then pulled in the cart by the 
bulls. These images come from  medieval paintings. 
One cannot add attachments to list-servs messages, but I will be delighted to 
send them to those of you who may want to get them. 
Wishing you a Camino in the New Year,
Hugs!
Rosina 
_______________________________________________
Gocamino mailing list
Gocamino at oakapple.net
http://mailman.oakapple.net/mailman/listinfo/gocamino