[Gocamino] [saintjames] In Spain, Church Candles Go Digital

[blaroli at aol.com]

As I remember, from my childhood days attending church, (most unwillingly), the whole point of lighting a candle was the seeking to understand that life, as we live it, begins.... and ends. "Velorios",  in most Latin-culture countries the funeral vigil for those who just died, are signified by "velas"..... that is,  candles,  as an imagery that like candles, lives begin and end. That is pretty much the message of Ash Wednesday: we come from ashes and to ashes we shall return".
In this context digital so-called candles and the like are an oxymoron of the traditional message.  Methinks that whatever we do things, and lives, will begin, and will end, like  candle.
But the maintenance costs of the Santiago Cathedral, and of all like edifices (electricity, cleaning materials, structural support, etc) continues to mount and mount, and whatever helps them "make it through the (economic) night" cannot realistically be resented.
But if they ever replace the Botafumeiro "boleiros" with an automatic computer-directed program I will scream and holler..... even if from beyond the grave!
Hugs!
Rosina
blaroli at aol.com




-----Original Message-----
From: Grant Spangler <GASpangler at hotmail.com>
To: †GoCamino OakApple <gocamino at oakapple.net>; †Yahoo Saint James <saintjames at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, Feb 29, 2012 3:53 pm
Subject: [saintjames] In Spain, Church Candles Go Digital



rom TIME Magazine
In Spain, Church Candles Go Digital 
y Lisa Abend
Every week, Marta Hernández walks to Madrid's San Andres church and lights a 
andle for St. Isidro. Most of the time, the 75-year-old prays for the health of 
er children and grandchildren. Every now and then, though, she acts as proxy 
or her old friend Maria Teresa, who no longer lives in the neighborhood and 
isses her patron saint. "She can't come here to light a candle to St. Isidro, 
o I do it for her," says Hernández. But if David Doña and Marcos Rodríguez have 
heir way, Maria Teresa may soon be able to light that candle herself - from the 
omfort of her own home.
On April 26, Doña and Rodríguez unveiled a digital candelabra in the cathedral 
f Santiago de Compostela. The device, which consists of a computer screen 
ounted on a metal stand decorated with the Cross of St. James, allows the 
aithful to remotely light a virtual candle to a favorite saint through the 
ebsite MiVela.com (translation: MyCandle). Simply click on the church and icon 
ou want, type in your credit card or PayPal information - each candle costs 
bout $2 - and in a dark corner of a faraway church, an onscreen candle 
lights." The candles can also be lit via text message.
Rodríguez, an engineer, got the idea for the digital devotion when he came 
cross an old candelabra in his father's metal shop and was struck by its 
eauty. Working with Doña, an information technologist, he designed a prototype 
nd then set about trying to convince parish priests to let them install the 
igital candelabras in their sanctuaries. "It wasn't that hard, actually," says 
oña. "About 99% of the priests we spoke to were enthusiastic about it."
So far, the candelabra has been installed in seven churches in Spain, including 
he cathedral of Santiago, the site of an important pilgrimage that draws more 
han 100,000 faithful to the town on the northwestern coast of Spain every year. 
ut its inventors have bigger plans. They are in talks with authorities at 
ourdes, a basilica in southern France that is renowned for the healing powers 
f its water, and Guadalupe in Mexico City, the site of a famed vision of the 
irgin Mary. "With Guadalupe, there are many immigrants [in Spain] who would 
ant to light a candle for their saint back home," says Doña. "And so many 
eople who want to go to Lourdes, but precisely because of health problems, 
an't get there."
That accessibility, as well as the potential financial gain, has made the 
igital candelabra attractive to church authorities. According to José María 
íaz, deacon at Santiago, the money the faithful pay to light a candle to St. 
ames is the cathedral's principal source of income, yet it's hardly enough to 
eet expenses. "Other cathedrals charge admission, but we don't want to do 
hat," Díaz said in an interview with El País. "So this seemed interesting."
Of course, any income depends on people using the service. It was only a couple 
f years ago when most churches in Spain switched from wax candles to electric 
nes, and that change met with resistance. But early indications suggest that 
his latest incarnation, which does not replace the electric candelabra but 
ather stands next to it, may get a warmer welcome. Two days after its debut, 
he digital candelabra for the icon of St. James at the Santiago cathedral had 
lready received 388 petitions.
Religious practice has declined precipitously in Spain in the past few decades 
nearly half of all Spaniards say they never attend Mass), but Doña isn't 
orried that his new invention will encourage even more people to stay away from 
hurch. "If anything, it's the opposite," he says. "Internet and text messaging, 
hese are the languages that the new generation understands. We've created a way 
or them to be interactive with God."
But Marta Hernández says she prefers the old way. "The whole point is to come 
isit the saint," she says. "Besides, I don't know how to use a computer."
Buen Camino, 


rant

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