<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" LANG="0">CONTESTS:<BR>
The Galician Association (Asociacion Galega) is accepting entries for its third Camino de Santiago short story contest. The entries, which may be translated from another language, may be sent to: Concurso de "Relatos Cortos" <BR>
Asociacion Galega<BR>
c/ Costa Nova, 55<BR>
l5706 Santiago de Compostela<BR>
The Association is also holding its IV photographic contest. The theme is "La Figura del Peregrino" . (??)<BR>
Entries for both contests will be accepted, at the above address, up to September 10th.<BR>
EXHIBITION;<BR>
The Pilgrimages' museum in Santiago (Museo de las Peregrinaciones) is presenting this Summer a show called "From Fisterra to Jerusalem"; the central theme is the pilgrimage of a Gallic nun, called Exeria, who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the IV Century and wrote extensively about it. About thirty institutions and museums from all over the world have made available artistic, archaeologic and literary works related to pilgrimages to the Christian Holy Land before the VII century. The exhibition also contains examples of the ancient pilgrims' mans of transportation, clothing, and various mementos which they brought to their home countries.<BR>
SAN ANTON;<BR>
After three centuries the venerable monastery has renewed its ancient custom of the "Blessing of the Animals". Despite the fact that the rite survived the dissolution of the order and the closing of the Monastery, it was discontinued in 1790. Ovidio Campos, who established the first San Anton albergue in current times, has formed an association dedicated to restore, as much as possible, rites and practices that may attest to San Anton's memorable and significant past. Unlike most "Blessings of the Animals" in the USA, the San Anton one includes an outdoor Mass.<BR>
MEDIEVAL MARKET;<BR>
Santiago's Department of Culture will sponsor a "Medieval Market" from the 21st to the 24th of August, reproducing the food , clothing, artifacts and art objects that were typically sold in popular markets in medieval times. The thirty or so medieval market stands, accompanied by minstrels and saltimbanchi, will occupy the Quintana, Prateria and Inmaculada squares. The market will be that last undertaking by the Department of Culture this year. <BR>
JULY PILGRIMS;<BR>
16,353 pilgrims received the Compostela during July. 43% were women and 57% men. Also, almost 44% of the pilgrims were students and 12% were teachers; the rest were fairly spread among various types of professions and occupations.<BR>
71% of the pilgrims were from Spain itself. Of the 4,731 pilgrims from other countries, 890 came from France, 678 from Germany, 490 from Italy, 404 from the U.S.A., 312 from Portugal, 255 from Belgium, 240 from the Northern Countries, 213 from the U.K., 182 from Holland and the rest from 58 other countries.<BR>
Ninety-four per cent of the pilgrims stated a religious motive for making the pilgrimage while six percent declared a cultural/educational reason.<BR>
The overwhelming number of pilgrims, almost 86%, followed the French Way. 2,173 started out in Sarria, 1,608 in Astorga, 1,563 in Cebreiro, 1,505 in Ponferrada, 1,351 in Roncesvalles, 1,154 in Leon, 1,090 in SJPP, 510 in Villafranca, 456 in Burgos, 419 in Pamplona and the rest in various other places.<BR>
Perhaps you'd like to know that 355 pilgrims completed the "Via de la Plata", 893 chose the "Northern Way", 916 the Portuguese Way and 141 the English Way.<BR>
Because the "Via de la Plata" is about 300 kms. longer than the French Way it does have a much larger number of pilgrims that complete the pilgrimage in stages; members of the Sevilla, Granada, Cadiz and other Andalucian Friends' Associations walk for a bout a week a couple of times a year. The facilities throughout the Via are being continuously and significantly improved, and the number of pilgrims on it keeps growing. <BR>
I will be checking my e-mail every two or three days. (In the new affluent Europe it seems that every hotel has the means to do so). <BR>
Again, let me know if there is anything that I may find out for you.<BR>
OK dear Ana? Pieter? Kat? et al.?<BR>
Rosina<BR>
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