Just a short note tonight I think as it has been a very full, and now late, day by our Camino standards. We headed out early today for the credential office as the lines of pilgrims claiming their credential have been a couple of hours long. We waited in line about 45 minutes. They basically look at our Compostela which is our book we get stamped at every stop on our journey. They log where we started and now stamp it with the Santiago Compostela. They then fill out a formal declaration of our journey in Latin and our name written in Latin as well. You can buy a personal one for three euros but since I did not walk the whole way from Leon to Santiago I did not do that. I am happy with the Latin version. They had a lovely meditation in a chapel on our way out for our reflection on our journey. We walked out of that and there were Martha and Pedro walking in to get their credentials. Hugs around and a plan for meeting up at noon that ended up not working for them, disappointing but we are happy to have seen them one more time. We ran in to Corrine from Quebec and her gang of travelers.
We then went to a tapas bar and Chris treated us to tapas at her favorite place. Very very good! We then got Di back for a rest and went off to do laundry. Then back to get Di and then back to the Cathedral to tour and get a good seat for Mass as I wanted to video the botafumeiro. Jonathan and Mary arrived today and met us at the Cathedral. We then all went out for dinner at 9:15. Now up writing at 11:00.
Tomorrow we have to get to our tour bus by 8:45 for our trip to Finesterre, the end of the earth.
As I wandered the Cathedral and in the courtyard, I was aware of being with so many with such devotion, the beauty of gentle tears, prayers, prostrations, kneeling in silent prayer, as well as the joy of arrival and the joy of being surrounded in beauty and ritual. It is a sea of nationalities. Each day the pilgrims are prayed for that have received their credential, the name of the path( for us the French Way) and where started(Leon) and the name of our country. Tonight we received that prayer at the beginning of Mass.
I was able to video the swinging of the botafumeiro but will share that another way and day. I will need Brian’s editing skills.
Blessings to all..
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Heartfelt writing. Thank you. LL