Sahagun

The city of Sahagun is an important Camino city and religious center.  Here the Camino from Madrid joins the Camino from France.  Many powers have ruled here, and many have fought for the privilege including the Church.  The Romans had a camp here.  Charlemagne fought here and lost.  The Moors held the city for years, and after the Christians regained it they built a number of impressive churches. 

As I walked along the Camino, the first church on the way is the church of San Juan de Sahagun, the local patron saint.  His feast day is Sunday so the town is gearing up for a big party....I simply joined the parish for their Novena mass. 

Down the street from San Juan is the church of St. Lawrence.   It's brick tower is  a landmark around town.  This beautiful church is typical of the Mudejar style...Christian architecture influenced by Muslim art...which originated here in Sahagun.  They used bricks instead of stone to build the church. There was no longer a need for flying buttresses like in Gothic cathedrals.  The arches are rounded and the designs in the brickwork are from Islamic designs. 

Similar work is seen at San Tirso church across town.  The round clock tower that rises above (and is the nesting ground for storks) is about all that is left of the monastery of San Benito.  This monastery was once the largest monastery in Spain....having over 100 daughter houses.  The Benedictines from Cluny even coined their own money.  But the church made its enemies as well and the monastery was destroyed first by war and then by fire leaving only a few ruins behind.

This fair city has given me much to consider.  How can we live out our faith so that we inspire others to draw closer to God?  How can we take the beauty and wisdom of others, even our enemies, and incorporate it into something new and beautiful?  How can we live humbly so that our witness gives glory to God and not just power for ourselves?