Cruz de Ferro

Been a couple of days since I have been able to post, and the walk continues to go well.  We headed out of the meseta yesterday and into the mountains.   We stopped in the little mountain village of Foncebadon which had no WiFi connection.   It made for a beautiful quiet evening. 

This morning we came to La Cruz de Ferro ( the Iron Cross) which marks the highest peak on the Camino.  The tradition is for each pilgrim to bring a rock from home and place it at the base of the cross.  There is a prayer that goes with this ritual.

Lord,  may this stone, a symbol of our efforts on pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the Cross of the Savior, one day be the balance in favor of our good deeds when the deeds of our lives are judged.  Let it be so. Amen.

I brought two granite rocks along.   One for me.  One for the parish.   May the good Lord have mercy on us. 

Fries with that?

The glorious second course of dinner centers on meat.... and comes with french fries whether you need or want them.  :)

Generally there are three or four meats to choose from.... pork, chicken, beef and fish.  The meat is either pan-seared or baked....occasionally garnished with a salad or peppers.  And always fries.  :)

For four entertaining evenings I ordered 'lomo a la plancha' -- pan seared pork loin.  The first day I got chicken.   The second day I got the pork.  The third day it was steak and the fourth day ham!  It's been a running joke for us... what kind of lomo does this restaurant serve???

The food has all been delicious.... and washes down well with a glass or two of red wine.   We have had several varieties of Spanish wine, but the winner had been the Rioja wines....a robust red made with the tempranillo grape.  It is all kinds of yummy!  We are in Astorga and headed into the Bierzo wine region...so we'll see what those are like. :)

Dinner

On this lovely feast of Corpus Christi, having arrived in the town of Orbigo, it seems a good day to continue the series on food.  The main meal of the day in Spain is dinner.   Pilgrims eat before the locals....our menu is served around 7pm; the natives eat around 9pm or 10pm.

The pilgrim dinner comes in three courses.   First course has the most diverse options.   There generally is a choice of salad or soup or pasta.   Occasionally paella will join the mix. 

While I had a salad once, the grace seems to be filling up the empty cavern of my stomach with substantial food.   My favorite so far has been alubias rojas...a bean soup with sausage.  But a plate of pasta with marinara sauce hits the spot as well.   In Itero de la Vega they had made a lovely lentil soup.  A basket of bread is on the table to share....and wipe my bowl clean.  :)

The first course tends to be inhaled...and satiate the hunger just enough that the rest of the dinner can be eaten at a respectable pace.  The long walks have only helped my appetite.   Thankfully this is a land of good cooks, generous portions....and time to enjoy the many blessings.

Leon

Passed through the beautiful city of Leon today.  It was founded by the Romans who stationed a legion of soldiers here...which is the basis for the city's name.   The long history is visible in the churches that have been built through the centuries.

San Isidoro Church was built in the 11th century on the old Roman foundations of the city.  St. Isidore, the patron saint of farming, is buried here.  So I spent some time praying for our parish garden at his tomb.

The cathedral is a 13th century Gothic church.   Unfortunately it was only open for the paying tourists this morning so I skipped out of that.

San Marco was built as a Renaissance church but now serves as a high end hotel.  For those who saw the movie 'The Way'...this was the fancy hotel the pilgrims stayed in.   With the local feast of Saints John and Peter currently in full swing, there was no room at the inn.

So I went out a couple of miles into the suburbs to Virgen del Camino.   This modern basilica was built in 1961.  The front shows the 12 Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.   St. Matthew is the third from the left.  Can you identify St. James?

The schedule of my Camino only allows for one day in a city, but I could enjoy praying here for a while.   This is also the first time I saw the spire of that American institution so recognizable on the skyline. I didn't go by...but I smiled and made a comment before heading to the next church.  :)

Camino tan

Having very fair Irish skin, I have never been one to tan.  I tend to burn, then peel, and be back to white.  As I walk along the Camino, where the weather has been wonderful and sunny, I am slowly getting a tan.  Keep in mind I wear spf 50 sunscreen everyday and a hat... but slowly even I am getting a tan. 

But it's not a pretty tan.  It's a Camino tan.   So my forearms are darker for the time in the sun as I swing my trekking poles along.   Since I am walking west each morning,  the back of my legs are brown but not so much the front.  It makes me smile as I think of the many who work on having and maintaining a perfect tan.  I don't have one of those.

As I walk along, my skin is exposed to the sun.  But I delight in exposing my heart to the Son.  It is quite a remarkable experience of mercy and love.  The rays of grace slowly grant peace, forgiveness, healing, dignity and life. Over time I trust the Lord will shape me more and more in his image and likeness. 

I am far from perfect, but still thankful for my Camino tan.

Lunch

The timing of lunch varies depending on the location and number of towns on the itinerary.  We made it to Mansilla de las Mulas today after a 19km stroll from El Burgo Ranero.  Lunch today as it is most days is a large sandwich.   My favorite is chorizo... but ham and bacon and cheese have also been in the mix.  Yesterday the restaurant had a breakfast special going at lunch...  and I can always enjoy bacon and eggs.  :)

Our Lady

In this lovely Catholic country,  not a town has gone by without a church dedicated to our Lady.   Many are dedicated to her under familiar titles like the Assumption and the Annunciation, but I was also tickled in Castrojeriz at the church -- Our Lady of the Apples! 

There are many statues of Mary in people's yards and on the sides of buildings.   Our Lady is forefront in the devotional imagination of the people here.   My favorite image so far has been Our Lady of the Camino in Carrion.  The kind pastor there spoke to all the pilgrims after blessing each of us at the end of the pilgrims' mass.  He pointed out the image in the side chapel of the church ( it was also in the stain glass of the rose window).  He tenderly reminded us that Mary walks with us on the Way.   She has heard the prayers of millions of pilgrims, and we can trust her with all that is in our hearts.  He then led us in singing the Salve Regina.

For me, devotion to Mary is sustained by the Rosary.   While many people pray the Rosary in church ( like our faithful crew on Thursday mornings at St. Matthew's) and many pray the rosary at home or while driving,  I enjoy praying the rosary most while walking.  In the rhythm of the strides and the rhythm of the prayers, a beautiful grace occurs.   I tend to walk faster when praying with our Lady, but it also goes easier and lighter.  I treasure our time together.

What title of Mary means the most to you? What is your favorite image of her?  Have you talked with her lately and told her what is on your heart?