Vesperas and Completas

I had a good day.  The route was full of shade, through green forests along water streams.

I come to the village built around the Monastery and head for the Albergue.  It provides basic pilgrims facility.  The hospitaleiro is from Ireland and we chat for a while.  He plays Simon & Garfunkel songs and I hum along.  

The hospitaleiro tells me about the two services to be held tonight.  The first one is Vesperas, the sunset evening prayer service, at 19h30 in the church. I enter the beautiful old church, simpler in decoration than most.  After the bell rings, the monks file into the church.  Some wear black, the novices I assume, and they sit to the right of the altar. The others wear white and sit to the left. The priest has an emerald green toga over his white robe.

The organ starts to play, a first for me in a Catholic church.  When I look back, I see that the organ has, not only vertical pipes, but horizontal pipes as well.  I think of angels and cherubs blowing on trumpets.

The service is held for pilgrims.  I am always in wonder at the reverence, rites and rituals of the Catholic church.

Just before 22h00, we enter the Monastery and are led to a small chapel.  Here, the Completas, the monks singing, takes place.

The monks come in all dressed in black. After a short reading, a young monk starts to sings the 'questions' and then the others sing the 'answer'.  And I so wish I could tape it, for it is beautiful.  

When it is finished, I notice that one young monk is wearing washed out jeans underneath his black robe and another one is wearing fashionable black pointed shoes!  I can´t help but thinking that there is a rebel in all of us!

I go to sleep with the sound of the Completas, grateful for yet another blessing on my path.

Buen Camino!

Jovita

13 October 2013