Farewell Santiago

When I was at Fisterra I met an Irish pilgrim who turned out to be a priest. As we chatted, it emerged that he was on sabbatical and concluding it by walking the Camino. He had just celebrated his 54th birthday and was about to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. I asked him if he was doing anything special for that and he  told me that he had been invited to celebrate the mass in English in a chapel of the cathedral on Tuesday. He seemed like a really decent guy and I went along in support. It was a nice service with about twenty people present; mostly pilgrims but also a few Irish visitors - all named Mary! The lady next to me in the photo walked from Le Puy en Velay, she comes from Madison, Wisconsin, and we discovered we have a mutual friend in Madison!!

We started the service with Amazing Grace and I was struck afresh by the words of one of the verses: ‘Through many dangers, tools and snares I have already come, ‘tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.’

As this service concluded, people were gathering for the pilgrim mass (I judge there were about 400 by the time the service started). Of course, I didn’t understand a word of this service, it was mostly in Spanish, but at the end they did swing the whatever it’s called and offer a blessing for pilgrims - for safe passage home and grace to enact the values of the gospel as they continued their pilgrimage through life.

No one ever knows when they are going to swing the censer but when these guys took the rope mobile phones appeared everywhere!

I am spending the  remainder of my time in Santiago in quiet reflection and wandering. Jacques is returning from Finisterre this afternoon and we will meet to say farewell. I’m hoping he will have my fleece which I left on the bed in Negreira thinking it was a blanket (such was my delirium). I thought that was it, but when I discovered that Jacques was walking back from Finisterre I asked if he could call at the albergue and pick it up. He has since emailed to say he has it, how good is that!

Everyone else I met on the way has headed home. I fly out this evening to Barcelona for two days. Meanwhile, I’ll conclude this post with a few final snapshots of beautiful Santiago.

The Seminario Mayor, where I have slept these past two nights.

She made it!

And he smiled!



‘For all that has been... thanks.

For all that will be... Yes!’

Buen Camino

Neils