When we arrived last evening (at about 9.30pm) Almerìa was mild in comparison to both Dublin and Salt Lake City. The moon was rising and city lights were warm and welcoming.
It is the full moon of Easter and in Andalucía the Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are in full swing. We shared a taxi into town with two friendly Irish guys and then, walking to our lodgings, we stumbled bang smack into the solemn Holy Thursday procession.
The streets were heaving with people and there was a quiet hush as hundreds of figures, including young children, carrying torches of fire and candles, dressed in white hooded robes filed past.
There was a float carrying a mannequin of Jesus in the process of being hoisted on the cross. And later, a huge float bearing Mary surrounded by banks of candles, and groups of women wearing black mantillas. It was amazing!!
Meanwhile, back in Canberra, our intrepid Benedictus community was celebrating Good Friday on the island in Lake Ginninderra whilst being battered by rain. We love you guys!
We’re glad to have a few days to tarry in this most beautiful city and to catch up with ourselves after our wonderful weeks in Ireland with Fr Jim and the community of Balally, and previously in Utah with the good folk from Brigham Young University. We’ll end this post with a few photos of our last 24 hours in Dublin.
Fr Jim and Sarah walking on the pier at Dun Laoghaire.
Sarah reading from Poetica Divina in the Balally Pastoral Centre.
With one of our gracious hosts - Sr Mary FCJ.
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