Saturday Afternoon - June 7 - Post Camino Day 1

As the days grew closer to our arrival in Santiago, we began to talk about whether we would take a bus, a train, or plane to Madrid.  I had read that some like the bus because they enjoy the scenery. We met a man who had taken the bus after one of his Caminos and he said it was difficult for him to sit for 8 hours after walking. Some prefer the overnight train to Madrid but we decided we probably wouldn't sleep much on the train.  So Ryanair won out and we flew to Madrid.  

Early Saturday afternoon we took a taxi to the airport just outside of Santiago; the flight to Madrid was a short one.  We made the best choice for us to fly rather than taking a bus or train. I found a hotel online through booking.com at a price we wanted to pay and it turned out to be a good choice. It was in a nice area of Madrid.

 After checking into the hotel we walked around the neighborhood a little. 

 We found a church for the Pentecost Vigil Mass and asked the hotel for an Italian restaurant recommendation. The man questioned us:  "you want to eat Italian while you are in Madrid?" Nick replied he was desiring pizza.

 

We walked to Santa Maria del Perpetua Secorro and a wedding was taking place .

It was a beautiful church. The simplicity reminded me of St. Mary's in Canton, Illinois.

To the right of the main entrance was a chapel and this is where Mass was to be held. The door to the chapel is below.

 The stained glass window above the altar was beautiful.  (Pic below taken from their website). My picture could not show the incredible beauty.

My eyes kept being drawn to the Holy Spirit. How appropriate for the Eve of Pentecost. I recalled the evening the Holy Spirit became real in my life. I know I wasn't asleep during my Confirmation in Seventh Grade and I trust that the Sacrament with all its graces was a step of growth in my life. I just tend to be a late bloomer and so it would take until 1986 for me to surrender to the Holy Spirit in a deeper way. So from that time forward Pentecost has been very special to me. 

 

   

The chapel filled with very well-dressed parishioners as time for Mass approached. I felt under dressed but we were clean and it was the best we had with us. The singing of the parishioners was beautiful and once more (even though I could not understand the words) the songs touched my spirit. At every mass we had attended on the Camino, the singing of the local people during Mass took me to a place of peacefulness and joy. At every mass I always thought about the countless numbers of people over the many centuries who had prayed in each church, walked on the hard stone floors, sat in the pew I was seated in and knelt on the kneeler. I gave thanks that I was raised in a family that believed and that I was a part of the family of God. Oftentimes I could feel the love of the Spanish woman seated next to me when she looked me or from those around me at the sign of peace when we would join hands. What a gift to belong to this family.

After mass we walked to the restaurant. We had a little difficulty finding it but when we arrived it was only 7:30 PM and it did not open until 8 PM.  We people watched. 

 We chose an Italian restaurant. I know, for those who love Spanish cuisine, you probably consider it quite a travesty. However, my gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce and Nick's spaghetti alla carbonara was delicious.