Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[PILGRIMSPLAZA]

My friend in Galicia phoned the cathedral office and learned that they will announce the arrangements for climbing up the scaffolding for a close encouter with the Gloria at the end of this month. We'll let you know asap. *

* 30-08-08: My friend was in Santiago for a short visit to the cathedral and tried to get news on the access to the scaffolding in the Pórtico, but she was told that this it is still very unclear regarding dates and possibilities.

Also see http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/santiago/index.htm and http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php ... cia=326304:

(...) Visitas guiadas
El programa de visitas gratuitas se realizará a través de un sistema de reserva previa en la Fundación Barrié, en el teléfono 981 060 091. Las visitas serán limitadas a 14 personas con el fin de no entorpecer los trabajos de restauración.(...)

Altavista translation:

Guided visits
The program of gratuitous visits will be realised through a previous reservations system in the Barrié Foundation, on telephone 981 060 091. The visits will be limited 14 people with the purpose of not to obstruct the works of restoration.

More news Friday 25th July 2008:

http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php ... cia=326604
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php ... cia=326695
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/santiago/2 ... 011221.htm :
Twinning Santiago de Compostela and Asís (Assisi) :

Santiago y Asís se unen en el camino de las peregrinaciones
Ambas ciudades ratificaron en Raxoi un hermanamiento con el que aspiran a estrechar lazos en diversos ámbitos

> http://nl.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt :

Santiago and Asís are united in the way of the peregrinations
Both cities ratified in Raxoi a twinning with which aspires to strengthen bows in diverse scopes

(...) Cities of peregrination, Santiago and Asís want to foment a new route, with beginning and aim in both large cities. They try to reclaim therefore the passage that San Francisco realised from its native locality in its pilgrimage to Compostela in 1214. The spirit of the peregrinations, his contribution to European centralisation and “the emblematic” character of santo of You take root and of the Santiago Apostle they were points of connection of the speeches whereupon the mayors of both cities and professor Paolo Caucci, one of the promoters of this twinning, celebrated this encounter. In fact, according to Caucci, Santiago and Asís are two cuidades that by “culture, felt tradition and had necessarily to be”, and so “today the official seal is only put on a reality” that their agent chief executives “have understood and put in value”. (...)

and some more links of the next day(s):
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/fotos/2008 ... 776160.htm
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/fotos/2008 ... 323729.htm
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/agenda/index.htm
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/default/20 ... OSTOLO.pdf

[Gareth Thomas]

Any further news on this? I´m getting close to Santiago now - having decided to go for the feast day on the 25th (whether it´s crazy in the city or not!) - and I´d like to know whether climbing up the scaffolding is an option.

Maybe after two thousand kilometres, I shouldn´t be attempting to even walk up the steps, let alone climb up the walls...

Gareth

[PILGRIMSPLAZA]

I shouldn´t be attempting to even walk up the steps, let alone climb up the walls...

We'll let you know asap! For you it could mean your last pilgrim's trial (standing queues); for me -many pilgrims getting so close to their Gloria- it could bring the end of The Santiago Enigma (I secretely hope; but please don't tell anyone the count's passed 3500). You're doing great! Good Luck, Bon Courage, Buen Camino!

[Gareth Thomas]

for me -many pilgrims getting so close to their Gloria- it could bring the end of The Santiago Enigma

It was not possible to climb the scaffolding when I was in Santiago earlier this month, and nobody seemed to have any idea where that suggestion had come from! Certainly, when you look at the type of scaffolding and then realise that the Xunta de Galicia is very hot on health and safety regulations, it seems quite unlikely they will let anyone go up there. If a gibbon manages to escape from the local zoo he might stand a good chance of the opportunity to exchange grins with the prophet Daniel, but I don't reckon much on anyone else's chances!

Here's a photo I took of the scaffolding surrounding St James when I was there for the Feast day recently.

Scaffolding around St James

scaffold.jpg (99.86 KB) Viewed 455 times

While the Portico de la Gloria is out of bounds, however, I would suggest that anyone interested in the work of Maestro Mateo should visit the cathedral museum where there is an excellent reconstruction of the stone choir by Maestro Mateo, including some of the original sculptures. (The choir complemented the Portal de la Gloria but it was demolished to make more space in the nave.)

Gareth

[PILGRIMSPLAZA]

it could bring the end of The Santiago Enigma

It looks like the Enigma will still challenge our fellow pilgrims a little longer! Thank you for this nice new post, Gareth! We're glad you're back on the forum; very much alive and kicking!

Yesterday I had a wonderful meeting on the beach with a couple of French pilgrims (Marie & Philippe) who are cycling from la Côte d'Opale (not far from your route?) to Berlin sponsoring a health program with a difficult technical name. I told them with pride about youre quest! See http://philippe.velo.mauzesurlemignon.over-blog.net

My friend in Galicia who promised to get more new info on the access of the scaffolding tried to rescue a kitten from a tree in her garden but she fell and sprained her ankle badly; and the cat disappeared! She's doing alright now but no more news from this side yet. The old news came from public sources anyway, but your new news is clear enough. We'll keep in touch.

You made a very interesting suggestion, Gareth! One of my King-authors rang a bell the other day by mentioning that sculpting in cathedrals was most likely following an iconographic programm as it is called. So it's not just a collection of statues and images at random, but a professional plan was probably guiding master Mateo in his Gloria. One can guess that his bishop had the last word in that plan. We're after it now and hope some of our readers will join us in this research.

The count on The Santiago Enigma (topic 3794) has passed 3.700 and still nobody has guessed it. Now isn't that remarkable to say the least!? Today in my 111th post on this forum I tried to trigger some action. How and where will this end? When the count passes 10.000 without any result I'll throw a party on the beach where everbody is welcome! A good time and place for a glorious and dramatic sailor's grave (bearing Padron and Fisterra in mind) for an in-spir-ing topic.

[Gareth Thomas]

My friend in Galicia who promised to get more new info on the access of the scaffolding tried to rescue a kitten from a tree in her garden but she fell and sprained her ankle badly; and the cat disappeared!

There you are, you see! The Xunta de Galicia are quite right to focus on Health & Safety issues: clearly you are not safe in your own garden in Galicia, let alone climbing up scaffolding to see the Portico de la Gloria... (But tell your friend to keep this news quiet, or the Xunta will erect Health & Safety notices all around her garden. I am not joking: I have even seen H&S posters under bridges: "Danger of water rising". Really? Who would have expected that?)

Gareth