Astorga

Beginning with the walk, this day has been an inspiring one. The path from Hospital de Orbigo to Astorga took we pilgrims over a rise that opened to a grand view of the Leon Mountains and Astorga sitting nestled on a hill in the valley floor. The star on the map below marks Astorga, my current location.

 
All my dad needs to know about Astorga is that it is the chocolate capital of Sapin (Edit--Spain). When the uses of cocoa were discovered in the New World, the Spanish began shipping the beans back to Astorga for processing. They´ve been making chocolate here for 300 years, and there are chocolate shops every block to prove it. And yes, Dad, I began my stay in Astorga with a tour of the Museum de Chocolata--complete with samples!

For the chocolate-uninterested among you, Astorga was founded in the first century as a Roman provincial hub; the remains of the Roman bath, walls, western gate, and villas are revealed in the city through tourable excavations. Additionally, there is a museum dedicated to the many artifacts found here--coins, statuary, funeral markers, mosaics, pottery, metal objects. Then, of course, there are the old churches--the 11th century church of San Bartolome is a highlight. Sitting next to a monastery founded by St. Francis of Assisi, San Bartolome is not only beautiful, but it houses (in the deep, secret recesses of who-knows-where) the Gonfalon! If you don´t know what that is, then perhaps you can reach Chuck Hope at TCC--or read ¨Sharpe´s Company,¨ a book by Bernard Cornwell. Okay, the Gonfalon is a kind of flag or banner--supposed to be the one that led the Spanish Christians to victory over the Moors during the Reconquista. Aside from these elements of the obscure past, Astorga has a 15th century, Gothic cathedral, Santa Maria. Nevertheless, the real gem of the town (and the one you´ll see on the web site or tourist brochures) is the Episcopal Palace built just about 100 years ago. It was designed by Antoni Gaudi (yes, the guy who helped design the Barcalona neo-Gothic unfinished giant that is either the world´s greatest church, or a useless eyesore--depending on your point of view). The Palace looks like a fairyland structure--a kind of Boris Villejo dreamscape. The Cardinal was supposed to use it as his residence, but the cardinal moved, so this fantasy building is the Museum of Los Caminos, housing priceless Christian art from the past nine centuries on four decorous, art nouveau floors.

Finally, I should mention what I´m doing tonight. I´ve been invited (though prior arrangement with a monastic brother) to say the ¨Matins¨ at the monastery. Matins, or the ¨Night Office,¨ are prayers, hymns, or psalms performed at midnight and/or at 3:00am. They have been saying the Matins on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for 900 years here. Tonight, they´ll have a novice participant. Rest well, Metroplex; I´ll say a prayer for you.

p.s. On a difficult climb today, I started humming hymn number 340 with each step I took. Okay United Methodists, get out your red hymnals, and see which one it was (do you think it´s okay to hum a Protestant hymn in such a very Catholic country?).