Pilgrim's Mass in Santiago

Today was a day to savour my arrival at Santiago.

I slept in in the morning.

I went to the cathedral to take more pictures.

 I attended the Pilgrim's Mass.  The botafumeiro was a bit of a spectacle, but it was impressive.  The sermon was, well, let's just say there's room for improvement.  But the liturgy, the Mass, absolutely glorious.  I'm more convinced than ever that the unity of the church is most vivid and present in the living Christ who gives himself to us in the bread and wine.  

I really like the plaque above.  It's placed near the tomb of the Apostle James, and it contains the words of Pope John Paul II, himself a Camino pilgrim, and reads:

"I, bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Catholic Church, send to you, old Europe, from Santiago, a cry of love: Return and find yourself, be yourself."

I'd say it's a challenge, an indictment, but probably most of all a lament, for Europe to find herself, to find her true identity again.  She's lost her spiritual roots, those elements that made her glorious once.  And in losing her roots, she's lost her identity, her means of being a blessing to the world.

After Mass I went for a snack with Leah and Cathy, pictured below.