Pilgrimage to Andalucia (3)
Our first morning in Seville started with a visit to the Church of the Macarena. Here we saw the huge statue of Our Lady of Hope above the High Altar and the dramatic statue of Christ before Pilate at a side altar. The full significance of these vivid statues was only appreciated as we moved out of the church itself into the area where the floats on which these statues rest are housed. These are the floats that are carried through the streets, by 50 men at a time, during the night of Maundy Thursday, the procession lasting for twelve hours. We saw the huge and ornate vestments with which the statue of the Virgin Mary is draped and all the jewellery and other impedimenta (including six silver trumpets) that accompany these extraordinary processions. It all made me want to return to Seville for Semana Santa.
Then it was on to the Cathedral for Mass in the Capilla Real, which houses the tombs of Saint Ferdinand and Alfonso the Wise. The mortal remains of the wonderfully named Pedro the Cruel lie in the crypt beneath. This was another moving Mass in such a wonderful setting. It was lovely to see Fr Marty wearing a Spanish style chasuble (slightly different from the classic “Roman” vestment, being rather narrower over the shoulders): he claimed that it was the first time he had worn a fiddle-back in more than 30 years as a priest! I sang “Ecce sacerdos magnus” from the Mass for a Confessor Bishop, in honour of St Isidore, the patron of Seville.
After Mass we went into the cathedral itself. The guide books say that this is the third biggest cathedral in the world, after St Peter’s in Rome and St Paul’s in London. I am not sure this is quite accurate. I think that St Peter’s is not actually a cathedral: the pope’s cathedral is actually at St John Lateran. And St Paul’s in London is not and never was a Catholic cathedral. So, if I am right, then Seville is the largest true cathedral in the world. It is certainly very impressive, with another massive high Altar and Choir. Of particular interest to my American friends is that it is the home of the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
After the cathedral we were allowed a short break for lunch, which allowed me to find a glass of vino blanco and some garlic prawns. Then it was on to the Alcazar, the Moorish palace opposite the cathedral. This was very fine but, having just been through the Alhambra the day before, I found it difficult to get excited by it.
After dinner Elke had arranged a special treat: an evening of Flamenco! This was very much a ‘show’ but it was very professional, colourful and at times thrilling. When the singing started I wondered if I could cope with an hour and a half of this toneless, apparently tuneless noise but as my ear became attuned I found it easier to accept. Some of the dancing was spectacular; especially the solemn-faced lady who danced with a long train to her dress that she would periodically contrive to wrap itself around her.
Our final day started with Mass in a room in our hotel. This took me back to my Catholic liturgical roots, attending Latin Masses in a hotel room because the then Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle would not allow the traditional Mass to be celebrated in a church. Then the rest of the day was free.
I took the opportunity to just wander slowly through the narrow streets of old Seville. I found a wonderful covered market with stalls selling fish, meat and fruit and vegetables. I visited El Corte Ingles and restricted myself to buying one CD set of Victoria’s music. I walked down to the bull ring, and wished we had been there in the bull-fighting season. I stopped for lunch at a bar near the cathedral: squid and a glass of vino blanco. Then it was time for that most civilized of Spanish habits; the siesta…
And so we came to our final night. Another session of prayer and reflection followed by a highly amusing ‘awards’ ceremony.
This was a remarkable week, absorbing the history, culture and architecture of one of the most special places in Europe. It was also a time of prayer and pilgrimage and excellent fellowship. I will always remember it.
Then it was on to the Cathedral for Mass in the Capilla Real, which houses the tombs of Saint Ferdinand and Alfonso the Wise. The mortal remains of the wonderfully named Pedro the Cruel lie in the crypt beneath. This was another moving Mass in such a wonderful setting. It was lovely to see Fr Marty wearing a Spanish style chasuble (slightly different from the classic “Roman” vestment, being rather narrower over the shoulders): he claimed that it was the first time he had worn a fiddle-back in more than 30 years as a priest! I sang “Ecce sacerdos magnus” from the Mass for a Confessor Bishop, in honour of St Isidore, the patron of Seville.
After Mass we went into the cathedral itself. The guide books say that this is the third biggest cathedral in the world, after St Peter’s in Rome and St Paul’s in London. I am not sure this is quite accurate. I think that St Peter’s is not actually a cathedral: the pope’s cathedral is actually at St John Lateran. And St Paul’s in London is not and never was a Catholic cathedral. So, if I am right, then Seville is the largest true cathedral in the world. It is certainly very impressive, with another massive high Altar and Choir. Of particular interest to my American friends is that it is the home of the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
After the cathedral we were allowed a short break for lunch, which allowed me to find a glass of vino blanco and some garlic prawns. Then it was on to the Alcazar, the Moorish palace opposite the cathedral. This was very fine but, having just been through the Alhambra the day before, I found it difficult to get excited by it.
After dinner Elke had arranged a special treat: an evening of Flamenco! This was very much a ‘show’ but it was very professional, colourful and at times thrilling. When the singing started I wondered if I could cope with an hour and a half of this toneless, apparently tuneless noise but as my ear became attuned I found it easier to accept. Some of the dancing was spectacular; especially the solemn-faced lady who danced with a long train to her dress that she would periodically contrive to wrap itself around her.
Our final day started with Mass in a room in our hotel. This took me back to my Catholic liturgical roots, attending Latin Masses in a hotel room because the then Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle would not allow the traditional Mass to be celebrated in a church. Then the rest of the day was free.
I took the opportunity to just wander slowly through the narrow streets of old Seville. I found a wonderful covered market with stalls selling fish, meat and fruit and vegetables. I visited El Corte Ingles and restricted myself to buying one CD set of Victoria’s music. I walked down to the bull ring, and wished we had been there in the bull-fighting season. I stopped for lunch at a bar near the cathedral: squid and a glass of vino blanco. Then it was time for that most civilized of Spanish habits; the siesta…
And so we came to our final night. Another session of prayer and reflection followed by a highly amusing ‘awards’ ceremony.
This was a remarkable week, absorbing the history, culture and architecture of one of the most special places in Europe. It was also a time of prayer and pilgrimage and excellent fellowship. I will always remember it.
posted by Alnwickian at 9:52 pm
1 Comments:
My understanding is that St Peter's is a basilica, not a cathedral.
I made the same comment while watching Simon Shama's art programme on TV.
And I've just realised that I don't actually know what a 'basilica' is. Wikipedia says a 'large and important church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope' and illustrates it with a picture of St Peter's.
For clarification, the current building of St Paul's has never been Catholic. Presumably its predecessor, burnt in 1666, was. Originally, it was the site of a Roman Temple
Gert
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