Tuesday 20 December 2011

Message from Confessional Number 2

The confessionals line the walls of the great cathedral of Santiago. The very size of the building seems to make them small. Like confessional boxes in a doll's house if there were such things. The priests inside are no less diminutive, their heads glow like those of saints as the single light above shines on both bald and silver. These are the canons of the cathedral. The "canonigos" who make up the cathedral chapter led by the Dean who is appointed by the Archbishop. This way of  running cathedrals is universal in the church. The canons are the venerable, the experienced. Hence traditions are carried on. In Santiago the canons sing the 9.30 mass every morning starting with Laudes. Then on a rota they go to the confession boxes and sit like statues waiting for the faithful to kneel for the sacrament.

Every day the light goes on in confessional number 2 and the same priest as always takes his place. A pile of books on which he rests his arm gives a hint as to how quieter moments are spent. He is dressed in a long black cassock bearing the red sword of St James. Around his neck is the purple stole. The symbol of his priesthood first placed on him at his ordination. From a distance he looks austere but up close and in conversation his eyes twinkle with life and his face breaks into the broadest of smiles. When he isn't hearing a confession pilgrims and locals who know who he is stop to chat. They usually talk about the Camino because this modest, almost anonymous priest who sits here everyday is Don Jenaro Cebrian, canon delegate in charge of pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. This man is the Chief Executive of the Pilgrims' Office which this year has broken all records and issued over 180,000 compostelas. He is the one who arranges the botafumeiro, special masses for pilgrimage groups and during the busy season single handedly runs a daily evening service for pilgrims who have arrived on foot, on horseback or by bicycle.

I learn later as we chat in his room in the Pilgrims' Office that the confessional in which he sits every day near to the tomb of  St James is only a few metres from the house in which he was born just off the Plaza Quintana. His early years were very happy and he enjoyed his primary education at the Colegio de los Remedios. In those early years he wasn't aware of pilgrims. There really weren't very many arriving in Santiago. But from as early as he can remember he was aware of St James. His older brother went off to seminary to train for the priesthood and at the age of 10 the young Jenaro wanted to follow him. His mother however wanted him to finish his education before considering seminary. Perhaps understandably she wanted to keep her youngest son at home for a while longer. This was not to be and the vocation of the youngster prevailed and off he went making the journey of 50 yards from his home to enter the Seminary at San Martin Pinario. Despite the proximity of his home, like the other boys, he lived in the seminary. These were happy days and he smiles as he relates the story. For one who hadn't travelled very much from home to cathedral and to seminary his favourite subject was geography.

He sighs as he describes how the church was different then. From his year alone 130 priests were ordained. He was ordained at the age of 21 with more than 20 others from his class. In his final year of studies he had been secretary to the assistant bishop of Santiago and after ordination he spent some time in the local parishes of San Benito and then Santa Maria del Carmen before becoming a member of staff in the cathedral. His first appointment there was in 1961 and his job was to organise two main services each day - Laudes in the morning and Vespers in the evening. He worked at this and various other administrative tasks for the next 27 years before being made a canon of the cathedral in 1988. In that role he taught religious studies in a school in Santiago and increasingly became involved in the education of young people.

Although he had been aware that the previous Director of the Pilgrims' Office, Don Jaime Garcia, had become ill he was genuinely astonished when on the fateful day of the terrorists attacks in Spain, the 11 March 2004, the Archbishop appointed him to be in charge of  pilgrimages and de facto CEO of the Pilgrims' Office.

"Why did the Archbishop pick you for this job above all of the other canons?" I asked. I could see him deciding how to answer the question when the moment was lost as his mobile phone rang with an incredibly jazzy ring tone which seemed strange emanating from the pocket of the priest. With a nod of apology he answered and conversed in a stream of Gallego, the language of the region.

I tried a different tack..."How does it feel to be in charge of the pilgrimage and this office?" I asked. "With so many people arriving" he replied, "it is a huge responsibility, we have to welcome pilgrims properly, we can't keep them waiting too long. I have to deal with the press, do interviews. But I am helped a great deal by two permanent assistants, Eduardo and Mari who help run the office, but we only ever have temporary staff. Such is the nature of the way we are funded. But we do it and this year more records have been broken. This is a good team."
He went on to describe the changes he has seen in the pilgrimage over his years in Santiago. It has always been a special place, he says. "We have the relics of the Saint and so people have always come here. But in the 1980's the town started to change as pilgrim numbers slowly increased. By 1992 around 10,000 pilgrims arrived. However in the Holy Year in 1993 this number expanded 10 fold when almost 100,000 compostelas were issued in addition to all of those who came by bus or car." 1993 says Don Jenaro was the turning point. "Everyone started to take notice: central and local government, the Chamber of Commerce. People saw the tourism possibilities. Some of us also saw the potential of the Camino as an expression of religious devotion and spiritual exploration. The network of albergues expanded as organisations such as the Confraternity of St James stepped up to the plate." For this he says, "pilgrims should always be grateful."      

In his analysis and reflection his religious convictions are always to the fore and he speaks of the rise in secularism and the selfishness of the 1990's to which faith in his view is the only antidote. He sees the Camino and all pilgrimage experience as part of the spiritual thirst he sees in the world as people strive for another way to live. People are looking for more meaning than money and material success. He is concerned that as numbers grow the spirit of the Camino, as essentially the search to come closer to God, will be devalued. It may simply become "something that is done for sport, for fun, because everyone is doing it." However as if to reassure himself he immediately related that only that very morning he was talking to some young people who had been deeply moved by their Camino experience.

"What of the future?" I ask, "Will the Camino continue to grow?". "Only God knows the answer to that" he replies and this eyes twinkle mischievously, "but I think it will, we have not yet reached the plateau if that day will ever come."

"And at this time of the year when Santiago and the whole world is preparing for Christmas a final word to pilgrims and members of Confraternities and Amigos groups who support them?"

"I want to wish all pilgrims a very happy and Christmas and a peaceful New Year. I want to express our gratitude to those who support pilgrims and to exhort them to maintain their efforts in the future."

"Will the Pilgrims' Office be closed for Christmas?" I ask. "Only on Christmas Day but I will have the stamp of the cathedral and the compostelas if any pilgrims arrive."

Pilgrims arriving on Christmas Day should report to confessional number 2.

Thursday 1 December 2011

News, numbers and gossip from Santiago

A passing pilgrim wonders what is being built in the Plaza Qunitana
Santiago is beside itself with excitement. The sounds of Christmas coming are in the air and the Plaza Quintana has taken on a Times Square atmosphere. For the first time the ice skating rink which was set up in the Area Central which is anything but central is now in the heart of the Old Town. The place is buzzing and yesterday people were peering through the windows to see the rehearsal for today's opening.
The ice rink will be open for two months until 10pm. School children will be admitted for 3.50€ and adults 6.50€.
Record breaking pilgrim numbers
The other big news is that the number of pilgrims continues to break all known records. Over many years the spike in numbers during a Holy Year were never matched in the years in between - when the Feast of St James does not fall on a Sunday. That's been the pattern. Until this year. During the last month for the first time ever the number of pilgrims who arrived during the Holy Year 2004 (179,994) has been exceeded in a normal year. By yesterday 181,789 pilgrims have arrived since 1st January 2011.  The full analysis of the numbers comes at the end of this post: see below.

Christmas Lights
The Christmas lights in this Cathedral city where the restrictions of Advent are still observed will be turned on on 17th December.

High Speed Train Link
The AVE service between Ourense - Santiago - A Coruna will open on 10 December. The travel time from Santiago to A Coruna will be cut to 28 minutes. The may help pilgrims who wish to travel in or out of A Coruna airport.

Cirque du Soleil
This show returns to Santiago between 7 - 11 December with 55 artists from 17 different countries. Tickets were sold out with hours of being available.
End of the 800 Anniversary of the Cathedral

Many people here in Galcia believe that the Feast of the Translación is  as important, if not more so that the Feast of St James held on 25th July. The Feast of the Translación which commemorates the transportation of St James' body to Galicia is to be held on 30 December and will mark the end of the Anniversary Year. The processions and Mass are spectacular with the armed forces of Spain on parade with senior representatives of the Royal Family and the political classes.
This is one of the ceremonies during the year when the botafumeiro is used for its liturgical purpose at the beginning of the Mass.

Numbers, numbers, numbers
During the month of November 1661 pilgrims arrived in Santiago. The total for the period 1 January to 30 November 2011 is 181,789.
The full analysis follows:

Spain
96771 (53,23%)
Germany
16574 (9,12%)
Italia
12119 (6,67%)
Portugal
8580 (4,72%)
France
8143 (4,48%)
United States
3733 (2,05%)
Ireland
2655 (1,46%)
United Kingdom
2366 (1,30%)
Holand
2348 (1,29%)
Canadá
2337 (1,29%)
Brasil
1951 (1,07%)
Austria
1847 (1,02%)
Poland
1807 (0,99%)
Corea
1692 (0,93%)
Belgica
1665 (0,92%)
Denmark
1639 (0,90%)
Australia
1389 (0,76%)
Sweden
1238 (0,68%)
Swizerland
1203 (0,66%)
México
1180 (0,65%)
República Checa
962 (0,53%)
Norway
908 (0,50%)
Japón
858 (0,47%)
Hungría
765 (0,42%)
Argentina
705 (0,39%)
Finlandia
648 (0,36%)
Eslovaquia
568 (0,31%)
Eslovenia
547 (0,30%)
South Africa
510 (0,28%)
Venezuela
431 (0,24%)
Colombia
417 (0,23%)
Russia
242 (0,13%)
Nueva Zelanda
236 (0,13%)
Rumania
201 (0,11%)
Chile
188 (0,10%)
Ecuador
173 (0,10%)
Uruguay
167 (0,09%)
Perú
147 (0,08%)
Israel
130 (0,07%)
Lituania
115 (0,06%)
China
108 (0,06%)


Gender
Nº de Peregrinos
Male
104874 (57,69%)
Female
76915 (42,31%)
Method of travel
Nº de Peregrinos
On foot
151817 (83,51%)
Bicycle
29516 (16,24%)
Horse
427 (0,23%)
Wheelchair
29 (0,02%)

Motivation
Nº de Peregrinos
Religious  or spiritual reasons
91614 (50,40%)
Religious
78971 (43,44%)
Not religious or spiritual
11204 (6,16%)

Finisterra
71 (0,04%)
Grandas de Salime
69 (0,04%)
Molinaseca
67 (0,04%)
Canfranc
64 (0,04%)
Granada
62 (0,03%)
Fonsagrada
61 (0,03%)
Rábade
59 (0,03%)
Italia
58 (0,03%)
Cast. la Mancha
57 (0,03%)
Com. Valenciana
57 (0,03%)
París
56 (0,03%)
Castilla La Mancha
55 (0,03%)
Castilla la Mancha
49 (0,03%)
Tineo
49 (0,03%)
Allariz
48 (0,03%)
Cadavo
48 (0,03%)
La Rioja
48 (0,03%)
Malaga
43 (0,02%)
Valladolid
40 (0,02%)
Huelva
38 (0,02%)
Povoa de Varzim
37 (0,02%)
Salas
36 (0,02%)
San Sebastian
35 (0,02%)
Nájera
34 (0,02%)
Benavente
34 (0,02%)
La Mesa
32 (0,02%)
Roma
32 (0,02%)
Córdoba
32 (0,02%)
Castrojeriz
30 (0,02%)
Cataluña
30 (0,02%)
Fonfría
29 (0,02%)
Badajoz
28 (0,02%)
Murcia
23 (0,01%)
A Guarda
23 (0,01%)
Ponferrada. C.Inv.
23 (0,01%)
Resto Galicia
22 (0,01%)
Vegadeo
20 (0,01%)
Polonia
17 (0,01%)
Reino Unido
16 (0,01%)
Grado
14 (0,01%)
La Rioja
13 (0,01%)
Republica Checa
12 (0,01%)
Baiona
12 (0,01%)
La Bañeza
12 (0,01%)
Vilabade
11 (0,01%)
Dinamarca
10 (0,01%)
San Juan de Ortega
10 (0,01%)
A Rúa
10 (0,01%)
Luxemburgo
8 (0,00%)
Inglaterra
6 (0,00%)
Sobrado
5 (0,00%)
Leyre
5 (0,00%)
Viveiro
4 (0,00%)
Monforte de Lemos
3 (0,00%)
Ortigueira
3 (0,00%)
Hungría
3 (0,00%)
Valcarlos
3 (0,00%)
Pontedeume
3 (0,00%)
Covelo
2 (0,00%)
Andorra
2 (0,00%)
Finlandia
2 (0,00%)
Gonzar
2 (0,00%)
United Kingdom
2 (0,00%)
Quiroga
2 (0,00%)
Egipto
2 (0,00%)
Jerusalem
1 (0,00%)
Cea
1 (0,00%)
Irlanda
1 (0,00%)
Mella
1 (0,00%)
Artieda
1 (0,00%)
Guntín
1 (0,00%)
Irlanda
1 (0,00%)
Grecia
1 (0,00%)
Peñaseita
1 (0,00%)
Petín
1 (0,00%)




Employment status
Nº de Peregrinos
Employed
44080 (24,25%)
Students
31634 (17,40%)
Technicians
24908 (13,70%)
Retired
20309 (11,17%)
Self employed
18325 (10,08%)
Teachers
13714 (7,54%)
Civil servants
9345 (5,14%)
Manual workers
6300 (3,47%)
Unemployed
4091 (2,25%)
Housewives
3977 (2,19%)
Artists
1522 (0,84%)
Executives
1379 (0,76%)
Priests
815 (0,45%)
Farmworkers
570 (0,31%)
Religious
441 (0,24%)
Sailors
226 (0,12%)
Sportspeople
113 (0,06%)
Oikoten
40 (0,02%)

Ages
Nº de Peregrinos
30 - 60
104631 (57,56%)
< 30
51732 (28,46%)
> 60
25426 (13,99%)

Routes travelled
Nº de Peregrinos
Frances-Camino de
131696 (72,44%)
Portugues-Camino
21850 (12,02%)
Norte-Camino de
11846 (6,52%)
Via de la Plata
7953 (4,37%)
Primitivo-Camino
5177 (2,85%)
Ingles-Camino
2678 (1,47%)
Otros caminos
388 (0,21%)
Muxia-Finisterre
201 (0,11%)