Tales from a Pilgrimage

by Anne Rothwell

We took advantage of the large reductions for over-60s for staying in Paradors, the wonderful state-run hotels in Spain. We stayed in places where the original pilgrims rested en route, originally hospitals, convents and other historic buildings for travellers to take refuge, now luxury hotels.

We came across a fascinating tale when staying in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The parador was situated in the heart of the old town, away from the traffic and next door to the Cathedral.

In the Cathedral, in a large airy cage, high up and opposite the tomb of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic), resided a white cock and hen, pecking around happily and crowing occasionally. There had been a white cock and hen there for many centuries (changed every 6 weeks) and they were the symbol of the town.

The reason for this was that, many centuries ago, a young man was making the pilgrimage with his parents and whilst staying in the town, a servant girl tried to seduce him and he refused (shades of Joseph!)

In a fit of pique, she put a silver candlestick in his pack and he was accused of stealing it and hanged. His parents sadly continued their journey and, on the way home, called at the town, went to the scene of his hanging and found him still there, alive! 

They rushed to tell the senior dignitary of the town, who was in the middle of a meal of white capon. He laughed at them and said he was as alive as the chicken he was eating. Whereupon the chicken jumped up and flew around the room. The miracle in this tall story is still celebrated.

The best bit of our pilgrimage was to come in Santiago. I’d read about the Botafumeiro, an enormous incense burner in the Cathedral, which required four monks to get it swinging right across the transept, but I believed only came out on special feast days.

We arrived in Santiago on a Saturday and I went to the Pilgrim’s Mass at noon on the Sunday. The place was packed, including many young people with the traditional staff and its cockle shell emblem, who had actually walked the route (maybe more for the famous walk than for religious reasons) and were greeting others they had met on the journey. After the mass, the incense burner was lowered and swung as the organ rose to a crescendo.

Quite an experience!

First published in VISA issue 68 (August 2006)