Pilgrimage Postings
An Occasional Newsletter for Pilgrims ~ Number 5. May 2005.
Edited by the Rev. Canon Stephen N. Brannon & James J. Rawls ~ Posted on www.OnPilgrimage.com
_____________________________________________________________
“Whatever the motive for setting out, whatever the hardships encountered along the way, the pilgrim’s reward is the secret joy of spiritual discovery.”
--Keith Sugden, Pilgrims
Pilgrimage to Spain
Experiencing Holy Week and Easter in the province of Andalusia is like entering another world. The drama and the spectacle are unmatched; the faith and the devotion are exhilarating.
The emotions, expressed in singing and chanting by congregants from the city’s twenty-four parishes, are riveting as the faithful bear their gilded pasos through the streets. The costumes, including those distinctive long pointed conical hoods, are mysterious and colorful. The processions, day after day, of penitents and celebrants are simply awesome.
We shall immerse ourselves in this once-in-a-lifetime experience next spring as part of our Spanish Pilgrimage, April 7 to 17, 2006. If you would like to learn more, please join us for an informational meeting on Sunday May 15 at 4:00 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 275 East Spain Street, Sonoma. Or feel free to contact us at (707) 938-4846 or snbrannon@aol.com.
Our hotel, near Seville’s historic Santa Cruz neighborhood, will provide us with a convenient base from which to view the Holy Week processions. This is the same ancient neighborhood, by the way, that inspired Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” and Bizet’s “Carmen.” Drama abounds around every corner!
We not only will tour all the highlights of Seville, we’ll also take day trips to other pilgrimage sites in the surrounding province. Here we’ll have a chance to reflect upon the ancient Moorish heritage of Andalusia, recalling a time when Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative harmony.
We’ll visit, for example, the Mezquita in Córdoba. This truly is one of the great wonders of the world. Built over the centuries, this grand mosque is a stunning display of the high culture introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors. We’ll also visit the fabled Alhambra palace in Granada. At the heart of the palace is the Patio of the Lions; its central fountain is surrounded by twelve lions representing the twelve months of the year. From this central fountain flow streams reaching symbolically to the four corners of the earth. If pilgrims are drawn to sacred centers, then this patio must serve well as such a site for pilgrimage. It has about it a sense of sacred centrality for people of all faiths.
Ready for Scotland?
Those of us heading to Scotland next month are counting the days ‘til our departure on June 10. Here are a few important reminders:
Airporter Service: Please mail a check payable to Trinity Church for $55 per person to Trinity Episcopal Church, 275 East Spain Street, Sonoma, CA 95476. Meet at 12:30 on June 10 at Trinity.
Airport Rendezvous: If you’re not on the Airporter, meet at 2:30 in the International Terminal at the Virgin Atlantic security check area. We’ll be watching for you!
Seat Assignment: To find out your seat assignment or request any changes, call 1-800-862-8621.
Porterage: Remember pilgrims pack light. You’ll need to tote your own bag in many cases, but porterage service will be available (£1/bag) at our hotel in Tobermory which is without lifts (elevators).
Walking Shoes: We’ll have moderate walking on most days, often over uneven terrain, so it’s essential to have sturdy footwear.
Weather: This is Scotland! Be prepared for rain. Predicted high temps will be 63° and lows of 46°. The good news is the sun will rise around 4:30 and set at 10:00 pm.
Sea Voyage: Remember also that we’ll be visiting three islands. Our main voyage will be a 45-minute crossing from Oban to the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. We’ll also board a small ferry on Mull to sail for 5-minutes across the bay to Iona.
Soulful Preparation
As always, our pilgrimage will be a journey inward as well as outward. Essential preparation for the inward experience includes prayer and soulful reflection. We should be asking, what is it that needs transformation in our life? How may we become more faithful disciples? Where is the Holy Spirit leading us?
In the packet for the Scottish pilgrims are several brief “white papers” on the sites we’ll be visiting. We hope these will encourage you to read more about the sacred sites on our itinerary. You’ll also note in your packet a list of publications by the Rev. Ray Simpson, our host during our visit to Lindisfarne (Holy Island). We commend to you most especially his books Celtic Worship through the Year and Exploring Celtic Spirituality.
We’ll be pursuing many themes on our pilgrimage, including Celtic spirituality, the earliest Christian missionaries to Scotland, the Reformation, and the varieties of contemporary practice among Scottish Christians, especially the Presbyterians and Episcopalians with whom we shall worship.
Scottish Pilgrims 2005
Stephen & Barbara Brannon ~ Sonoma
Jim & Linda Rawls ~ Sonoma
Barbara & Virginia Bornemann ~
Hydesville
Allison & Georgia Bostedt ~ Sonoma
Bettina Brown ~ Sonoma
Susan Hand ~ Sonoma
Ivy Cardinaux ~ Sonoma
Peg McAleese ~ Sonoma
Barbara Cobb ~ Sonoma
Muff Davey ~ Sonoma
Joan Dedo ~ Mill Valley
Rom Portwood ~ Berkeley
Verle Dillon ~ Sonoma
Helen Fernandez ~ Sonoma
Margaret Duffy ~ El Verano
Irene Ramar ~ El Verano
Betty Hamilton ~ Sonoma
Ray Maloney ~ Windsor
Marian Marcellus ~ Eureka
Helen Person ~ Eureka
May Webber ~ McKinleyville
Jerry & Noel Mize ~ Sonoma
Sharon Morrison ~ Gold River
Ned Rose & Evie Osburn-Rose ~ Sonoma
Mary Beth Paul ~ Pacifica
Roger & Eva Westberg ~ Glen Ellen
|
Crossing from Oban to the Isle of Mull
|
