STAGE 19 - MANSILLA DE LAS MULAS to LEóN

 Today's walk was relatively short (13 miles)! We made it without incident, rain, or wind. The way has some slight ups and downs, but nothing stressful. It was a pleasant day and got us into León with time to eat and to visit the Museo de San Isidoro that is next door to the Basílica de San Isidoro and to where we are staying at the Colegiata Real de San Isidoro. Here are some of the things that we experienced today...

The point where the Camino both enters and leaves Mansilla de las Mulas has this marker known as a Crucero. They are frequently found along the path. This one is unique with its statues of pilgrims who have paused to rest from a long-days walk. 

One represents the sleeping pilgrim, exhausted from the walk; the other two show a man removing food from his pack (with a piece of bread in his hand) and the woman poses thoughtfully, perhaps contemplating the day's walk or in quiet thoughtfulness. 

From this point you walk through ruins of the city's wall that date from the reign of Fernando II de León (1137-1188) when he began the refortification of León. Today you can still see portions of the walls both inside the city (below) and ...

The intact gate of Santa María remain intact

As you leave the city there remain extensive portions of the walls...

Below is the Porma River. The increased rainfall in the area has caused it to swell significantly.

Below is the Puente Villarente de Villaturiel. It is the longest one that we have seen thus far. It is so long that I couldn't get the entire span in a single shot! 

The shot above starts at about the fourth arch down...

From this point forward you walk through areas that are mostly scattered houses, farms, small industry, and what might be described as suburbs to León with some strange little oddities like this basketball/soccer court built on the edge of a field literally in the middle of nowhere...

After entering a small suburb you go up a rise to a point where you can see León

There are two things that made the day amazing. First, as we were entering the historic center of the city we heard folk music, cheering and the clap of castañelas (castanets) coming from one of the plazas. We turned the corner to find a troop of dancers performing in traditional Leonese costume. It was a cheerful and endearing moment. We have learned that the people of the province of León are very proud of the heritage...

It took some coaxing from Jannette to get me to move on and to get checked into the hotel. So we made our way on only to discover another group that had just finished dancing and were setting up for a group photograph.

After checking into the hotel we went out to eat and then visited the Museo de San Isidoro with its beautiful Panteón (crypt). Photos are not permitted inside, but I encourage you to look it up because it is amazing. On the way back to the hotel to watch General Conference I stepped into the Basílica de San Isidoro. The Basílica is a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture. The structure was built over an existing brick church constructed during the reign of Alfonso V and dedicated to San Juan Bautista. The current structure dates from 1063 and was ordered by Fernando I and Sancha to be dedicated to San Isidoro. Later the building was expanded by Sancha Raimúndez in the 12th century. The plan of the Basílica is that of three naves.

Below is the main altar of the Basílica. Just above the altar you will see a silver coffer that is said to hold the remains of San Isidoro. Not the ribbed ceilings that reflect the later Gothic style introduced with reformations.

This shot from the back of the nave gives you a better feel for the environment of the Basílica...

No matter how many times you visit a place, there is always something new that you see or discover. That happened here. On one of the columns that is left of the main altar is a statue of the Virgen Mary. I had not noticed that it is a representation of the pregnant Mary (known as the Virgen de la Esperanza or the Virgen del Apocalipsis). I was intrigued and took a picture.

She is similar in appearance and posture to other statues in the Colegiata de Toro and in the Catedral de León. After taking the picture I wandered to the other side of the basílica and as I cast a gaze across the nave I noticed that off to the side was a statue of Gabriel looking towards the statue of the Virgin (similar to the Colegiata de Toro combo). 

There is in this scene a sacred dialogue. On the one hand, Gabriel announcing to the Virgen that she has been selected to become the mother of God. His face reflects the intimacy of the moment. On the other hand, the Virgen, with a thoughtful gaze clasps her womb as if feeling the life that is within her. Her face reflects the words of the Magnificat from Luke 1: 46-50 that reads:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation."

When visiting a religious sanctuary it is essential to keep in mind that statues, reliefs, paintings, and other visual structures were intended to be read like a book. These pieces reflect essential teachings and remind the viewer of truth. There are two doors to the Basílica that I want to consider briefly. First, the Puerta del Perdón (Door of Forgiveness - 12th century). This door is located in the transept of the Basílica. This is the tympanum of the door:

There are three scenes represented: The scene to the left represents the Ascension. In it you see an angel who appears to be lifting the Christ figure towards Heaven. There is also a human figure. The angel and the man seem to represent the passage of Christ from mortality to immortality. The middle scene is the Descent from the Cross. In this scene we see two angels with incensories that represent the sanctity of this moment. To the left of the Christ figure is Mary and John the Beloved, to the left a man removing the nails from the Savior's hands (perhaps pointing to the significance of the wounds of the cross). The scene to the right is the discovery of the empty tomb. Note that an angel holds the lid of the tomb open to reveal to the three women that it is empty. In Mark 16: 1-6:

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

The second door is the main entrance to the Basílica, known as the Puerta del Cordero (Door of the Lamb; dates from around 1100 during the reign of Alfonso VI). I want to consider the door in its entirety and then the tympanum.

LEFT SIDE OF THE DOORS: The large figure is San Isidoro, Bishop of Sevilla (d. 636) with a soldier at his side whose head is turned towards the saint. Above these two figures are six individuals playing musical instruments and one in a circular space also playing an instrument.  Situated along the top are astrological symbols: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, and Libra.

RIGHT SIDE OF THE DOORS: The large figure is San Pelayo (911-925; example of chastity and virtue).  Immediately above this large figure are two smaller ones, one of which is playing a fidula (musical instrument) and the other is a young man with a book in his hand. Above these figures are more astrological symbols: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. 

One of the explanations for the astrological symbols is to communicate the concept of God as encompassing all things; a wholeness of existence that extends beyond this sphere.

Now the tympanum divided into upper and lower sections.

The upper section depicts four angels. The two lateral angels with nimbus (halo) suggesting their connection to heaven. Each carries in one hand the sign of the cross and the other points heavenward. Likewise, both angels look towards Heaven. The two angels in the center sustain a bead-studded clypeus, or shield, with the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) figure overlaying a cross.

The lower section depicts the episode from Genesis 22 when Abraham is commanded to take his son Isaac to be sacrificed. The panel reads right to left: 

Far right: 1) Abraham is seen leaving his tent with Isaac mounted on an ass; 2) Isaac is seen removing his shoes. This is an interesting motif since the removal of shoes can represent entrance into a holy place (a mount) as well as an act of submission and vulnerability; 3) Abraham has the sacrificial knife in hand ready to offer Isaac. Note that Abraham turns his head towards a hand coming from Heaven (the Hand of God) who stops him from sacrificing his son; 4) You see a ram caught in brambles; note the front legs entwined in the limbs of the bush with an angel signaling at the ram; 5) the final two figures are Hagar and Ishmael on horseback, bow and arrow. Some have pointed to the position of Hagar and her son as exiled from the covenant. Interestingly, Hagar is shown lifting her robe to reveal her leg.

One scholar, Ana Esteban Navarro, suggests, "The archer on the left has been identified with Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn, and the female image next to him corresponds to his mother, the servant of Hagar. In this narrative context, the interpretation seems appropriate since when Sarah had Isaac, Ishmael and his mother were exiled. Ishmael grew up in the desert and was a great archer. Therefore, the theme of the tympanum could be the opposition of Sarah and Isaac to Hagar and Ishmael as personifications of the New and Old Testaments. The iconography of Saint Isidoro is unifque in that it identifies Ishmael and his mother with Saracens. Ishmael is depicted wearing a turban, riding in the Muslim style, that is on horseback, turning around to shoot. And Hagar lifts her skirt, a behavior associated with Islamic lust." (https://webs.ucm.es/BUCM/blogs/ghi/10036.php)

Yet again, we find a beautiful example of how images tell stories and turn churches, basilicas and cathedrals into books in stone.

A COMMENT ABOUT SATURDAY MORNING SESSION OF CONFERENCE

I was reminded of Sister Camille Johnson's reference to Mary Magdelene in her conference talk. There is a remarkable association that Catholics have with the Magdalene; being known as the "Apostle of the Apostles." This designation is based on John 20 after she sees the risen Christ and upon recognizing who He is returns to the disciples and "testifies" of His return. There is a wonderful representation of the Magdalene in the Monasterio de San Esteban in Salamanca. At the top of the staircase that leads to the upper cloister and nestled in to upper angle of the last flight is the image of Mary Magdalene. She is posed in a contemplative mode with a her hand resting on a book, with a canister of anointing oil and skull (symbols of death and resurrection) at her side.

Second, I loved President Eyring's discussion of the Road to Emmaus. We teach our students on study abroad programs along the Camino that they are walking a "Road to Emmaus" as they walk, talk, learn, and strengthen their faith in Christ. We always visit the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos where we see a relief from the 11th century that represents the Road to Emmaus. The two disciples are to the left and Christ stands at the right, engaged in conversation with them. Our friend, father Angel noted that Christ's feet are going in two directions showing that despite the invitation to remain with the disciples there was also the need for him to leave. He also pointed out that while the disciple closest to Christ has his gaze fixed on the Savior, the one farthest away looks out from the frame. Father Angel said that the disciple on the far left represents us; we stand at a crossroad (a decision point) as to whether we will follow the Savior or not. We need to be like the disciples who supped with the Savior. We need allow our hearts to open to the movement of His words; to go and follow him. One other point is this: the Christ figure is represented as a pilgrim (note the shell on his satchel). In the King James version, verse 18 of Luke 24 reads, "And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and has not known the things which are come to pass in these days?" The Vulgate Latin version (which monks in the 11th century would have had access to) uses the word peregrinus or pilgrim rather than the word stranger. Thus for medieval monks in Silos, Christ is a pilgrim. He could be anyone that we meet and talk to as we pursue our own pilgrimages.

Have a great General Conference.