I was heading to Pamplona because, of all the towns that I passed through along the way, this one enchanted me the most.
The train trip would basically reverse, in eleven hours, what had taken me over a month to accomplish.
While the train obviously didn't follow the Camino de Santiago, I saw towns that looked very similar to the ones that I passed through. It was eery going so quickly through the Meseta, when I remember struggling with almost every step. After choosing slow-speed travel for 72 days, higher-speed travel was different.
The train arrived at Pamplona right on time. I had no idea where I was, so I took a cab to the albergue «Jesús y María» right by the Cathedral in the center of the old town.
The albergue has the name «Jesús y María» because it's a former convent chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
You're probably thinking, "How could a former chapel be used as a hostel?" I had the same question, but a very smart architect did a great renovation job. Normally I like chapels to remain as chapels, but renovating this one is better than it being torn down.
The soft night lighting was brilliant, and sleeping in the bunk beds right in the vaulted rafters of the chapel was quite an experience. It has to be the most beautiful albergue on the entire Camino de Santiago, and I'm glad that I had the chance to stay there.
In the morning it was the same routine: getting up early and packing the backpack up. It was very different this time around, however, as I no longer had to walk fifteen or so miles to a destination -- I had already arrived!
I did retrace some of my pilgrim steps, however. I crossed the medieval bridge of St. Mary Magdalen, the old eastern to the walled city. I also visited some parks that gave off a great aroma of spring in the early morning. If I haven't said this already in a previous blog, walking in the early morning is a wonder, as the smells that you are greeted with are simply wonderful. I also visited some churches that I hadn't seen.
I decided to concelebrate the Noon Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Santa Maria. It also turned out to be a Confirmation Mass presided over by the Archbishop of Pamplona and a number of priests. The Archbishop warmly greeted me. It was a beautiful Liturgy, with the ceremonies carried out in such a reverent way. I was very impressed.
The Pamplona cathedral is another gothic masterpiece. Unfortunately, in the late 18th century they built a neo-classical entrance onto it. It would be like having a log cabin and putting a brick façade on it. It just doesn't go together.
Following Mass, I headed to the Parish of St. Ignatius if Loyola. People know of St. Ignatius' great conversion Story, but few know that it was Pamplona that started it all. Here the future founder of the Jesuits was wounded in May 1521,while he was a soldier, when a cannonball struck his legs during the Siege of Pamplona.
Some friends carried him back on a stretcher to his family home of Loyola to recuperate, and his conversion to Christ took place there.
The Church of St. Ignatius in Pamplona has perpetual adoration, and it was great having the opportunity to pray there. It was a special, sacred atmosphere.
Up the block from the church is an outdoor statue, which is a depiction of St. Ignatius being placed on the stretcher.
Continuing up the block, I found a great place for tapas, just 50 meters from the memorial to St. Ignatius.
Following that, it was time to start heading to France, to start my work hearing confessions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southwestern France. Therefore, I boarded an evening train to Irún, which lies at the Spain-France border. On Monday morning I will walk across the border to the French town of Hendaye, and take a train to Lourdes.
So I entered Spain on foot on Easter Sunday, April 24, and will leave Spain on foot on Memorial Day, May 30. Not too many travelers, tourists or even pilgrims can claim they have entered and exited a country on foot!
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