We had been encouraged by Pedro & Carmin to later partake of the abbey’s church tour that was offered to all pilgrims each afternoon, and the conversation shared amongst the few other pilgrims who had arrived and were waiting for the same (Helena from France & Yen from Taiwan) was calm and amicable, though noticeably distanced and somewhat devoid any emotional depth. Visiting nun Carmel from Ireland arrived shortly thereafter and waited in the garden with us, asking me about my Walk and wondering with undisguised skepticism (quite ironically – “Oh ye of little faith!”) how it was that I had been able to walk from one country to another without carrying any passport (“One step at a time, of course.”) … A nun from the abbey then finally arrived and opened up the church for us to enter and appreciate. It was a beautifully peace-full place, and I especially enjoyed walking up the thin stone-hewn staircase to the church’s bell tower, where we were each allowed to set the same to a renewed ringing – once more letting Love ring forth while symbolically sounding the summons to selfless Kindness …

“Our Father, who is ever within us on our Way, may your loving breath ever fill us and flow forth to all who we encounter … Let your caring will be done in the heat as well as the cold, and assist us in our moments of weakness, just as we willingly assist others who might similarly falter … Amen.” ~ anonymous

“The Camino makes you brother & sister, and whatever you carry with you must be ever available to be given. In this way the Camino breeds heartfelt community; the community that greets every other with kindness – the community that gladly offers whatever one has to whomever might be in need.” ~ a Zabaldika credo

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt