Long queues for the Pilgrim Mass in Santiago

[Bradypus]

La Voz de Galicia is reporting very long queues and delays for visitors wanting to visit the cathedral in Santiago. Up to 90 minutes at peak times. Anyone wishing to be present at the noon Pilgrim Mass is being advised to arrive at the cathedral no later than 11am.
https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...las-grandes-catedral/0003_201708G12P29991.htm

 

[Bradypus]

Is it like this every day in August or does it have something to do with this weekend being a puente, a bridge weekend, because Tuesday 15 August is a public holiday in Spain (Assumption of Mary) and also elsewhere and people making use of it for short term as well as longer term vacation trips?

A friend in Santiago has suggested that the really big numbers at the moment are to do with the Assumption holiday. If anyone wants to get some idea of the current state of play then this webcam pointed at the door in the south transept might give some idea of how things are:
http://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web/praza-das-praterias

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola - the town is very busy indeed. The weather is wonderful and it is a long weekend because of the public holiday for the Feast of the Assumption. It is an interesting feature of life in Spain that there are some traditionally religious feasts, the Assumption, All Saints and the Immaculate Conception of Mary which are also national public holidays - and of course the Feast of Saint James!
There are other feasts around which local civic holidays are enjoyed such as John the Baptist when in Galicia bonfires are lit, sardines are grilled and people jump over the fires or the Ascensión when the city of Santiago has three days of holiday and parties. All very odd sounding to someone from Presbyterian Scotland. But... See the Spanish, see holidays, they love them.

 

[oursonpolaire]

In the past few years, the cathedral has filled up well before the noon mass begins. For some time, I have been advising people to be there no later than 11.00.

 

[jmcarp]

We arrived in St Jean on 15 August, 2013, to find a four-day (maybe longer) festival in progress. There were marching bands, fiestas in the park across from our gite with loud music, fireworks at midnight, then more dancing and music. The streets were crowded with French and Basque tourists wearing traditional red and white. Needless to say, we started walking up the hill the next morning with maybe two hours sleep on top of lingering jetlag. I'm glad we only walked as far as Orisson.

 

[Bradypus]

Another news item on yesterday's crowds in Santiago.Some remarkable photographs! http://www.elcorreogallego.es/santi...edral/idEdicion-2017-08-16/idNoticia-1069263/

 

[notion900]

I was there on Friday, the queue is indeed enormous, but moves very quickly once the doors are open. There was sitting or standing room for everyone. Please remember before joining the queue that you cannot take backpacks in.