Seven churches visitation tradition

[Castilian]

Today is Maundy Thursday and in some towns/cities along some(?) caminos you can find still alive the seven churches visitation tradition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Churches_Visitation

Don't think you must be in a town/city big enough as to have 7 churches to find the tradition alive. You can find it in some small towns with just one church; in which case people enter and exit 7 times from the church as if they were visiting a different church each time.

If you happen to be in a city with lots of tourism during Holy Week and if you are making the visit for (deep) religious reasons (and not -just- for cultural reasons or due to tradition or for tourist purposes or...), I would suggest to avoid the city center and the most tourist churches where you are likely to find a lot of people visiting the churches but few religious spirit.

 

[Introibo]

Hi Castilian.
Not a tradition is heard of before but as I'm pausing my Camino in Leon to see some of the Semana Santa processions I thought I'd try and find seven churches to visit. . The first three were easy and by now I was outside the cathedral so I visited the Lady Chapel as my fourth.
The problems started when I came out as processions had started and I found myself being funneled down packed side streets. The next church I found was closing ! In the end I back tracked to the three I'd first visited.
Judging by the number of people coming and going, I'd say the tradition was still alive in Leon.
An enjoyable change to watching the processions. Thank you for bringing it to my attention

 

[smj6]

Fascinating, I'd not heard of this tradition before.
Suzanne

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola - this is a traditional Roman Catholic practice which takes place in many countries.

On Holy Thursday, usually in the evening, there is a Mass commemorating the Last Supper. At the end of the Mass the consecrated hosts are removed to an Altar of Repose, a re-enactment of the Garden of Gesthemane where Christ prayed on the even of his death on Good Friday. According to the Bible whilst Jesus waited his disciples fell asleep. "Could you not watch one hour with me?" Jesus asked.

After the Mass of the Last Supper people wait in front of the Altar of Respose until the close of day. Therefore the practice of visiting the 7 altars of repose is a symbolic act of accompanying Jesus as he waits for his crucifixion and death.

Today on Good Friday, whilst other services take place commemorating the passion and death of Jesus no Masses are held in any Catholic Church - even in Santiago!

 

[Tia Valeria]

This evening as a final act of worship for Good Friday our church will carry a cross through town and then up to the hilltop where it will be illuminated until around 11.00pm. There is a 'sunset' hilltop service and the cross is visible from the A38.
(Edit - evening)
We walked through the town stopping for Bible readings and to sing hymns then the intrepid tackled the hill. (We decided that we would not do so this year) The final hymn was at the hilltop and the cross was then illuminated - we can see it from our back door.

The hill seems much smaller and flatter in the photo than it really is.