It was a day full of crowds of people praying, protesting, dancing, running, watching and strolling.
On the way to the Cathedral for Mass, dodging hundreds of walkers and runners.
The Cathedral, 10:30 Mass is in Catalan. A celebrant, with perhaps 6 concelebrants, a deacon and six very serious and well-trained servers. The music was beautiful, mostly a cappella choir, some organ, and a very Spanish-forward cantor who directed us with choir-directing-motions. There was no congregational hymn singing, but the Mass parts were sung, some in Latin (Gloria, Credo) others – the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei – in Catalan, which surprised me – do the really long ones in Latin, but the shorter, actually (still) more commonly sung in Latin/Greek in the vernacular?
No matter. The music was beautiful, the liturgy was prayed with reverence and the homily – read from two sides of a single sheet of paper – was about ten minutes long. Whatever he said, he said succinctly and with care.
No photos or videos were allowed during Mass, but I got a few after – and before we were run out for the next Mass. If you would like videos, go to Instagram Stories.
Walking out of the Cathedral, the sardana – or traditional Catalan dance – was already in progress in the square, a Sunday afternoon tradition. Again – video at Instagram.
But why are so many people wandering around draped in Spanish flags? And why, after Mass, are so many of them moving in a single direction? Well, thanks Internet – it seems it was an anti-independence-for-Catalan protest. One of several across the country today.
Lunch was at a tiny place in the Gothic Quarter called Salterio, discovered through the Instagram page of Keith Taillon, whom I started following because of his Gilded Age recaps and background, but who is also a great travel Grammer and was in Barcelona in May. Lovely herbal tea, a white-wine Sangria which was light and refreshing, and a gorgeous dish called sardo – I suppose you could say it’s an North African/Near Eastern quesadilla, made here with extreme care and high quality ingredients. Fantastic. (I’ll have a full Barcelona food report when I return).
Then, some buskers.
Then on the bus up to Parc Guell. More Guadi, more fascinating Barcelona history.
Another busker, with parakeets who live in the park.
Then, back down to Sagrada Familia, which was tonight blessing the now-completed four towers dedicated to the evangelists. You can see better photos and videos at their Instagram page.
The streets around the church were packed with people, the church was mostly dark to those of us outside. Mass had begun at 5:30 inside, so we were waiting for it to end, at which point the blessing would occur. At about 6:45, episcopal personages – I assume the Archbishop of Barcelona – processed out, choir music was piped outside, prayers were prayed, holy water was flung a few feet – but what else could one do – spray them with a fire hose? – and the lights came on, and the crowd oohed, clapped, and moved back into life in the city that night, this place in the midst of it all, always in sight.