Ms. Ellaneous

Lourdes Shrine, France

2025-02-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

In 2017, on a pilgrimage to Garabandal, Spain, I, along with a a group of pilgrims took off to visit other pilgrimage sites that included the Lourdes Shrine in France. This was my third visit to Lourdes, but this time with a tour group.

What started out as a small market town in the southwestern part of France, located at the foothills of the pyrenees, had become a very special place for Marian apparitions, which began in 1858. A young girl who was gathering wood - Bernadette Soubirous - had an exceptional experience of having a vision of a beautiful Lady at the Grotto of Masabielle. She came from a poor family, she was sickly and had not received much eduction. But she was chosen by Our Blessed Mother for a very special reason - the be the messenger to reveal to the world the messages she received, that was meant for all of us.

Initially, the Lady in her vision did not identify herself, but she invited Bernadette to return for several more days, totaling eighteen times. To these invitations, Bernadette faithfully complied.
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The town was previously known as Chateau fort de Lourdes, where this fortified castle was built, rising from a rocky steep slope along the riverbank. Our visit to Lourdes coincided with the April full moon.

AT THE LOURDES SHRINE

The rotund just before getting to the heart of the Lourdes Shrine

The Sanctuary (Basilica) of Our Lady of Lourdes

Here is a synopsis of the interactions Bernadette had with the beautiful Lady:

"...During the third apparition, on 18th February, the Virgin spoke for the first time: “what I have to say to you does not have to be written down”. This means that Mary wished to communicate with Bernadette in a loving heart to heart way. From the very start, Bernadette was invited to open the depths of her heart to this message of love.

- Bernadette was overwhelmed by the second statement of the Virgin Mary: “Would you be so kind as to come here for fifteen days?” It is the first time that Bernadette was addressed in a formal way. She felt she was respected and loved,... We are all worthy of respect in the eyes of God, because He loves each one of us.

- The third statement of the Virgin was: “I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the other.” When Jesus, in the Gospel, invites us to discover the Kingdom of Heaven, He invites us to discover the “another world” within our world as it is. Wherever there is love, God is present.

"...During the first seven apparitions, Bernadette’s face always radiated joy, happiness and light. However between the eight and twelfth apparitions, everything changed: Bernadette’s face became harsh, sad, and sorrowful, and above all she performed incomprehensible gestures… She moved on her knees to the back of the Grotto. She kissed the dirty repulsive ground of the Grotto. She ate some bitter plants. She scraped the ground three times trying to drink the muddy water at the back of the Grotto...she took mud in her hands and smeared it on her face... What did all these mean? Nobody understood! Nonetheless, here we are at the heart of the “Message of Lourdes”.

- BIBLICAL DIMENSIONS:
...Bernadette ACTS OUT the INCARNATIOM, the PASSION and DEATH of CHRIST Moving on her knees to the back of the Grotto: this action recalls the INCARNATION, God humbles himself to become human.
.....EATING the BITTER HERBS at the back of the Grotto recalls the JEWISH TRADITION found in the ancient texts.
.....SMEARING HER FACE with MUD: when the prophet Isaiah speaks to us about Christ, he depicts Him as “the SUFFERING SERVANT”.

"During the ninth apparition, “the Lady” asked Bernadette to scrape the soil, saying to her: “Go to the spring, drink of it and wash yourself there”. By these actions, the mystery of the heart of Jesus is revealed for us: “A soldier pierced his heart with his lance and there immediately flowed out blood and water.” The herbs and the mud represent the heart of man wounded by sin. However, in the deepest recesses of that heart, there lies the very life of God signified by the Spring. Bernadette is asked: “Did the ‘Lady’ say anything to you?” She replied: “Yes, from time to time, She said: “penance, penance, penance. Pray for sinners”. By “Penance”, one must understand conversion...consists of turning one’s heart towards God and towards our brothers and sisters, as Christ taught us.

"During the thirteenth apparition, Mary said to Bernadette: “Go, tell the priests and that people should come here in procession and to build a chapel here.”
- “Come here in procession” means accompanying our brothers and sisters in this life.
- “Build a chapel here.” In Lourdes, chapels were built to accommodate the crowds of pilgrims. The chapel is the “Church” that we ought to build where we are.

"On 25th March 1858, the day of the sixteenth apparition, Bernadette asked the “Lady” her name. The “Lady” replied in the local dialect: “Que soy era Immaculada Counceptiou”, which means “I am the Immaculate Conception”. The Immaculate Conception is “Mary conceived without sin, by the merits of the Cross of Christ”... Bernadette went to see the Parish priest straight away to give him the name of the “Lady”. He then realized it was the Mother of God who was appearing in the Grotto. Later, Mgr Laurence, Bishop of Tarbes, authenticated this revelation."

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It had only been four years before when the dogma on the Immaculate Conception had been defined under the papacy of Pope Pius IX, in 1854. Bernadette, whose education was limited, had no idea what Our Lady meant when she identified herself. But, still she did as Our Lady had requested her to do.

The mosaic design depicting Our Lady at the dome above the altar of the sanctuary

One of the most attended activities in Lourdes is the torchlight procession. Pilgrims from all over the world gather around before 9:00 p.m. (from April to October) for this, with rosaries in hand.

My companions and I joined the crowd, as the sick and the able came together and were organized to get into designated places.

The pilgrims gathered near the front steps of the sanctuary...

where some groups and organizations were identified by banners or flags.

A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, resting on a palanquin, had been prepared for the procession.

The mosaic design on the façade of the sanctuary by Fr. Marko Rupnik - a Jesuit, Slovenian priest - was added in 2008. The design embodies the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, depicting the "Wedding at Cana" on the exterior entrance leading to the lower basilica. Sadly, it has been embroiled in controversy in the last couple of years.

As of July, 2024, Bishop Jean Marc-Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes, originally, wanted the mosaic removed after Fr. Rupnik was excommunicated by the Vatican in May 2020, after several women accused him of sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuses dating to 30 years back. However, after meeting with the pope on June 20, 2024 with regards to the fate of the artworks of Fr. Rupnik (an abuser) which are all over the world, the good bishop decided that the mosaic art in the Lourdes Basilica will no longer be lit up during the torchlight procession, as a first step to take. As you can imagine, this decision was not received well by the abused victims.

In May 2023, a commission - composed of abused victims, sacred-art specialists, lawyers, and chaplains - was organized by Bishop Micas to decide what to do with the Rupnik mosaic. That has been almost two years ago. For more information about what has become of the case of Fr. Rupnik, please read about it here. I pray - unto the loving care of Our Lady of Lourdes, may the abuse victims find healing.

Our Blessed Lady led the way...

while we prayed the rosary, silently raising up our pleas and intentions for healing, for resolutions to problems, or in thanksgiving.

We walked through the labyrinthine way, along the riverbank...

passed by the infirmary...

and ended at the Masabielle Grotto...

after which time, many of the pilgrims lined up to see the original spot from which the healing waters of Lourdes had flowed from, and continues to up to this day.

We called it a night as it was getting late and went back to our hotel. We were booked for two nights at Hotel Christina, which was well situated around souvenir shops and located near the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes. The next day, we had enough time to go around and shop for our religious articles, attend mass, go to confession, and light candles.

With the close proximity of our hotel to the basilica, it only took us 10 minutes to walk in by taking the side gate.

We went back to the grotto to sit and pray, and to peruse...

as we followed the line to go around the ground level of the cave beneath the grotto. While walking along the wall of the cave, we were able to wipe our handkerchiefs, or use our hands to gather some moisture trickling down into drops of water to bless ourselves.

Here is the original spot where Bernadette was asked by Our Lady to scratch the ground from where the healing water started to flow.

Enclosed in glass and lit from beneath, we could see the flow of water running.

Under this banc (French word for bench) in the grotto grounds, we saw this spot where Bernadette had prayed on February 11, 1858, during her initial encounter and her subsequent encounters with the Lady...;where she eventually found out who the beautiful Lady was - the "Immaculate Conception."

Near the grotto, to the left were faucets from where the pilgrims could collect the healing water from Lourdes into containers; or, collect the water with capped hands to drink, to wash their faces or body parts that were being lifted up to Our Lady's intercession for healing.

Some of us from our group decided to join the line, early in the morning, to get to the waiting area, to be dunked in the bath stalls.

Among the miracles one can experience when in Lourdes is while "taking a bath" in the bath stalls, is not to need to dry oneself after. We were instructed to just get dressed, and quite instantly we dried up.

Gave de Pau riverbank, near the grotto

As we bid adieu to Our Lady of Lourdes, we were on a spiritual high as we relished the time and the graces and blessings we received in our visit with her.

We were back on the road again to continue our pilgrimage to more sites, as we headed back to Garabandal, along the route to Cantabria.

As much as 70 miraculous healings have been investigated and approved by the Catholic Church; though, many, many more healings have been received by pilgrims who go there, or pray to Our Lady of Lourdes, where ever they are, to intercede for them for healing in mind, body and spirit.

The Lourdes Shrine ranks as one of the most visited sites where anywhere from four to six million pilgrims are welcomed each year. Be one of them in 2025!

For more information: https://www.lourdes-france.org/en/

St. Ignatius of Loyola

2024-07-31T18:23:00.000-07:00

With the mere mention of "Loyola" in Spain, right away, brought to my mind St. Ignatius of Loyola. My visit to Loyola centered on the Basilica of St. Ignatius, as part of a pilgrimage I had joined to Garabandal.

Who was St. Ignatius of Loyola?

The Sanctuary of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Azpeitia

On October 23,1941, St. Ignatius was born to the Lord of Loyola - Beltrãn Ibañez de Oñaz, and his wife Maria Sãnchez de Licona, in his family home in the little town of Azpeitia, a Basque province of Guipuzcoa, in Northern Spain. His real name was Iñigo Lopez de Loyola, named after St. Enecus (Innicus in Basque, Iñigo in Spanish). He was the youngest of thirteen children. Soon after his birth, his mother passed away. He was cared for by the local blacksmith's wife, Maria de Garin.

By the age of sixteen, Iñigo became a page and a member of the household of Juan Velazquez de Cuellar, who was the treasurer in Castile (Spain). At the court of Velazquez, Iñigo developed a taste for the worldly life, got addicted to gambling, and developed an argumentative attitude which got him into trouble, at times. But the Loyola family name was quite powerful, and he managed to get away with his misdeeds.

At seventeen, he became a military officer and was seen more as a "fancy dresser, an expert dancer, a womanizer, sensitive to insults, and a rough punish swordsman" more than being a good soldier. While he was defending the fortress in the Battle of Pamplona on May 20, 1521 against the French, a cannon struck him and his leg was wounded. The French found him to be courageous. Instead of taking him as a prisoner, they brought him back to his home - to the Castle of Loyola, for him to recover. However, his leg did not heal and his condition seemed to indicate his imminent death, according to his doctors.

While he was still recuperating at the hospital that was run by a religious order, he was in search of books to read and the only one he could find was entitled "Life of Christ" (De Vitta Christi by Ludolph of Saxony). As he read and went through the pages, he became more interested in the lives of the saints, as he was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi and other great saints. This book highly influenced him in his ensuing prayer life. This was the beginning of his conversion. And, soon he heard the call to religious life.

On June 29 - on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, he was miraculously healed. In the hospital he was getting visits which he concluded were diabolical. Although, his leg injury caused him to walk with a limp, afterwards.

When he felt well enough, Iñigo set off to journey to the Holy Land in September of 1521, with the intention of settling there. However, he only lasted there for twenty days - from September 3 to 23 - as the Franciscans, who officially had "Custody of the Holy Land" sent him back.

In March, 1522, he visited the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat. While there, he had a vision of the Blessed Mother and the Child Jesus. After, he surrendered his sword before the statue of Our Lady.

A metal sculpture of St. Ignatius's vision of the Blessed Mother and the chid Jesus (in the garden next to the basilica )

From there, Iñigo took a 25km walk to Manresa. It eas at a cave there where he led an ascetic and spiritual life, where he conceived his Spiritual Exercises." He learned about imagining oneself at the Gospel scene, visualizing the story known as a "simple contemplation." This became the basis for his exercises which consisted of "meditations, prayers and mental exercises" which were , then, published in 1548. Ignatian spirituality is designed to bring us to a deeper prayer life, while seeing God as present and active in our lives, to guide us in our discernment, in making our decisions, and to have an active life in being there to serve others.

He went back to Barcelona at the age of thirty-three to attend grammar school as preparation to enter a university. From there, he went on to attend the University of Alcala, from 1524 to 1534, where he studied theology and Latin. While there, he ran into some women who had to go before the Inquisition. These women were viewed as alumbrados (Iluminated, Illuminati, or Enlightened Ones), whose spirituality was linked to that of the Franciscan reforms. This incurred the suspicion of the administrators of the Inquisition.

On one occasion, Iñigo was preaching on the street when three of these devout women went into ecstatic states, like "One fell senseless, another sometimes rolled about on the ground, another had been seen in the grip of convulsions or shuddering and sweating in anguish." These manifestations - which happened while Iñigo was preaching without even having studied theology - got him into trouble. As this was deemed as a suspicious activity, he underwent interrogation by the Inquisition, but was released later on.

Education became important to Iñigo. At 38 years old, he went to Paris to attend the Collège Sainte-Barbe, which at the time was the center of French Renaissance. With little knowledge of French and Latin, he managed to progress, starting from learning the basic courses; and in the years that followed more courses in science, philosophy, and theology. From his Parisian educational experience, he left us the legacy of setting class levels: Freshman, sophomore, Junior, senior.

It was in Paris that he changed his name to Ignatius, which was used in his diploma when he graduated. His switch to the latin name "Ignatius" later on, was believed to have been made to make it better understood in France and Italy. He adopted the surname "de Loyola" to indicate where he was born.

He wanted to pursue further studies but he was tied down in the doctoral program due to his age and stomach problems that he developed from his penance practices while he was in Manresa. He finished his master's degree from the University of Paris at 43 years old.

Ignatius made friends in Paris: Francis Xavier (a nobleman from the eastern end of the Basque country), Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laynez, and Nicholas Bobadilla, all of whom were Spaniards; Peter Faber - a Savoyard from the south of France; and Simão Rodrigues of Portugal.

Bonded by the spiritual exercises he led them through, together they took their vows at Eglise Saint-Pierre du Montmartre (Church of Saint Peter of Montmartre) on August 14, 1534, with a mission to convert. They were eventually joined by Saint Francis Borgia and other nobles.

Their plans to go to the Holy Land were thwarted while they waited for a ship to take them from Venice, due to the outbreak of the war between the Venetians and the Turks. With the change of plans, they ended up in Rome. There, they spent their time in communal discernment.

The Society of Jesus - the Jesuit order - was established on September 27, 1540, with the approval of Pope Paul III. Ignatius became the first superior general of the order. The society had a special vow of obedience to the pope, and to serve the pope as missionaries.They were, prominently, involved during the Counter-Reformation.

To start their work, Ignatius sent his companions to establish schools, colleges, and seminaries all over Europe. On one occasion, he met the ambassador to Rome of Charles V - Juan de Vega. The ambassador had so much respect and admiration for Ignatius. He invited the Jesuits - when he became the Viceroy of Sicily - to open a Jesuit college in Messina, which became a model school that was used for the other schools that were put up.

Ignatius - because of his book of Spiritual Exercises - was brought before the Roman Inquisition in 1548. He was released and papal permission was given for the printing of his book, which was formatted to be carried out for a period of 28-30 days.

Along with the help of his personal secretary - Juan Alfonso de Polanco, together they wrote the Jesuits' constitution, which was created as a monarchical organization, stressing absolute self-denial and obedience to the pope and to the the Catholic hierarchy, using the motto perinde ac cadaver (as if a dead body) , was adopted in 1554. The Jesuits' motto was based on his principle: Ad majorem Dei gloriam ("For the greater glory of God.")

From 1553–1555, Ignatius dictated his autobiography to his secretary, Father Gonçalves da Câmara. It was archived for about 150 years, until the Bollandists (an association of scholars, philologists, and historians) published the text in Acta Sanctorum (a principal source for research into the societies and cultures of early Christian and medieval Europe).

He is the patron saint of Catholic soldiers, the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Basque Country, and various towns and cities in his native region.

Biographical films have been made about his life: In 1949 he was the subject of a Spanish film The Captain from Loyola, in which he was played by Rafael Durán. In 2016, he was the subject of a Filipino film Ignacio de Loyola, in which he was magnificently played by Andreas Muñoz.

The main entrance to the sanctuary

He died in Rome on July 31, 1556, after contracting the Roman Fever - a severe case of Malaria that had made its rounds several times before. He was placed in a wooden shrine, covered with his priestly garments. On August 1st, the shrine was brought to the Maria della Strada Church. In 1568 that church was replaced with the Chiesa del Gesù (Church of the Gesù). Placed in a new coffin, Saint Ignatius was reinterred in the Church of the Gesù in Rome, Italy.

Upon his death, the house - his place of birth - was given to the order he founded. The house is now a museum and is part of the basilica complex. Next to the house, the Sanctuary of Loyola was built. It became a place of veneration in the seventeenth century.

A waterway on one side of the property

The Shrine and Basilica (Santuario de Loyola) is a series of buildings built in the Churrigueresque Baroque style.

This is a Spanish Baroque style, developed in the late 17th century and it was in use up to around 1750. It incorporated very elaborate sculptural and architectural ornamentation in the church design, mainly, found in the main entrance of a building.

It derives its name from José Benito de Churriguera (1665-1725), a sculptor and architect from Madrid who got his inspiration from Alonso Cano, the architect who designed the cathedral in Granada, in 1667.

The shrine of St. Ignatius was built around the tower of the Loyola Castle in northeastern Spain. It consisted of several buildings that made up the basilica complex in a huge piece of land. The construction began in 1688 under the supervision of the project architect, Carlo Fontana.

The cupola

The main altar

The pulpit

Details of the main altar with a statue St. Ignatius above the crucifix.

Madonna and Child

San Francisco de Xavier

Sacred Heart of Jesus

San Pedro Faber

San Alonso Rodriguez
Due to time constraints, I was not able to take pictures of the other friends who took their vows with Ignatius, on the other side of the main altar.

Door details

The Cemetery

Located somewhere behind the basilica, is the cemetery. This was a place of interest to my pilgrimage group as our visit to Loyola was a side trip, as part of our pilgrimage to Garabandal.

Among the priests who went to investigate for himself about the ongoings in Garabandal was Fr. Luis Andreu, a 38 year-old Spanish Jesuit. While at the Pines - the apparition site consisting of five tall evergreen trees - he was heard to say "Miracle, miracle!" when he had a vision of the virgin Mary, where she granted him a preview of the great miracle that was forthcoming. At the same time, the four children - Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores "Mari Loli" Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez, and Maria Cruz Gonzalez - who were in ecstasy, came to understand what Our Lady was saying to him - "You will soon be with me."

With so much joy in his heart, Fr. Andreu spoke about this happy occasion: "Oh! What a sweet and lovely Mother we have in heaven. How happy I am. What a favor the Blessed Virgin has bestowed on me. How fortunate we are to have a Mother like her in heaven. There is no reason to fear the supernatural life. The girls have given us an example of how we must act with the Blessed Virgin. There is no doubt in my mind that the things involving the girls are true. Why should the Blessed Virgin choose us? This is the happiest day of my life." These became his final words. He bowed his head and died.

Our Lady has said that the body of Fr. Andreu will be found to be incorrupt on the day after the miracle comes to pass (a prophecy of which was given to the sears in Garabandal).

Next to the basilica is a center for spirituality where retreats, meetings, congresses and pastoral activities are held, under the auspices of the Handmaids of Christ he King.

Ignatius' path to sainthood came swiftly, a few years after his death, he was beatified by Pope Paul V on July 27, 1609, and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622. St. Ignatius of Loyola's feast day is celebrated on July 31st.

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Travel tips to Loyola:

The nearest cities are either Bilbao or San Sebastian. The San Sebastian airport has limited service, while the Bilbao airport has flights to several European destinations. Trains services are available from Madrid to Bilbao (about 4-5 hours), as well as to San Sebastian. From either city you would need to take a bus to Loyola.

Address: 20730 Loiola, Guipúzcoa, País Vasco, Spain

Holy Christ of Agony (Limpias Christo) at Iglesia de San Pedro in Cantabria, Santander, Spain

2020-05-27T02:33:00.001-07:00

Some years ago, on a pilgrimage to Garabandal, Spain, we took a sidetrip to visit Iglesia de San Pedro (Church of St. Peter) in Cantabria, located in the area of Rucoba de LImpias, in Santander, Spain. In this village church, an image of the Holy Christ of Agony, or also known as Christ of Limpias, has been much venerated by pilgrims from all over the world.

The church was built at the beginning of the 17th century in late Gothic and Renaissance style, under the guidance of a master of the time - Francisco de Hazas. In 1664, a Baroque doorway was added to the structure.

The façade - which is made of limestone - was the work of Diego Vélez de Palacio. Next to the entrance door are two columns, one on each side. Above the columns are circular pediments with statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, and at the center above the main door is Santiago (Saint James the Great, the brother of John the Apostle) .

The façade of Iglesia de San Pedro, Cantabria

Prominent in the interior of the church are the three naves that are equal in height, with the center nave wider than the side ones. They are separated by cylindrical pillars that are covered with rib vaults.

On the altars are decorative and religious elements that date back from the 16th to the 18th century. The main altar piece - that of Christ of Limpias, made of polychrome wood carving with the Sorrowful Virgin Mary on one side and the apostle John on the other, in Rococo style dating back to 1777 - are Andalusian art works from either Cadiz or Seville.

On the side chapels, there are the statue of the archdeacon - Fernando de Palacio and the tomb of General Don Antonio Cirilo de Rivero in marble.

The main altar at the center of the three naves

The figures above the main altar are life-size, and the crucifix is believed to have been the work of Pedro de Mena, who passed away in 1693. In the course of time, the crucifix was given to the church by Fr. Diego de la Piedra Secadura, a native of Limpias who was born in 1916.

Jesus on the cross is a depiction of the suffering of our Lord in the final moments of his crucifixion. Measuring six feet tall, the body of our Lord is clothed with a loin cloth held in place by a rope. His feet are on top of each other, pierced by a single nail.

His index and middle fingers on both hands which are nailed to the cross look like He is giving a final blessing, with His eyes looking towards heaven.

Miracles have been attributed to this image of Christ since 1919. Here are some accounts as published in this website: https://www.miraclesofthechurch.com/2010/10/miraculous-crucifix-of-limpias-jesus.html

The First Miracle -The eyes of Jesus on the crucifix miraculously come alive

The first recorded miracle involving this crucifix took place in 1914, five years before the grand miracles of 1919. The recipient of the favor was Don Antonio Lopez, a monk belonging to the Order of the Pauline Fathers who conducted a college in Limpias. His entire account reads as follows:

“One day in the month of August, 1914, I went into the parish church of Limpias, by order of my friend D. Gregorio Bringas, to fix the electric light over the high altar. In order to be able to work more comfortably I put two large cases on the altar, and on them a ladder, the ends of which I leaned against the wall that serves as a background to the figure of the Crucified One.

"After I had worked for two hours, in order to rest myself a little I began to clean the figure so that it could be seen more clearly. My head was on a level with the Head of the Christ, and at a distance of only a couple of feet from it. It was a lovely day and through the window in the sanctuary a flood of light streamed into the church and lit up the whole altar. As I was gazing at the crucifix with the closest attention, I noticed with astonishment that Our Lord's eyes were gradually closing, and for five minutes I saw them quite closed.

"Overwhelmed with fright at such an unexpected spectacle, I could still hardly quite believe what I saw, and was about to come down from the ladder. Notwithstand¬ing, my bewilderment was so great that my strength suddenly failed me; I lost my balance, fainted, and fell from the ladder onto the edge of the altar itself and down the steps into the sanctuary.

"After I had somewhat recovered, I was convinced from where I lay that the eyes of the figure on the crucifix were still closed. I pulled myself together hastily and went out in order to relate what had happened, and also to be medically examined, for my whole body was in great pain from the fall.

"A few minutes after I had left the church I met the sacristan, who was just going to ring the Angelus, as it was twelve o'clock noon. When he saw me so agitated and covered with dust he asked if anything had happened to me. I told him what had occurred, whereupon he said he was not surprised as he had already heard that the Santo Cristo had closed His eyes on one other occasion, and that it was probably brought about by the working of some interior mechanism.

"I asked him to collect the tools together and to put away the ladder, and generally to tidy up everything again. Then when I reached the college I told the Fathers the whole of the above incident. I was examined, but no wounds were found on my body and no broken bones, only a few bruises of slight importance.

"Thinking that the movement I had observed in the eyes of the figure was to be attributed in any case to a mechanism, I attached no further importance to the vision, but tried, however, to find out on what occasion this fact had already been observed, but without success, as no one could give me any information whatsoever about the matter.

"Since then I have often cleaned the crucifix, and at the same time examined it minutely, and am convinced that there is neither a spring nor any other mechanism on it. What is more, the eyes were so firmly fixed that even by pressing hard with one's fingers they could not be made to move in the least, nor could they be turned in any direction, as I have proved myself again and again.”

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Father Antonio Lopez wrote the above account of his experience at the request of his superiors, and then kept the matter to himself. It was only on March 16, 1920, a year after the many miracles of 1919, that the above declaration was made public.

When the miracles attributed to the image of the Holy Christ of Agony (Christ of Limpias) were happening, religious fervor among the village people and the surrounding areas was waning and the church was practically deserted. To bring the miracles to the attention of the local people, the parish priest - Rev. Thomas Echevarria organized a mission. He applied to the Capuchin monastery at Montehano, not too far from Santander, and he was assigned two priests - Friar Anselmo de Jalon and Friar Agatangelo de San Miguel - to help him out.

" On the last day of the mission, Sunday, March 30, while the Archpriest D. Eduardo Miqueli was celebrating Holy Mass, both missionaries were occupied in the confessional. Fr. Agatangelo, however, delivered the day's sermon based on the words, "My son, give me thy heart." (Prov. 23:26). While he was speaking, a girl of about 12 entered the confessional of Fr. Jalon and told him that the eyes of Christ on the cross were closed. Thinking that this was the product of the child's imagination, the priest ignored her claim until other children also came to him with the same message. After Fr. Agatangelo finished the address and was about to return to his confessional, Fr. Jalon approached him and told him of the children's claim. Both priests then looked at the crucifix but saw nothing unusual. Presently a man in the congregation shouted for everyone to look upon the crucifix. In a few moments the people confirmed with great excitement what the children had seen. Some of the people began crying, others shouted that they had seen a miracle, others fell to their knees in prayer while others called out to God for mercy.

"After the parish priest was called from the sacristy and was told that the eyes of the Crucified were opening and closing and that the figure was turning His gaze from side to side, he, too, fell on his knees to pray. But his prayer was soon interrupted by many of the people who declared that the figure was perspiring and that Fr. Jalon should climb up to the crucifix to verify it. When a ladder was produced, Fr. Jalon climbed up and saw that the perspiration covered the figure's neck and chest. After touching the neck, he looked upon his fingers that were wet with the fluid. As verification of what had taken place, he showed his moistened fingers to the congregation. Once again agitation and excitement gripped the people so that it was a long time before they were calmed.

"None of the priests saw the movements of the eyes, but Fr. Agatangelo later saw the miracle several times when he prayed alone in the church at night.

A report of all that had taken place was given by the Archpriest D. Eduardo to the bishop of Santander on April 2, 1919. This report was later published in the Boletin Eclesiastico of the diocese of Santander."

*****

"The second set of public apparitions first took place on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1919, when two prominent men of Limpias approached the altar. Speaking of hallucination and mass hysteria as they looked upon the crucifix, one of them suddenly pointed upward and fell to his knees. At once the other man also fell to his knees, crying for mercy and proclaiming his belief in the miracle.

"The third apparitions took place on Easter Sunday, April 20, in the presence of a group of nuns known as the Daughters of the Cross who conducted a girls' school in Limpias. They saw both the eyes and lips of the Santo Cristo move. At this time some of their students also saw the miracle, as did a group of people who were reciting the Holy Rosary. Their experience was quickly reported to the parish priest. The manifestations were repeated almost daily from April 24."

Once again, the church came to life when the people from Limpias and the neighboring towns came after hearing about the miracles.

Reverend Baron Von Kleist reports that:

“ 'Many said that the Saviour looked at them; at some in a kindly manner, and at others gravely, and at yet others with a penetrating and stern glance. Many of them saw tears in His eyes; others noticed that drops of blood ran down from the temples pierced by the crown of thorns; some saw froth on His lips and sweat on His body; others again saw how He turned His eyes from side to side, and let His gaze pass over the whole assembly of people; or how, at the Benediction, He made a movement of the eyes as if giving the blessing; how at the same time He moved the thorn-crowned head from one side to the other. Others had the impression that a deep, submissive sigh was wrested from His breast, some believed they saw Him whisper- in short, the most varied manifestations were observed on this crucifix.' ”

One of the prominent citizens to witness a miracle was Don Adolfo Arenaza. His testimony was published in the newspaper - La Gazeta del Norte (in Bilbao) - on May 5, 1919. Here is his account:

"He reported that he joined a procession going to Limpias in order to visit the crucifix. While looking through his field-glasses he saw the movement of the eyes four times. He further stated that it could not have been an effect of the light nor an hallucination, since people saw the miracle from all parts of the church. He then asked, "Does Our Lord really move His eyes ... I am rather of the opinion that He really does move them, for I have seen it myself."

The miraculous accounts had spread to all of Spain and in the United States. There was a journalist who was able to witness the movement of the eyes and the mouth of Jesus.

“ 'I could perceive two movements of the jawbone, as if He were saying two syllables with His lips. I shut my eyes quite tight and asked myself: "What will He have said?" The answer was not long in coming, for in my innermost self I clearly heard the significant and blessed words, "Love Me!"

There were more than 8,000 testimonies given by people from all walks of life who had witness miracles of Christ of Limpias. 2,500 of these were sworn on oath.

A Capuchin monk - Fr. Celestino Maria de Pozuelo- in his report stated: " ... The face presented a vivid expression of pain: the body was a bluish colour, as if it had received cruel blows, and was bathed in perspiration. . ."

Testimonies from more members of the religious:

"Father Valentin Incio of Gijon tells that he visited Limpias on August 4, 1919 and joined a group of pilgrims who wen; witnessing the miracle. There were 30 to 40 people, two other priests, 10 sailors and a woman who was crying with emotion. Father Incio wrote:

“ 'At first Our Lord seemed to be alive; His head then preserved its customary position and His countenance the natural expression, but His eyes were full of life and looked about in different directions... Then His gaze was directed towards the centre, where the sailors stood, whom He contemplated for a long time; then He looked to the left towards the sacristy with a remarkably stern glance which He retained for some time. Now came the most touching moment of all. Jesus looked at all of us, but so gently and kindly, so expressively, so lovingly and divinely, that we fell on our knees and wept and adored Christ. .. Then Our Lord continued to move His eyelids and eyes, which shone as if they were full of tears; then He moved His lips gently as if He were saying something or praying. At the same time the above mentioned lady who was beside me, saw the Master trying to move His arms and striving to get them loose from the Cross.' Signing their names to this statement were the three priests, nine of the sailors and the lady."

" 'The Coadjutor of St. Nicholas Church in Valencia, Father Paulino Girbes, relates in his statement of September 15, 1919 that he was in the company of two bishops and 18 priests when they knelt before the crucifix:

" '... We all saw the face of the Santo Cristo become sadder, paler, and more bluish-looking. The mouth also was wider open than usual. The eyes gave a gentle glance now at the bishops and then in the direction of the sacristy. The features at the same time took on the expression of a man who is in his death-struggle. That lasted a long time. I could not restrain my tears and began to weep; the others were similarly affected..."

" 'Father Joseph Einsenlohr submitted his statement on June 18, 1921. After offering Holy Mass at the altar below the crucifix, he sat in the church to attend the Mass being offered by another priest. He wrote:

“ 'After the Santo Cristo moved His head and eyes for a certain time He began to pull at the shoulders, to writhe and to bend, as a man does when he is nailed alive to a cross. Everything was in motion, only the hands and feet remained nailed fast. In the end the whole body relaxed as if exhausted, then took up its natural position again with the head and eyes turned up in the direction of heaven. This whole scene of the dying Saviour lasted from the Sanctus until after the priest's Communion...' ”

" 'A Capuchin monk named Father Antonio Maria de Torrelavega visited the crucifix on September 11, 1919, he saw blood streaming from the left corner of Our Lord's mouth. The next day, he:

“ '.... observed anew, only still more frequently, the movement of the eyes, and saw, too, once more that blood was flowing down from the corner of the mouth ... Several times He also looked at me. Now I felt as if my whole being were shaken violently ... I stood up, therefore, and changed places three or four times, always observing, however, the same manifestations ... At about two o'clock, as I was kneeling in one of the central benches, I saw the Santo Cristo gazing at me again, and this so affected me that I had to hold on tight to the bench, as my strength was beginning to fail me ... I noticed that the countenance changed colour and became bluish and sad. Many other persons who were kneeling round me also observed this ... Now I verify it; there is no doubt the Santo Cristo moves His eyes. During my visit I saw the movement of the eyes about fifty times...' “

" 'Father Manuel Cubi, an author, lecturer and confessor of the Church del Pilar in Saragossa, Spain gave his statement on December 24, 1919. In the company of a group of people, he saw the Santo Cristo in a death agony.

“ '…One had the impression that Our Lord was trying to loosen Himself from the cross with violent convulsive movements; one thought to hear the death-rattle in His throat. Then He raised His head, turned His eyes, and closed His mouth. Now and then I saw His tongue and teeth ... For nearly half an hour He showed us how much we had cost Him, and what He had suffered for us during His abandonment and thirst on the cross.”

Statements from physicians who were, initially, skeptical and out to disprove the miracles and come up with scientific reasons to explain the "hysteria":

" A report made by Dr. Penamaria was published in the paper “La Montana” dated May, 1920. The doctor described what seemed to him to be "...a re-enactment of Christ's death on the Cross." He writes that after witnessing the movement of the statue's eyes and mouth, and after changing locations in the church to verify the miracle, he prayed for a more distinctive proof, something more extraordinary "... that would leave no scope to further doubt, and would give me positive grounds for His miracle, so that I might also proclaim it to all and sundry, and defend it against every opponent, even at the risk of losing my life." He then writes:

“This request seemed pleasing to Our Lord ... A moment later His mouth was twisted sharply to the left, His glassy, pain-filled eyes gazed up to heaven with the sad expression of those eyes that look and yet do not see. His lead-colored lips appeared to tremble; the muscles of the neck and breast were contracted and made breathing forced and laboured. His truly Hippocratic features showed the keenest pangs of death. His arms seemed to be trying to get loose from the cross with convulsive backward and forward movements, and showed clearly the piercing agony that the nails caused in His hands at each movement. Then followed the indrawing of a breath, then a second ... a third ... I do not know how many... always with painful oppression; then a frightful spasm, as with someone who is suffocating and struggling for air, at which the mouth and nose were opened wide. Now fol¬lows an outpouring of blood, fluid, frothing, that runs over the under-lip, and which the Saviour sucks up with His bluish, quivering tongue, that He slowly and gently passes two or three times in succession over the lower lip; then an instant of slight repose, another slow breath ... now the nose becomes pointed, the lips are drawn together rhythmically, and then extend, the bluish cheek-bones project, the chest expands and contracts vio¬lently after which His head sinks limply on His breast, so that the back of the head can be seen distinctly. Then ... He expires! . . . I have tried to describe in out¬line what I saw during more than two hours...”

" An extraordinary revelation was observed by Dr. D. Pedro Cuesta in August, 1920. The doctor first tells that he was in the company of a priest, a doctor and a married couple. In the morning, during Holy Mass, his companions saw the miraculous movements but he did not, even though he moved from one position in the church to another. That afternoon he was persuaded to return to the church and saw this astounding revelation.

" 'When I fixed my gaze for the third or fourth time on the figure I noticed that the fleshy parts entirely disappeared, so that only the skin still remained, a skeleton on which I could have made anatomical studies. The head was completely dried up, until it, like the skin that I had seen, totally vanished. After I had not seen the figure at all for some time it reappeared, but as if mummified, until later on it was also restored by degrees in its fleshy parts. Yes, I observed clearly the formation of a hypertrophy (enlargement) of the head, which then also extended to the remaining parts of the body. Each of these apparitions was repeated twice.

"At the last stage of the second development I could no longer control myself, but cried out in terror and fled out of the church. A cowardly fear had taken possession of me, whereas I had never before known fear-let my description not be set down to exaggeration ... I, who was never ill, thought I should die on the spot. The instinct of self-preservation drove me out of the church or I should have had to be carried out as a corpse. So I stumbled out of the church and confessed with my whole heart to the people standing outside: By my reputation as a physician and on my word of honour, I take my oath to what I state herewith, and which I will also certify and ratify with my blood."

"Dr. D.Eduardo Perez y Perez gives us a graphic medical report of what he saw on October 6, 1919:

“ 'As I was praying before the crucifix of the Santo Cristo, He looked at me lovingly for nearly a minute ... then Christ raised His head, which then remained in quite a peaceful attitude. The muscles of the neck relaxed ... the eyes were at the same time wide open and turned upwards ... there ensued a violent inhalation with straining of the muscles of the neck, whereby the musculus cleidomastoideus especially stood out, and furthermore the musculi pectorales, the scalenus anterior, and the accessory respiratory muscles, with a considerable dilation of the intercostal spaces, as in the case, for example at the last struggle after mortal wounds ... For a moment He appeared on the point of death ... then He resumed His customary expression, as the artist had given it to the figure ... I must add that during the whole of that afternoon I saw the figure a reddish colour. The following day it was a yellowish or lead colour, as with a dying person ...”

'There is also a report of a non-believer who was a medical student named D. Heriberto de la Villa. His testimony was published in the paper “Del Pueblo Astur” on July 8, 1919. He first strongly declares that: " ... auto-suggestion is quite out of the question, for I did not believe in the miracle when I went."

He later went into the church at the urging of a friend and saw the movement of the eyes and mouth. Doubting what he was seeing, he changed his location in the church to better study the movements and then saw the crucifix of Limpias:

“. . . gaze upon me with a terrible look full of anger, which makes me shudder, and I cannot help but bow my head ... I look up again and see how He is looking to the right, bowing His head, and turns it to the right, so that I can see the crown of thorns from behind ... Once again he turns on me the same angry look which makes such a deep impression upon me that I see myself obliged to leave the church."

Later that day he returned to the church and saw that,

“... little by little the breast and face became dark blue, the eyes move to the right and left, upwards and down, the mouth opens somewhat, as if He were breathing with difficulty. This I saw for fifteen to twenty minutes ... I also noticed that above the left eyebrow a wound formed, out of which a drop of blood flowed over the eyebrows, and remained stationary by the eyelids. After that I saw another drop of blood fall from the crown of thorns and flow over the face. I could distinctly discern it, for it was very red and contrasted with the dark blue colour of the face. Then I saw a quantity of blood drip from the crown of thorns onto the shoulder, but without touching the face. He opened His mouth wide, out of which a white matter like froth welled. At this moment a Dominican priest mounted the pulpit, whereupon Christ gazed steadily at him for five or six minutes ..."

"When the preacher ended with the words: "and now, Santo Cristo, give us Thy blessing," Christ opened His eyes and mouth, smiling, and bowed His head, as if He wished to give the benediction in reality. At this moment someone who was standing near me asked me if I would venture to swear on oath to what I saw ... Then I recognized that Christ wanted to prove to me the truth of what I saw; He opened His mouth again, out of which froth and blood streamed in great quantity and flowed out of the comers of the mouth quite distinctly ... Thereafter I believed that it was now my duty to swear upon oath to what I had seen, and I did so in the sacristy of the church.”

"As noted above, most of those who saw the miracle instinctively felt the need to change locations within the church in order to verify what they had witnessed. For some, the miracle took place the first time they entered the church, but might not have taken place sometime later. For others, the miracle did not take place the first time, but occurred later in the day. Some did not see the miracle at all. As one witness testified: "The fact that these manifestations are seen by some, by others not, cannot be explained by the laws that are prescribed for nature."

"The official position of the Catholic Church concerning the miraculous events at Limpias: Bishop Sanchez de Castro, the Bishop of Santander, in whose diocese Limpias belongs, introduced a canonical process on July 18, 1920 in which Rome was notified of the miraculous cures and manifestations. One year and one day later, a plenary indulgence was granted for a period of seven years to all the faithful who visit the holy crucifix.

-Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on us!

By 1921, it was estimated that the number of visitors who came to Limpias had exceeded the number of pilgrims who had visited Lourdes. Among them were members of the royalty, politicians, church dignitaries from foreign, Christian nations. Today, pilgrims still come to Limpias, but in much smaller numbers.

Ganges River, Varanasi, India

2017-11-14T03:51:00.007-08:00

Varanasi - the Hindustani pronunciation, is also known as Banares, Banaras, or Kasha. It is the spiritual capital of India, on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh. It is considered as one of the sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism. It played a very important role in the development of Buddhism. It is believed that Buddha founded Buddhism here in 528 BC when he gave his first sermon. It is one of the oldest, continually inhabited cities in the world.

Located along the National Highway 2, Varanasi connects to several cities - Calcutta, Kanpur, Agra, Delhi, and served by the Varanasi junction and an international airport.

The religious importance of Varanasi continued to grow in the 8th century when Adi Shankara - a philosopher and theologian who is credited with defining the main current thoughts in Hinduism, consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, which "refers to the recognition that the true Self (Atman), is the same as the highest Reality (Brahman)." Add established the worship of Shiva as an official sect in Varanasi, even while under Muslim rule, in the 8th century. The city remained as the center for culture and education among the Hindu intellectuals and theologians during the Middle Ages.

Adi Shankar also pointed out the difference between Hinduism and Buddhism: Hinduism believes that the self (soul) exists, while Buddhism asserts that there is no soul, no self.

He established the important role of monastic life in the traditions of Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, founding four mathas (monasteries) at a time when monasteries were considered obsolete. He organised the Dashanami monastic order and founded the Shanamata worship tradition. This contributed much to the revival and spread of Advaita Vedanta.

It grew to be an important commercial center famous for its muslin and silk fabrics. Much of the local population is is employed in silk weaving, carpet making, and in the tourism industry.

There are other prominent figures who were born here and were responsible for the Bhakti Movement - a movement that provided for an alternative view to spirituality, regardless of caste or gender.

In 1507, Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev. A Sikh is a disciple. The fundamental tenets of this religion, in part, includes constant meditation of God's name upon a guru's guidance, living a "householder's life" instead of in a monastery, with a duty to engage in "truthful action" and "selfless action" to others, to believe in the equality of all created beings, and to believe in God's grace.

Varanasi went through a cultural revival during the reign of the Muslim Mughal emperor, Akbar, in the 16th century. Modern Varanasi was built by the Maratha and Bhumihar kings in the 18th century.

Varanasi is closely associated to the Ganges, with its many ghats - the embankments made with steps of stone slabs lying along the river bank, where the pilgrims go to perform their ritual ablutions. The Hindus believe that if they were to die in this city, they will earn their salvation, thus, making it a pilgrimage destination.

Tourists and locals, alike, filled up the streets on the way to the river.

Flower leis, leaves and fruits were for sale.

The Hinduism ritual we were about to witness is called Ganga Aarti. This artistic, symbolic ritual is held at the banks of the Ganges River. It is an intricate ceremony that involves the use of light and fire, different colors, textures, and performers who use hand gestures and body movements to the sounds of drumbeats and songs sung to praise the deity. This is symbolic of the religious worship of the holy river, the Ganges.

We are approaching the back of the center stage from which we were about to watch the ritual Ganga Aarti on the Dashawamedh Ghat.

These are boats to rent, located to the left of Dashaswamedh Ghat

By boat, we went out at late afternoon to cruise along the river, to see all the activities going on, including the ritual of the dead, by the cremation site. At a certain distance, we were allowed to take pictures. But inspite of taking pictures according to the guidelines, our pictures came out distorted, even spooky, as we were quickly shooting the proceedings.

Maharika Ghat

Candles were floating on the river. It made for a solemn site.

By sunset, we sailed back as close as we could get to the riverbank.

The Ganga Aarti ritual began. This is held every night.

The drumbeats and songs set the tone and rhythm of this ritual worship.

Many, many boats were out on the river to watch the Ganga Aarti.
*********

The next morning, we were back for another traditional practice - the sunrise ceremonies, a ritual where prayers are offered to the rising sun.

We are getting our supplies for the boat ride - flowers and candles.

A boat had been reserved for us by our guide.

Our boat ride took us out.

The morning ceremonies began at early morning, on the Dashawamedh Ghat. On our boat, we headed into the river with fog cover, where only the street lights cast a reflection on the river, giving it a mysterious glow.

Our boatman prepared our candles, by putting a wide base and decorated it with flowers all around the candle.

Then, we set our candles on the water as we said our prayers for our departed loved ones.

And soon, the skies had cleared up and we were able to observe more about our surroundings, including something that was floating on the water that looked like a coconut. As it got near us, it turned out to be a dead, old man. My daughter freaked out. Our guide explained that it was no longer allowed for people to walk into the water to die, nor to bury or leave the dead in the river. For this, there are several cremation sites along the riverbank.

We caught a glimpse of the early morning bathers who came from all over India, to clean and purify themselves in the water.

Boat-merchants were also plying the river.

Prayag Ghat

The locals also do their washing on the river and dry their clothes along the steps.

This was an interesting visit which gave me a better understanding of Hinduism and Buddhism, as practiced in India. It appears to me that Hinduism and Christianity may have some tenets of faith in common.

Nuestra Señora de Soledad de la Porta Vaga, Cavite, Philippines

2017-09-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Back in the days when the Philippines was under Spanish rule, an event took place in the province of Cavite, outside of Manila. There is a narrative which involves a soldier from the Spanish Guardia Civil who was on duty at the little garrison at the port in Cavite, at the Vaga Gate.

It was a stormy night when the Spaniard noticed a bright light arising from Cañacao Bay. Startled, he immediately concluded that it was coming from a pirate ship that was coming to attack the port. But soon, the light came towards him. Alarmed, he commanded it to stop. As it continued to come towards him, he asked who it was:

"¿Quién vive?" (Who is there?)

With a sweet voice, the answer came:

"Sodadito, ¿for qué el alto me das en niche tan friars? Dame paso. ¿No canoces a Maria? (Little soldier, why do you halt me in this night so cold" Give me passage. Do you not know Mary?")

"Perdoname, Virgen Maria, Reina de mi Devoción. Pues, solo soy un soldado que cumplo mi obligación." (Forgive me, Virgin Mary, Queen of my Devotion, I am but a soldier who complies with my duty.)

The next day, at the break of dawn, some fishermen and workers at the Cavity Royal Arsenal who passed through the Vaga Gate, discovered a framed image of the Virgin Mary on the beach, near the apparition site the night before. They picked it up and brought it to the parish priest, who temporarily enshrined it in the parish church. In time, the Ermita de Porta Vaga (Chapel of Vaga Gate) was built right along the walls of the port. The image of Our Lady stayed here for three centuries and this became known as the shrine of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga.

The Ermita de Porta Vaga (Chapel of Porta Vaga), along the walls of the Cavite Port - the original shrine of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga, c. 1899.

In 1929, a new parish priest - Fr. Pedro Lerena - from Logroño, Spain, arrived and was assigned at the Cavite Port and became the restorer of the Ermita. Through the years, he worked towards the beatification of Our Lady of Porta Vaga and the beautification of the chapel.

Sadly, during WWII, the Japanese Imperial Army had occupied the Philippines and disrupted life for the Filipinos. Fr. Larena found the image of Our Lady of Porta Vaga which had thrown in a junkyard. Upon its retrieval, the image was brought to the Arzobispado (Archbishop's Palace) in Intramuros, just before it was left at the Philippine National Bank's vault for safekeeping.

After the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1945, the image was brought back to Cavite, at the San Roque Church. By this time, the Ermita had been bombarded and destroyed in the course of WWII. Fr. Lerena remained as the guardian of the icon util his death in 1972

The icon is crowned and ensconced in a silver frame, and clothed in a black and silver manto.

It came to be known as Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga (Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga), or commonly referred to as Our Lady of Porta Vaga. She is the Patroness of the province of Cavite. The devotion to Our Lady by the Caveiteños is one of the oldest in the Philippines.

Several other titles have been given to her: Queen of Cavite (Reina de Cavite); Exalted Patroness of the Celestial Guardian and Protectress of the Province of Cavite and its Port (La Excelsa Patrona y la Celestial Guardiana y Protectora de la Provincia de Cavite y su Puerto). She also was the "Patroness of the Galleons," as the icon was used to bless the galleons during the trading days between Cavite and Acapulco, Mexico. Many miracles had been attributed to Our Lady, thus, she also was known as "The Virgin of Thousand Miracles."

It was on November 17, 1978, when the icon of Nuestra Señora de Soledad de la Porta Vaga - thanks to the efforts of Msgr, Baraquel Monica - former parish priest of San Roque, and Bishop Felix Pérez of the Diocese of Imus - was canonically crowned by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines - Bruno Torpigliani, D.D., at a high mass that was held at the Binondo Church. This was the first Marian image crowned under the pontificate of St. John Paul II.

The icon that was much venerated was stolen on March 16, 1984. After several months, it was recovered stripped of ornamentation, on the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, 1984. To the credit of her devotees, the icon was restored and re-enshrined in the altar in a joyful celebration.

There are several accounts of miracles attributed to Our Lady of Port Vaga. Firstly, her miraculous arrival on the port in Cavite. Then, while she was enshrined at Ermita de Porta Vaga, there was a typhoon in 1856. A fire that was caused by lightning that struck the wooden altar leveled the chapel down to the ground. Among the ashes, was found undamaged, was Our Lady of Porta Vaga.

Counted among her devotees were sailors. On one stormy night, on June 30, 1857, there was a Spanish Frigate - the Lucero - based in Cavite, that ran aground along the coast of Albay. With the low tide and the absence of a strong breeze in the following days, the frigate remained stuck for more than three weeks, at which time, the provisions were running low. One of the crewmen took our Our Lady's picture and invited his fellow crewmen to pray for her intercession.

On a full moon, one evening, la Virgen de la Soledad appeared before them. As the crewmen got down on their knees, the tide began to rise and a breeze came, enabling the frigate to float from its trapped position, enabling it to return to the port in Cavite. Back on land, the sailors went to the Ermita to give their thanks.

In 1882, a cholera epidemic had taken its toll on the Caviteño population. The epidemic was brought under control by mid-October after gun powder was burned on the streets, under the order of the Spanish military governor of Cavite - Don Juan Salcedo y Mantilla delos Rios. However, the governor himself got afflicted.

As the governor was about to take his nap, one afternoon, he heard a persistent knocking on the door. Previously, he had given order to not be disturbed. As he opened the door, and old woman dressed in black asked him to celebrated the forthcoming fiesta with much flare. Salcedo hurriedly agreed.

Right after the old lady left, the governor called his soldiers to reprimand them for letting the lady through. When the guards replied that they did not see any lady, Salcedo quickly realized that his visitor must have been the Blessed Mother. And instantly, he was cured.

Through the years, more miracles of physical healings, families reunited, or problems solved - through the intercession of Ntra. Señora de Soledad de la Porta Vaga - have been reported.

*********

A replica of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga is on a holy tour

... and she stopped-over to be venerated at the Sto. Niño de Paz Chapel, located at Greenbelt Park, Ayala Center, Makati City, from August 27 to September 3, 2017.

The story of the miraculous apparition of the icon in the vernacular - Tagalog

The prayer to Our Lady of Porta Vaga in Tagalog

A closer look at the icon, shows the Virgin Mary dressed in Black with white, mourning, kneeling as she contemplates the various objects used by her Son during the Passion - the crown of thorns and the nails. The icon is a painting on canvass - embellished with gold and silver, and precious gems that were given by devotees in order to fulfill a vow, beautifully, framed in carved wood.

An ornately embroidered velvet cape drapes behind the painting.

The icon is considered as the oldest existing painting of the Virgin Mary in the Philippines. On the reverse side, there is an inscription that reads -

" A doze de Abril 1692 años Juan Oliba puso esta Stma, Ymagen Haqui." (on April 12, 1692, Juan Oliba placed this most holy image here.)

The original icon is unde the guardianship of the Confradia de la Virgen de la Soledad de la Porta Vaga. The confraternity was founded on November 17, 1998. They continue to bring bring her to us, to spread the devotion to Mary.

The San Roque Church now

Original Bejeweld Painting of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga

During the First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the original icon in Cavite is exposed for veneration. It starts with the recitation of the rosary and the novena prayer at 11:00 in the morning, and a Misa de la Reina follows. The confraternity meets, thereafter, to discuss plans to continue spreading the devotion to Our lady of Porta Vaga. Her feast day is celebrated on the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of November.

Thanks to her visit at the Greenbelt Chapel, I got the chance to meet her. I am renewed in believing that Our Lady really cares about us as she continues to appear in other parts of the world, to this day.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Rue de Bac, Paris, France

2017-08-14T18:31:00.002-07:00

The story of the miraculous medal dates back to 1830. One night, while Catherine Labouré was fast asleep in the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity on rue du Bac, her guardian angel woke her up and invited her to go to the chapel as the Blessed Virgin was asking for her. She was led through the sanctuary.

Chapel of the Miraculous Medal at 140 Rue du Bac 75007 Paris

This is the date that Our Lady first came to a chapel in a convent, on rue de Bac in Paris, on the eve of the feast of St. Vincent de Paul.
This marker is found behind the main altar.

Please take note of the side altar to the right, in honor of
St. Vincent de Paul.

Main altar at the chapel

This is the side altar in honor of St. Vincent de Paul, where his heart is encased in a reliquary.

To the left of this side chapel is the glass coffin of
St. Catherine Labouré.

The chair in which Our lady had sat on

Our Lady came, dressed in an off- white dress with a blue mantle and a white veil covering her head, draping down her shoulders. She sat down next to Catherine and began to speak to her.

Our Lady presented Catherine several images of what was to happen in France, a prediction of things to come - sad times, bad times - the affliction and tribulations that were to befall France in the near future and 40 years after. The Blessed Lady made an invitation for all to come to the foot of the cross to ask for graces.

Catherine was told about a mission that was going to be entrusted to her, along with the warning that there would be trials that she would endure, but not to be afraid and to have faith and confidence in the Lord. From July to December, she was privileged to have three occasions to converse with our Lady.

Once, while at prayer, she had a vision of the heart of St. Vincent the Paul for 3 days, in different colors. The colors were symbolic: white - for peace, red - the color of fire, black - the color for misfortune that was going to befall France.

On Trinity Sunday, Catherine had a vision of Christ as the crucified King. Catherine claimed, too, that she saw the Lord in the Holy Eucharist at all times, except when she had doubts.

On November 27, 1830, our Lady appeared to Catherine again while the sisters were at prayer time in the chapel, at 5:30, on a Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. It was, then, that her mission was spelled out to her: to make and distribute the medals of the Immaculate Conception - the Miraculous Medal.

In another vision that Catherine had, Our Lady was standing on a globe with one foot stepping on the head of a serpent, garbed in a white dress, with a veil flowing down, and holding a golden ball she was offering to God, as her eyes looked up to heaven. Her fingers were with bejeweled rings, sparkling with rays of light on the globe, beneath her. Without speaking a word, Catherine understood that the golden ball represented the world, especially, France and each person;...

with her hands now pointing down - the brilliant rays were for the graces that were being given to those who asked; and the dark rays were for the graces that had not been asked for.

Soon, an oval frame formed around her, and letters in gold were formed with the words of the invocation "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. " This became the front side of the medal design.

Then, the vision revolved to show the back side of the medal: a cross with a bar at its feet, with the letter "M" intertwined, and beneath the letter were the hearts of Jesus ad Mary. Catherine heard the voice instructing her to have the medals struck. There is a promise that whoever wears it around his neck, confidently, would receive divine graces. From the symbolism of the different elements in the medal's design, we can see the whole history of salvation, from Genesis to the Apocalypse.

Catherine endured so much hardship to get these medals made. She kept everything to herself for the most part, and was only talking about it with her spiritual director, Fr. John Marie Aladel, for 2 years. He asked her to write her account of her visions three times. By the grace of God, when Fr. Aladel presented it to Archbishop Hyacinth de Quinlen of Paris - who had questioned him in detail about Catherine's vision and her mission - he approved the medals to be struck and distributed.

Many miraculous cures and conversions were and continue to be attributed to the Miraculous Medal. In 1832, at the outbreak of the cholera epidemic in Paris, where 20,000 had already perished, Fr. Aladel asked for the distribution of the first 2000 medals. Many cures and conversions were reported.

A canonical inquiry was began in 1836. At the conclusion of the inquiry, it was pronounced that the Miraculous Medal was of supernatural origin.

By the time of her death, more than a billion medals had been struck and distributed.

Incorrupt body of St. Catherine Labouré

Catherine died 40 years after, on December 31, 1876. She was beatified in 1933. When her body was exhumed, it was found to be incorrupt. On July 27, 1947, Catherine was canonized a saint.St. Catherine lies in state to the right of the main altar, on the floor level.

The side chapel to the left of the main altar, in honor of St. Louise de Marilac

In 1619, St. Louise de Marilac - the founder of the Daughters of Charity - met Francis de Sales who gave her spiritual support. Her husband fell ill in 1623, and soon after, she took spiritual direction from St. Vincent de Paul . After the death of her husband, she actively joined other aristocratic women in St. Vincent's ministry - caring for the poor and neglected children. She proved to be a very astute worker and was sent on missions all over France, to establish her communities in orphanages and hospitals, and other institutions. She was asked by Vincent to visit and meet with the leaders of the the Confraternities of Charity to encourage them to work in teamwork with the local parish priests.

With four other young women to do the work with her, she co-founded, along with St. Vincent de Paul's guidance, the Daughters of Charity in 1633. At the time of her death, her congregation had over 40 houses in France and in Warsaw, Poland.

A view of the organ loft toward the back of the church, above the entrance doors, and the different levels used for added seating capacity. Daily, pilgrims are constantly streaming in and out to sit before our Lady, the Lord at the tabernacle, and the saints, to meditate, pray, attend mass, and give thanks for miracles.

The Chapel of the Miraculous Medal is one of the most visited Marian sites by pilgrims from all over the world. Located in the heart of Paris, it is very accessible by foot, by metro, by bus, or cab.

Roman Coliseum, Rome, Italy

2017-07-20T18:57:00.003-07:00

Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome. It is called the eternal city because the Romans believed that Rome would go on forever, no matter what events unfolded in the world. Empires have come and gone, and indeed, Rome is still there and remains to be a major tourist destination in Western Europe.

A visit to one, or several of her iconic landmarks, becomes a history lesson on her imperial past - life in ancient Rome.

She rose to become an imperialist and became the great European Empire, with most of continental Europe, Britain, and extending all the way to northern Africa, western Asia, and the Mediterranean islands. Among her legacies are the spread of the Latin-based languages - Italian, Romanian, French, Spanish and Portuguese; the western alphabet; the calendar; and the rise of Christianity.

There is an expression that says "All roads lead to Rome." As she conquered the world, the road system of the Roman Empire led to Rome, which was located of the center. In common parlance, it now means that there are different ways to reach the same goal or achieve the same results.

Having gone through a prosperous age during the Renaissance and the Dark Ages, her decline came about by the 5th century A.D.

One of the most visited iconic landmarks in Rome is the Colosseum or Coliseum. It is known as the Flavian Amphitheater. It was built around A.D. 70-72 by Emperor Vespasian from the Flavian Dynasty as a gift to the Romans. In A.D. 80, it was opened by the emperor's son, Titus, with a schedule of a hundred days spectacles a year.

It was the largest coliseum in the Roman world, measuring 190 by 155 meters. It was built as a freestanding amphitheater made of stone and concrete. The exterior had three stories of arched-entrances that were supported by semi-circular columns.

The architectural design of the columns were borrowed from the Greeks, along with the use of the capital orders at the top of the columns. In Roman architecture, the use of the arch became a dominant feature, where the use of the columns became more decorative features - using half columns, instead, and turned into pilasters.

There were a total of 80 entrances, through the arched columns in the three stories, supported by half columns as described above. On the bottom columns, the Doric style was used, followed by the Ionic on the second tier, and the most ornate - the Corinthian order was used on the third set of arches.

The colosseum was designed to have a capacity for more than 50,000 spectators. Seating for the spectators were arranged according to social standing. The slaves and the women were relegated to the upper bleachers. Senators and priests, vestal virgins, and priestess of Vesta sat around the arena floor. For the editor - the one who organized and paid for the games, who is usually the emperor, a special imperial box was prepared at center on the northern side of the stadium.

There were awnings that were rolled out from the top story to protect the spectators from the sun during showtime.

But it is a history with a tumultuous past. The spectacles that took place there included gladiatorial combats, wild animal fights, and even mock naval engagements - these were the sources of entertainment for the Romans.

These were the quarters below the arena floor. It was here that the gladiators lived or were imprisoned. Somewhere here, the wild animals were caged.

Imagine the crowd in a thunderous cheer for the winner of a gladiators' fight, or an uproarious clamor for the gladiator to fight while standing before a wild animal, roaring and ready to devour him, as he figures out how to save his life. The gladiators were men and women who were slaves, condemned criminals, or prisoners of war.

After four centuries, the colosseum fell into disuse. There were struggles that the Western Roman Empire faced and the appetite for these types of public entertainments changed by the 6th century A.D.

Visitors get to see about one-third of the original colosseum that still stands today.

In time, the arena floor deteriorated and was damaged by lightning and earthquakes.

Broken Corinthian capitals that once rested on the tops of the columns now sit on the ground.

Examples of the column designs, now on display.

A fallen column

Notice the missing stones on the top of the amphitheater

When it was abandoned, it became a source of materials - a stone quarry for other building projects, among which were the St. Peter and St. John Lateran cathedrals; the Palazzo Venezia, defense fortifications along the Tiber River.

St. Peter Basilica at the Vatican

Basilica of St. John Lateran

A view of the Tiber River

During the 18th century, several popes sought the conservation of the arena as a sacred Christian site. Though it has not been documented, it is believed that some Christians suffered their martyrdom there.

A stone slab with Roman inscription

Type of stone material used in the building of the colosseum

Before the 1834 excavation, the colosseum was used to celebrate Christian practices, like the Way of the Cross.

Renovated quarters, once under the arena floor.

By the 20th century, natural disasters, vandalism and neglect had destroyed almost two-thirds of the colosseum. Restoration efforts were began in the 1990s, and continues to this day.

As the saying goes "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"

At the Centennial Celebration in Fatima, Portugal

2017-05-19T04:21:00.000-07:00

May 12th and 13th in 2017 were days dedicated to the centennial celebration of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, in Portugal. It was a grand celebration attended by about a million people, and millions more who joined in the prayerful celebration as they got to view it via satellite. And by the grace of God, I happened to be one of the pilgrims who came for this momentous event, along with my sister-in-law, my nephew, and a friend I had met when I went on a pilgrimage to Garabandal last April 3 - 17, 2017.

The Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared a total of 6 times to three shepherds - Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta on every 13th of the month from May to October in 1917. The small village of Fatima, which is 90 miles north of Lisbon, was under government persecution. But she had remained faithful to the Catholic Church. Her message for mankind was a promise - that peace would reign in the world and many souls were going to heaven if her messages were listened to and obeyed. She had indicated that God punishes man's sinfulness by means of wars, hunger, persecution of the Church and the pope. Her message was a prophesy of what was to transpire in the 20th century and in the near future.

Our Lady had promised a miracle as a sign that the messages she gave at Fatima were from God. On October 13, 1917, about 70,000 people witnessed the miracle on the day the sun danced. The believers and non-believers who came stared at the phenomenon and did not suffer eye damage. Because of her great love for all Her children.

Our Lady of Fatima continues to work miracles through the Fatima water which sprung from the spot in Fatima where the bishop told the people to dig, near the place of apparition at the Cova de Iria (Cove of Peace). Many claims of healing continue to be recorded through the healing water of Fatima, while others are healed when they go there on a pilgrimage.

Banners of the centennial celebration were hung on the street-lamp poles in Fatima Cova d'Iria.

Sightseeing was not part of the schedule for us, pilgrims, as we came mainly to celebrate this special occasion. The program of activities were listed and posted and the people always made it a point to be well ahead of time to find a spot for the major events. The first one was the arrival of the Pope Francis at the Monte Real airbase, at 4:30 p.m. on May 12. His plane touched down at 4:10 and the people were awaiting for him to pass the route that would take him to his home for the night, in the shrine complex.

The street route was heavily secured with officers.

The pilgrims were in place to welcome the Pope as early as three hours before.

Marksmen in black, with their arms drawn, were positioned atop the surrounding buildings.

And as Pope Francis passed by, the crowd burst out into a loud applause and waived at him as he waived, and smartphones were out to capture the moment.

In a couple of minutes, it was over and the next event on the agenda was the blessings of the candles and the rosary prayer at the main shrine. We had time to have dinner and by 7:00 p.m. we were looking for our places among the crowd that had already gathered

And, we thought we were early! We managed to inch our way and found our places where we set down our mini chairs which we bought for 5 euros each.

The choir (on the right side) performed and graced the solemnity of the occasion.

The blessing of the candles at 9:00 in the evening of May 12th, commenced the centennial celebration.

A sea of lit-up candles welcomed the pope, then Our Lady of Fatima.

Pope Francis gave his welcome address from the Chapel of the Apparitions...

...followed by the recitation of the holy rosary in different languages.

May 13th - a centennial mass celebration and the canonization of the two visionaries, Francisco and Jacinta, were held from 9:00 a.m. to a little past noontime, at the outdoor altar in the foreground of the Basilica and Sanctuary of the Rosary (Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima).

One of the most poignant moments for me was when I lifted all of my family members, friends and their families during the "prayers for the faithful" portion of the centennial celebration mass , reciting all their names one by one. Then, I entrusted my 7-page list with all the names to Our Lady of Fatima at the Chapel of the Apparitions.

Members of the SWAT team were stationed abovthe bell tower and all around the shrine.

The pictures of the newly canonized saints hung on the basilica's facade.

Caught in a heavy downpour, we had seek shelter opposite the basilica, by the entrance to the Basilica of the Holy Trinity.

In preparation for this day, I prayed and asked for a sign from Our Lady of Fatima. And she did give us all present there a sign. The weather forecast was for rain that day, as you can see from the ominous clouds in my picture. As soon as the mass began, the sun came out and the day warmed up. By the time the shrine cleared out after the mass, heavy rain poured on and off for the rest of the afternoon.

*********

On the 64th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, St. John Paul II, who was the pope then, referred to the message of Fatima as "more relevant and more urgent" and it was "an anguished appeal of our Heavenly Mother, who sees us in great danger and Who comes to offer Her help and advice."

Now in 2017, we were reminded, once again, to look back at the messages the Blessed Mother left us at Fatima, the so-called secrets of Fatima. There is an urgency now to listen to what She had said. The first 2 secrets had been revealed and are in the past. With regards to the third secret, this is what Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith under Pope John Paul II, had to say:

"I would like, finally, to mention another key expression of the “secret” which has become justly famous: “my Immaculate Heart will triumph”. What does this mean? The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind.

"The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Saviour into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time.

"The Evil One has power in this world, as we see and experience continually; he has power because our freedom continually lets itself be led away from God. But since God himself took a human heart and has thus steered human freedom towards what is good, the freedom to choose evil no longer has the last word.

"From that time forth, the word that prevails is this: “In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

"The message of Fatima invites us to trust in this promise."

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I have been to five Marian sites in the last 2 months. After going on a pilgrimage, the most important part is how we make it a point to respond to Our Mother's call. As for me, it has brought me some lifestyle changes. I am, constantly, in search and actively doing my share in our Blessed Mother's mission to save her children from eternal damnation.

In our very troubled world, may Our Blessed Mother's words comfort you and bless you.

Provence - the Village of the Holy Family, Cotignac, France

2017-05-19T02:03:00.000-07:00

Provence is popularly known for the the lavender fields that get posted in social media quite often. The point of geographical reference for Provence, which is in the hinterlands, is how near it is to the coastal cities of Marseille and Toulon.

Provence is quite distinct in the area of miraculous apparitions, for the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph have both appeared here. For this reason, we made this the focal point of our pilgrimage to this part of France. Our lodging arrangements were at Foyer de Sainte Famille.

It was in August of 1519, on the 10th and 11th of the month, when the Virgin Mary appeared on Mount Verdaille to a logger - Jean de la Baume. She came with the Child Jesus on her arms, along with St. Michael the Archangel and St. Bernard, and gave a message for the logger to deliver: "I am the Virgin Mary. Go and tell the clergy and the Consuls of Cotignac to build me a church on this place in the name of Our Lady of Graces, and that they should come in procession to receive the gifts which I wish to bestow."

An Oratoire (chapel)

The altar inside the oratoire

On our way to the sanctuaire (church)...it was an uphill trek.

We passed by this stone marker in honor of

"St. Michael the Archangel, Protector of France."

The people of Cotignac were faithful to Our Lady, and were constantly in prayer to her for her intercession. She wanted to shower them with abundant graces and blessings in answer to their prayers. In less than a month after the apparition, the cornerstone for the sanctuary was laid on September 14th on Mount Verdaille, with a procession composed of the clergy, town officials and the local people.

Sanctuaire de Notre Dame de Grace
(Church of Our Lady of Graces)

In the middle of the choir (just about where the altar is located) is where the apparition happened.

This is the image of Our Lady of Graces that is used when processions are held.

Notre Dame de Grace (Our Lady of Graces)

positioned above on the back wall of the altar. This statue dates back to the 16th century.

On the circular back wall of the altar are two stain glass windows depicting the apparition.

The stain glass on the left side shows the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus, Saint Michael the Archangel, and Saint Bernard when she appeared to the logger, Jean de la Baume.

This stain glass to the right of Our Lady of Graces depicts the time when the logger went to deliver Our Lady's message to the clergy and the local officials.

Saint Bernard (1090-20 August 1153) was one of the companions of Our Lady during the apparition. He was a very popular saint among the faithful at that time.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a member of the Cistercian order. He was a French abbott who was sent to organize a new abbey in Val d'Absinthe, which was in an isolated area near Bar-sur-Aube. This he did on June 25, 1115. He had named it Claire Vallée, and that evolved into the name Clairvaux. He preached about the faith and brought the people's focus to the Virgin Mary as their intercessor.

He was also involved in resolving the schism after Pope Honorius died on February 13, 1130, as there were two who took over the post - Innocent and Antipope Anacletus II. The resolution came when Anacletus II died on January 25, 1138.

Then, the pope had commissioned St. Bernard to preach the Second Crusade. With the failure of the crusaders, the blame fell on Bernard.

He died at the age of 63. He had been a monk for 40 years. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III on January 18, 1174. He was made "Doctor of the Church" in 1830 by Pope Pius VIII.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux composed this famous prayer:

MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to thee I come, before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in thy mercy, hear and answer me.

Amen.

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Cotignac and the King of France

King Louis XIII of France and Queen Anne had been married for 22 years and did not have an heir to the throne. This was deemed as a national problem for the country's monarchy.

In October 1637, an Augustinian monk - Friar Fiacre - had three visions of the Virgin Mary. In one of the visions, The Blessed Mother was holding a child who was to be the son of the king and queen. The friar was instructed to pray three novenas to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first one was to the Norte Dame de Grace in Cotignac, the second to Notre Dame de Paris, and the third to the Norte Dame des Victoires which was the church of his monastery.

The same request was asked by the Virgin Mary for Friar Fiacre to ask of the queen to publicly ask for the novenas to be said. In this vision, on November 3, Our Lady appeared to the Friar as Notre Dame de Grace.

This is the side altar dedicated to Our Lady of Graces. The image above the altar of Notre Dame de Grace was the one that Brother Fiacre saw in his vision.

At the end of the novenas, a son was born to the king and queen nine months after, and he was called Louis XIV Dieudonne (Godgiven). king Louis XIII consecrated the whole of France to Our Lady in February of 1638.

Let us fast forward now to Young Louis XIV, who became the young king of France. At 22, he was headed to the Spanish border where the Treaty of Pyreneas was going to be signed, and where he was to meet his future wife - the infant Marie Therese. The king planned to stopover at Cotignac.

On February 21st in 1660, Louis XIV came with his mother to give thanks to Our Lady of Graces for his birth. The town had lavishly prepared for this event to welcome the king, and built a route by which the king and his party could go to the church riding their horses and the king's horse-drawn carriage. For this, a special entrance to the church grounds was built.

It was through this gate that the king, his mother, and the royal party dismounted and entered.

This is the tombstone of Fr. Fiacre on the side wall of the church, next to the side chapel of Notre Dame de Grace. His heart is encased in a box and buried here.

A plaque about the visit of the king of France to the

Sanctuaire de Notre Dame de Grace

Many religious institutions were destroyed during the French revolution. This church was not exempted. But three young ladies from Cotignac managed to hide the painting, the statue of Our Lady of Graces, and the box containing the heart of Brother Fiacre. After the church was rebuilt, the painting, the statue and the heart of Brother Fiacre were reinstalled in the church once again.

Image of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart

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In another town, one day in June of 1660, not too far from the church of Our Lady of Graces, which was a mere 2 miles away, a young shepherd - Gaspard Richard - along with his sheep, sought refuge from the extreme hot temperature on the hillside of Mount Bessillon. As he lay on the parched ground, a man showed up and instructed him to lift a big stone so he could have a drink of water. He simply identified himself " I am Joseph." A stream appeared under the rock. When Gaspard had his drink, he turned around to thank the man, but the man had disappeared.

Gaspard ran down and easily convinced the people of the town about what had happened. It was a big boulder that he had lifted - which would have probably taken, at least, 8 men to move it. The stream was now running down the rocky hillside. His vision was quickly approved and devotion to St. Joseph spread in the little town. A chapel was built on the site of where the spring flowed, then a church and a monastery followed.

In 1661, King Louis XIV declared March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, as a national day of celebration as he consecrated his kingdom to St. Joseph.

The view from the road, as we rode to Mount Bessillon

On foot, it was a long and uphill trek to the monastery from the main road. Then, our tour bus chauffeur was inspired to drive up to pick us up on our way down.

The site of the stream is on the left side of the church, towards the back, in front of the monastery.

The stream is fenced off by the metal grill, behind this statue of St. Joseph with the Child Jesus.

The original source of the water started from here...and now flows through the pipe...

...to a faucet from which pilgrims are able to fill up their bottles with the healing water .

Today, the stream continues to flow and many miracles have been attributed to the healing waters of Mount Bessillon.

A plaque on the wall about the narrative of
St. Joseph's apparition, in French

The view from the corner, outside the monastery.

A quick view of the driveway into the monastery as a car full of nuns arrived, after they voted during the French presidential election.

After the French Revolution, the monastery, the church, and the chapel were abandoned and were in disrepair. After two centuries, in 1977, fourteen Benedictine nuns from Algeria arrived in search of a new place for their contemplative life after being expelled from their monastery - St. Benoît of Médéa. A well-known architect, Fernand Pouillon, offered his services for free to rebuild the monastery.

The church

The Benedictine nuns follow the rule of St. Benedict, seeking to please God alone in their monastic lifestyle, "living the divine office publicly seven times a day, and once before dawn, the nuns are the voice of the church as Bride of Christ, who is continuously praising her Lord and interceding for the salvation of the world." The focus of their day is the Mass at 11:00 a.m., which is celebrated and sung in Latin and Gregorian chant.

A nun is preparing for the celebration of the mass.

The statue of St. Joseph in the church

The nuns live a simple and sober life "where sisterly love and mutual dependence are pursued, seeking to develop all the gifts of grace received at baptism." Their monastic life is under the maternal leadership of an Abbess or Prioress who is elected with a life term. It is a life of "obedience, humility, silence, mutual service, prayer, work, and recreation."

Guests are welcome here to go on retreat from the world.

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Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph - whose feast day is celebrated on March 19 - as Patron of the Catholic Church in December 1870.

Our Lady of Covadonga, Covadonga, Spain

2017-04-28T08:42:00.002-07:00

The name "Covadonga" in Latin means "Cavern of the Lady." Covadonga is a small village and is one of the eleven parishes in Cangas de Onis, which is a municipality and an autonomous community in the province of Asturias. It is located in the Picos de Europa mountains in north-west Spain.

Today, tourists and pilgrims flock to Covadonga to visit Our Lady of Covadonga, who had a hand in the battle that started the reconquest of Spain from the Moorish occupation - the Arabs and Berbers who came from Northern Africa. The reconquest of Spain lasted for 770 years.

Basilica of Santa María la Real of Covadonga

This sanctuary is a monument that is dedicated to Our Lady of Covadonga, to commemorate the Battle of Covadonga, and came to be run by the Agustinians. The church was built in the 1600s but was destroyed by a fire on October 17, 1777. The shrine was rebuilt in the 1901 with the architectural design of Roberto Frassinelli.

Back in 711, the Christian Visigoth King, Roderick, lost and was killed during the Arab invasion of Visigothic Spain, in the Battle of Guadalete. This led to the take over of the Iberian Peninsula, by the Muslims. The remaining members of the Visigoth noble family retreated to the mountains in northern Spain.

Based on text discovered in Northern Spain in the ninth century, in 718, Pelayo or Pelagius - whose father was a dignitary at the court of the Visigoth King, Egica - was elected as their new leader. King Pelayo organized a band of warriors to fight the continuing advance of the Islamic conquistadors. In 722, the Arab commander gave orders and dispatched his army to fight the resistance in Covadonga.

Military might, at that time, consisted of a large army, spears, and attack formations for the Muslims. On the Christian side, they relied on their faith and prayed, and used their location as a defense position.

The story that has been passed on from generation to generation is that Pelayo had gone into a cave, where a hermit had hidden a statue of the Virgin Mary which he had managed to save during the Arab invasion. Pelayo got down on his knees and prayed to Our Lady for victory against the Moors.

On the day of the attack, in 722, with Pelayo and his few soldiers up in the cave, the moorish commander and his army shut their arrows aimed at them. But the arrows turned around and struck the attackers, killing the commander and many of his soldiers. Also, on the Christian side, St. Michael the Archangel, with his band of angels, showed up and fought side by side with Pelayo and pelted the soldiers with rocks.

King Pelayo gave credit to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. In thanksgiving, King Alfonso I, the Catholic (739-757) ordered that a monastery be built, and on the cave site, a chapel to honor Our Lady of Covadonga.

This battle was the first Christian reconquest from Islamic rule. This victory earned Asturias her independence in north-west Spain.

Hermitage and chapel

Entrance leading to the Cueva de Maria

On one of the cave openings

A hymn in honor of Our Lady

The cave where Our Lady appeared to King Pelayo, and from where he fought from is now a chapel, next to the Hermitage.

The remains of Kings Pelagius and Alfonso I are in this holy cave.

View from the bridge

Water trickling down from the rocks

The Chapter House - where the museum and gift store are located

The basilica houses a statue of Our Lady of Covadonga that dates back to the 16th century.

Our Lady of Covadonga is a major Marian shrine in Spain. She is the patron saint of Asturias. In the Past, the army has named several of its units Covadonga, in her honor.

Butanding Sighting in Donsol, Sorsogon, Bicol, Philippines

2017-04-01T12:54:00.001-07:00

While in Bicol, we wanted to experience something extraordinary: to swim with the Butanding whales. Well, not really for all the members of our group, where only three out of ten bravely decided to do it while the rest would just watch and take pictures. And so we booked with an agent to go to Donsol in Sorsogon.

Donsol was settled by refugees who were running away from Mayon Volcano's fiery temperament in the late 18th century. How its name came to be has two versions. There is an indigenous plant that grew abundantly, which happened to be medicinal, called "donsol' or "dosol." Another version is, its name was derived from a blacksmith's skill who uses an iron stand upon which he pounds, and in the process creates tools and weapons from the red-hot iron. In the local vernacular, the iron head is called "dosolan."

The success of this rural town is in how it has become the "benchmark for ecotourism ventures in the country."

It paid off to go early. We were the first group in line. By the time the tourist center opened, there was already a large number of people. We wanted to be among the first ones to go out.

In Sorsogon, Bicol, Donsol is one of the places in the world that offers the unique experience of swimming with the Butanding whales. The whale sighting season is from November to June, with a peak period for tourists from February to May when more sightings are expected. One advantage of experiencing this in the Philippines is how reasonable it is in comparison to other resort centers in the world that offer this. The package cost is less than a hundred U.S. dollars. And if you are lucky to avail of a promotional package price, it can go down to as low as $40.00 per person.

The first thing to do upon arrival is to register at the Donsol Visitors Center in Barangay Dancalan. The fee is 100 pesos for the locals and 300 pesos for foreigners.

The package prices vary, depending on who you book with. Included in the package is the boat ride, a life vest, a BIO (Butanding Interaction Officer), and a spotter. For those planning to swim, there are stores renting out the needed gears and fins for snorkeling.

After registration, there is a short film to watch, to familiarize the visitors on how to properly interact with the butanding whales. Interaction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local Department of Tourism.

Our boat is ready and waiting for us.

Our BIO gave us the final instructions on how to prepare for getting into the water, plus a recap of how to behave around the whales.

Butandings are identified as "whale sharks" (Rhincodon Typus). They are large tropical sharks - the largest known fish that swim to the surface in warm waters, making it possible to see them easily. They have small teeth and their diet consists of plankton which they strain with their gill rakers. They can grow to as long as 60 feet (18.3 meters).

Although, they have been around in Donsol for a long time, the locals believed them to be dangerous. Fishermen used to shoot them when they got caught in their fishing nets. They were the victims of poachers, too.

It was not until 20 years ago when a possible interaction with the whale sharks was discovered. There was a group of scuba divers led by Romir Aglugub - a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) diving instructor. On December 26, 1997, he came to notice the presence of the Butandings and interacted with them. He led the other divers with him into the water, who were, at first, not sure whether it was safe to interact with these whale sharks. From that encounter, a video footage was taken. This video was passed on to the media and WWF-Philippines (Worldwide Fund for Nature). This became the basis for how Donsol became known as a world-class site to experience swimming with the Butandings.

To protect the sharks, the WWF set guidelines: boat capacity allows up to 6 swimmers using only snorkeling equipment; scuba divers are not allowed; keep a distance of, at least, 3 meters from the sharks.

Donsol, Sorsogon's whale shark sightings were featured by Time Magazine in 2014 and was rated as the "Best Animal Encounter in Asia."

It was a good sign to see other people already in the water. This meant that there had been a sighting of the whale.

Our spotter - our look-out man, is at his post.

We got into ready position to jump into the water upon getting a signal from our guide

A missed first attempt

With a rented underwater camera, our guide was able to take pictures of the giant, gentle creatures...here is one of them.

Donsol, located in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol peninsula, has become the "Whale-Shark Capital of the World" in the last decade or so, thanks to the presence of the butandings which are referred to as the world's biggest fishes. This place has become a sanctuary for the butandings because of the abundance of krill and plankton in her waters, coming from two rivers in Donsol.

At the top of this picture was a Butanding (now underwater) that flipped its tail to say "goodbye." What thrill!

Though, we didn't get to swim with the whale sharks, we at least, got to experience a butanding sighting.

And for those who get the chance to interact closely with the butandings, noticeably, is their wide mouth (sometimes up to two meters wide) lined with thousands of tiny teeth. But it is in the gill rakers, after the water is sucked in through their mouth, where the food settles, as they feed on the krill and plankton.

Back at the center, we went straight to the bath house to shower and have a quick change. Then, we chose a spot under the nipa roof to enjoy a catch of the day by a local fisherman...

...crabs that we had cooked - steamed, and eaten with a concoction of vinegar, garlic and salt, with steamed rice, along with other Bicolano dishes.

We just spent a couple of hours in Donsol, however, there is more to experience here, such as the Evening Firefly Tour at Ogod River; the Donsol River Cruise or the Shrimp-Catching Night Tour which gives the visitors a good look at aqua farming.

Donsol is just one among the wonderful places to visit in the Bicol region.

The Cagsawa Ruins and Daraga Church in Albay, Bicol, Philippines

2017-03-20T02:47:00.000-07:00

The Cagsawa Church was originally built by the Franciscan friars, under the leadership of Saint Pedro Bautista in 1587, during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. San Pedro Bautista was the first bishop of Nueva Caceres (Naga).

A note about San Pedro Bautista...he arrived in the Philippines from Spain in 1584, as part of the fourth wave of missionaries to the country. His first assignment was in Intramuros, where he also ministered to the Japanese living outside of Intramuros, and with the help of Fray Gonzalo Garcia, they organized the Filipinos into "town settlements."

In 1586, he was transferred to become the parish priest in Lumban, Laguna. There he taught church music and the making of musical instruments.

In 1590, he established the Franciscan novitiate in San Francisco del Monte.

He discovered the medical attributes of the hot springs in Los Baños. He defended the basic human rights of the indigenous people in Zambales, inculcating in the minds of the people the value of human life.

in1593, he became the Philippine ambassador to Japan, where he, successfully, averted the emperor's plans to invade the Philippines. He settled in Miyako along with his companions, then moved to Nagasaki where they established hospitals and churches. The emperor began to persecute Christians in 1596, and San Pedro Bautista was among the twenty-six Christians - four Spaniards, one Mexican, who were all Franciscan missionaries; three Japanese Jesuits; seventeen Japanese laymen; and three young men who were members of the Third Order of St. Francis - who were crucified and speared to death on February 5, 1597 in Nagasaki. The Martyrs of Japan were canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862. They are listed in the calendar of saints as Sts. Paul Miki and his Companions, and commemorated on either February 5th, 6th, or 13th by different Christian denominations.

This image has become so famous as it is used in posters to promote tourism in the Bicol region.

The architecture of this Franciscan designed church had one belfry, with a convent attached to the church, along with some patron and venerated saints like San Francisco, San Antonio, San Pascual Baylon, San Buenaventura, Nuestra Señora de los Angeles and more, in the interior of the church.

The church was rebuilt in 1724 by Fr. Francisco Blanco, after the original church was burned down by the Dutch in 1636, when they attempted to invade the Philippines during her Eighty Years War with Spain that began in the 1500s.

On February 1, 1814, Mayon Volcano became active, which turned out to be a deadly eruption. The church was destroyed and about 2000 inhabitants from the surrounding areas were killed when they went to the Church to seek shelter and protection from the volcanic eruption, as the dense mass of very hot ash and lava, along with explosive gasses from the volcano flowed down at a very fast speed.

Though, the church facade survived, several volcanic eruptions almost leveled it to the ground in the 1950s. What remains today is the bell tower and some parts of the convent, with an imposing background of Mayon Volcano.

What was once the Cagsawa church, is now known as the Cagsawa Ruins Park, in Barangay Busay, in the municipality of Daraga, Albay, in the Bicol Region.

The park is the site of the Cagsawa branch of the National Museum of the Philippines, where geological and archeological exhibits and pictures document the history of the volcanic eruptions.

Mayon Volcano at midmorning, with a ring of cloud formation that appears after 7:00 in the morning.

This is a view of Mayon Volcano early in the morning, with a noticeable smokestack, which we discovered during an early-morning walk near our hotel.

In July of 1814, the local officials decided to incorporate their town with Daraga. Thus, the local townspeople had another place of worship to go to - the Daraga Church.

Daraga Church - Our Lady of the Gate Church

Under the patronage of Nuestra Señora de la Portería
(Our Lady of the Gate)

The church is distinguished by its striking facade, with elaborate Baroque elements. The architecture features "solomonic columns, flowing cornices, and bas-relief images of saints and religious seals carefully carved through the entire face of the church."

It was built atop a hill by the Franciscan Friars in 1773, with the use of volcanic rocks. A coating of lime has been painted on the volcanic bricks to protect them from the elements.

A message from Our blessed Mother...

Nuestra Señora de la Portería
(Our Lady of the Gate)

A prayer to Our Lady of the Gate

The other venerated saints

A painting of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles in the Cagsawa Church

A depiction of the exodus of the local people during the destructive eruption of Mayon Volcano in 1814

The austere church interior

The Cagsawa Ruins (also referred to as Kagsawa, Cagsaua) has become one of the iconic places to visit in Albay. From there, it is but natural to continue on to the Daraga Church, to continue the story of the plight of the people as a result of the fiery temperament of Mayon Volcano.

La Giralda Tower, Seville, Spain

2017-01-30T14:24:00.001-08:00

After our visit to Plaza de España, we went back to where we had started our walking tour of Seville, at the plaza in front of the cathedral and the tower.

The La Giralda tower is not to be missed, while visiting Seville, Spain. At the top, it is a lovely, panoramic view of historic Sevilla. La Giralda is one of the iconic landmarks that rises to a height of 103 meters.

La Giralda was the minaret of the Alijama mosque that was built in 1195, used to call the faithful to prayer. It was significant in the Islamic faith and was given much importance by the Moorish rulers. The completion of this tower took twelve years. It is is an example of Almohad architecture, which took hold in Seville after the reconquest of the city by King Alfonso X in 1248. The Moorish rulers wanted to destroy it rather than have it be used as part in the practice of another faith, but they were threatened to death by the king should any attempt be made to take even just one stone. Thus, it was eventually turned into the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville.

It takes its name from the Spanish word girar - to turn. Giralda means "she who turns." At the top of the tower was a weather vane of El Geraldillo - representing faith in the four corners of the world.

A view of some of the Gothic features of the cathedral as we entered through this key-hole designed portal

We dared to climb the tower and it turned out to be worth it. It was a climb that involved going up 35 inclines with ramps. This was used by the muezzins - the guards who went up to the top, two at a time, riding their horses or donkeys to call the faithful people to prayer.

ON OUR WAY TO THE TOP

Looking out the windows

The tower was built with red bricks, with beautiful trellis designs forming the windows with a series of arched niches. Each side of the tower showcased a different trellis design. In the original design as a minaret, the tower was crowned with four copper balls and topped with a crescent moon. In the mid-14th century, an earthquake destroyed part of the tower and it was restored with a bell tower and a cross.

The tower was consecrated as a Christian church in 1248 and used as a cathedral until it was restructured to be the tower next to the construction of the cathedral of Seville. In the back are the leaves of a 14th century door that is believed to have been part of the Sagrario Chapel, with Gothic writing and verses from the Qur'an.

In the 16th century, the upper portion of the bell tower was renovated to four-storeys, with a weather vane on the top.

A replica of the weather vane displayed on the grounds of the cathedral

The finished structure was a blend of Moorish and Renaissance architecture.

The belfry at the tower

THE VIEW FROM THE TOP - HISTORIC SEVILLE

The Courtyard - view from the top

The courtyard between the cathedral and the tower planted to orange trees - an original feature of the minaret

The drain system in the courtyard dating back to the 12th century

View of the Archbishop's Palace to the left

One of the doors in the minaret, now part of a collection of artifacts on display

Our exit point

While looking from the ground level at the cathedral and the tower next to each other, there is a noticeable difference in the materials used in their construction. According to our tour guide, the use of the bricks in La Giralda was a reflection of the belief in Islam that worldly things will not last forever, while the use of stones in the cathedral signified a solid foundation in our faith in God.

Next on our agenda to visit was the Cathedral of Seville.

Plaza de España, Sevilla, Spain

2017-01-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

For the adventurous travelers, going around Spain on your own is very doable and economical. And when I travel with my family, the first thing we do is to take a walking tour of the city, which is free most of the time, and then, after, we decide to reserve and buy tickets to further explore.

In our walking tour in Sevilla, Spain - courtesy of Pancho Tours, one of the places we went to was Plaza de España.

Plaza de España is located inside the Maria Luisa Park, right next to Avenida Isabella la Catolica, along the Quadalquivir River. This was the last stop in our walking tour.

We accessed this place through walking along the avenue, entering near the Teatro Lope de Vega, after hearing the historical details about the cathedral, the La Giralda Tower, and the Fabrica de Tabaco.

This plaza is also reachable by public transportation from the Prado de San Sebastián, which is serviced by metro, by bus, or by tram.

Upon entering the building, we were delighted to see the beautiful designs of the azulejos (painted ceramic tiles), as my daughter and I had taken several classes in ceramics and this was one of our interests to check out in Spain.

Plaza de España was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. In this international exposition, with Sevilla as the host city, this was the Spanish pavilion - one among several located around Parque Maria Luisa (Park Maria Luisa).

This world fair - Exposición Iberoamericana de 1929 - was held from May 9,1929 to June 1930, to foster better relations between Spain and the other participating countries - the United States, Portugal, Cuba, and some countries in South and Central America which were former colonies. At the same time, Spain aimed to showcase her culture, and social and economic progress.

Don Anibal González was the Spanish architect for the prominent building surrounding the Plaza de España, along the whole length of which were the various Spanish regions and provinces of Andalusia.

Next to the cathedral, this is deemed as the second most beautiful structure in Sevilla. The large scale and intricacies of this building design were simply grand!

The city of Sevilla planned and prepared for this major event for 19 years. Though, it was smaller in scale than the one hosted by Barcelona in the same year, nevertheless, it was grandiose in scope. As part of the preparation, the city embarked on a modernization program which included putting up new hotels and widening the old, medieval streets to make room for more vehicular traffic, in anticipation of the large number of visitors. Most of the foreign pavilions were designed as permanent structures and, now, some are used as consular offices, a museum, a dance studio, ......

In this building, the Salón del Descubrimento de America was and is housed. This was the largest exhibit of all which included the personal belongings of Christopher Columbus - letters, documents, maps and other things related to the discovery of the Americas; the last testament of Hernan Cortés - he was in the first wave of Spanish colonizers in the colonization of the Americas, and was responsible for the fall of the Aztec Empire and the take over of a big section of the main city in Mexico in the early 16th century) ; dioramas depicting special moments in Spanish history. A replica of the "Santa Maria" and her crew - the ship of Columbus, was displayed on the Quadalquivir River.

According to our tour guide, the big investment made for this by the Spanish government of this exposition did not pay off. The expected number of visitors did not materialize, mainly because the international exposition in Barcelona - which was much bigger - was taking place at almost the same time and for a longer period of time. Barcelona was visited by a big number of international visitors that Sevilla was hoping for.

The Spanish pavilion is a brick building in a semi-circular fashion, with coaxial elements of bricks and water showing off Spanish craftsmanship, with a fountain that draws the eye to the center.

The size of the plaza measures about 50,000 square meters. There is a portico on the ground level which is bordered with balustrades and balconies.

From the building facade into the plaza, there is a wide pedestrian path of bricks, a canal, then the plaza where the fountain is the focal point. To crossover, there are 4 bridges - representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain: Castille, Aragon, Navarre, and Leon - to connect to the center of the plaza.

In the spring and summer, row-boat rides can be taken along the canal. We came on one rainy day, last fall, and this boat ride was no longer available for the tourists.

The bridges exemplify Spanish ceramic craftsmanship in the use of ceramic tiles, ceramic balustrades and railings, to accentuate the brick works.

The semi-circular building is finished on each side by the north and south towers.

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Pabellones de las Regiones Españolas (Pavilions of the Spanish regions) - these are the ceramic provincial alcoves which featured the different Spanish provinces and regions, along the canal wall.

The design of each provincial alcove included a tableau and the side borders/benches extending out, with the use of azulejos to represent the arts and culture and other unique features of each province, along with a map.

Here is one of the alcoves - for Cadiz

Cádiz, as explained by our tour guide, had played a very significant role in the progress of southwestern Spain. The city of Cádiz is the capital of the province of Cádiz, which is part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. An autonomous community was defined in the Spanish constitution of 1978 as a region being guaranteed to have limited autonomy to self govern their nationalities and region.

It is the oldest city in Spain that has been continuously inhabited, and has been the base of the Spanish Navy since the 18th century when the Spanish Bourbons came into power. Also in this city is a prominent educational institution - the University of Cádiz - which was founded in 1979 and is known for its medicine and marine curricula.

In our bucket list now to visit, this is a typical Andalusian city, a place with old-world charm - with beautiful vistas, well-preserved historical landmarks, and remnants of the wall in the Old City. In the newer parts of the city, there are numerous parks with exotic plants, with humongous trees that were supposedly introduced by Christopher Columbus to Spain, from seeds he brought home from the New World.

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The Architectural Style of Plaza de España

The architectural style of Plaza de España reflects the Renaissance and Islamic influences. The Mudejar style was emphasized during our walking tour of historic Sevilla. It refers to the Islamic influences on Spanish art and architecture which we saw all over Sevilla, during our walking tour. This resulted in the architecture that was created by the Muslim under Christian rule. The sophisticated designs are elegant and intricate in the use of horseshoe-shaped arches, minimally landscaped and peaceful-looking courtyards with a drain system, intricate carvings with repetitive geometric designs and motifs from nature, and the use of tiles.

Nature is integrated in the overall design, in palaces, houses, mosque, and as we have seen at Plaza de España. Particular attention is given to having beautiful, lush gardens in the courtyards to provide shade and to create a restful place. There are geometric patterns on the walls, the doors, and on the floors. Fountains and reflective pools both indoors and outdoors serve as focal points in the open spaces.

The Mudéjar style evolved from the gradual mixing of Islamic architectural features with the Christian artistic styles from the north. When Sevilla was reconquered by Ferdinand III in 1248, the prevailing Gothic style began to mix with the Almohad style.

The Almohad style brought the schematic, geometric designs in ornamentation. This can be seen in some of the tile designs and in the doors.

There is more to see in Sevilla. In our three-day stay, we also got to visit the cathedral, climb up La Giralda Tower to get a panoramic view of the city, and walked by several iconic buildings and landmarks. With an extra day or two, it would have given us time to go to Alhambra or visit Cadiz. Maybe, next time!

Second Time Around at the Holiday Irvine Park Railroad, Irvine, Southern California

2016-12-31T08:13:00.004-08:00

Last year, I wrote about our first visit to the Irvine Park railroad at holiday time, to go to the North Pole. It was a fantasy night for all of us, especially, for my two grandkids who were two and four years old, at the time. This year, my daughter decided to schedule this family, holiday activity once again, and a very curious question was asked by my grandson who is wiser and older at five years old.

Grandson: "Mommy, are we going to the real North Pole?

Mommy: After thinking, quickly replied " We are going to the branch office of the North Pole in Irvine. It is here where Santa sends some of the gifts so they can be delivered to all the children in Orange County."

That was clever, I thought! Convinced, my grandson happily got ready to go.

Welcome to IRVINE PARK RAILROAD

The village setting was designed as an old town in the west...

...including a rural bank, a barber shop, more shops, and the train station.

Farm equipment

The house of Mrs. Clause - she comes out to read stories to the kids.

A reminder that Santa is making a list - were you naughty or nice?

The FAVORITE ACTIVITIES of the Kids at the Park

You can buy a booklet of tickets. Tickets are used to participate in some of the activities, while there are some that are free.

With a fishing rod, the kids fish out rubber fishes from the buckets submerged in the water...and walk away with a prize as they turn in their catch of the night.

Now, this is a very sugar-rich cookie.

The bounce house -a great way for exhausting the excess energy of the kids, specially, after eating their decorated cookies.

All are winners in these games.

A maze configured with bales of hay

Just one, last, quick stop before going to the North Pole.

We are ready for the MAIN EVENT.

It's time to hop into the train.

The train is about to leave as scheduled.

Going faster...passing through the village and the farm acreage...

...in the middle of a distant land...

...heading to the North Pole.

It was a warm evening, with no snow on the ground...

and the almost-full moon was lighting up the night.

Here we are!

On stage... Into the woods to find...

...old man, Santa!

My two grandkids assured Santa that they had been nice.

Mommy and daddy bought the picture with Santa - something to look back to. And when they do, it will surely bring back happy memories.

It's time to HEAD BACK to town.

Waiting for the return train trip...

All aboard!

It was another chapter in making beautiful memories for my grandkids. But it seems that we - the adults - were having as much fun just seeing the little ones have an enjoyable time. I can just imagine that one day, in the future, my grandkids will be thinking of ways to make memories for their own families, just as we did.

Les Villages de Noel 2016, Paris, France

2016-12-29T05:53:00.004-08:00

It's that time of year again when Christmas markets spring up around the city. In Paris, one of the popular ones opened on the Avenue Champs Elysees, on November 10, 2016.

With more than 200 store-chalets to visit,...

from the rond point at the Champs Ulysses,...

all the way to the Place de la Concorde, visitors can walk around...

to shop, eat, drink, and have a good time.

Secured and patrolled, it's a nice setting for singles, couples, and families to come and celebrate the holiday season. it has been set-up with some of the standard features, such as the rides for the children, the ice-skating rink, the restaurants for the big appetites for seasonal foods, and the chalets for the Christmas shopping. Artisanal and handmade products, and goods from around the world are back, with more variety this time.

UNIQUE, HANDMADE GOODS

Among some of the hand-made, artisanal products are...

Greeting cards

Scented soaps

Scented soaps made with organic milk

Savon de Marseille - first created as early as in the ninth century, the savon de Marseille, made with olive oils and ash from Mediterranean ash plants, continues to be popularly used for washing linens, cloths, and for use as a complexion soap.

Dried lavender flowers in sachets - perfect as room, closet or drawer deodorizers

ENJOY A MEAL AT...

A seat-down restaurant serving regional recipes from different parts of France

A specialty stall serving salmon grilled on a slab of cedar plank

Treat yourself to a sandwich slathered with melted raclette cheese, plain or with a slice of chicken or ham.

This is a "fromagerie," a cheese shop. with traditional and specialty cheese products made from cow's or goat's milk. Some are colored and flavored with truffles, herbs, and spirits. It is so tempting to try a few if not all.

Nougat - sold by weight, with nuts, fruits, or with nuts and fruits together

A candy paradise for the kids

From the delicatessen - cured, dried meats in ham or sausage formats, in traditional formulations, or flavored with other fruit ingredients

Moroccan delights - cookies, pastries and sweets

The French macarons - this is a must-taste French pastry fabrication that is made with almond powder, egg whites, and sugar, as the basic ingredients of the cookies. Then, two pieces are used to sandwich a flavored filling. With each new season, a new flavor is created.

A NEW ADDITION to the Christmas market...

The Magic Forest is a big draw for kids and adults for photo ops...

with Père Noël and the other characters in holiday land...

...with some animals in the forest and the ancient past...

and a chance to look like someone else behind these mock-up characters...

At night, the Christmas carols, the scent of chestnuts roasting, and the aroma of food cooking draw in large crowds.

It's the perfect time for a glass of "Glühwein" (mulled wine). This stall is beautifully decorated with the nativity scene, reminding us of the reason for celebrating this season.

In France, most big Christmas markets, always, have a manger scene. What started out as a celebration of St. Nick's feast, changed to a celebration of the Infant Jesus during the Reformation in Northern France, patterned after the Christkindelmarket.

This is the longest running Christmas market, it seems. After the holidays, you have the new year - up to January 10, 2017, to spend some of your wintry days at the Champs Elysee's Les Villages de Noel.

May I wish you a hopeful and prosperous new year!

Eglise Catholique Saint-Pierre Le Vieux, Strasbourg, France

2016-12-29T05:04:00.002-08:00

Our first destination out of the train station in Strasbourg, when we were headed to the Christmas market, was to go to a church which we spotted from not too far. This turned out to be the Eglise Catholique Saint-Pierre Le Vieux (The Old Church of St. Peter).

It was one of the parish churches in Strasbourg during the Middle Ages. As it turns out, it had an interesting and unique past, and continues to be a church, simultaneously, for use by the Catholics and Protestants to this day.

As early as 718, the brother of St. Odille - Duke Adalbert of Alsace, had built St. Stephen's Abbey in Strasbourg. Four years later, he had another abbey built for the monks - the Abbey of Honau, in an island on the Rhine in Northern Alsace. The first abbot was Benedict ( aka Benoit). The abbey, which was founded by Scottish and Irish monks in the 8th century, was dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.

The Abbey of Honau, was devastated by flood-waters and was moved to Rhinau in 1290 by the Bishop of Strasbourg - Conrad de Lichtenberg, where a new abbey was built.

The Chapter of the Abbey of Honau - which was located at Rhinau since 1290 - was moved to Old St. Peter's church in May 1398, because of the second flooding in Rhinau, until 1790. The Chapter was not allowed to use the church when the Reformation came about from 1529 to 1683.

When Strasbourg joined the reformation, on February 20, 1529, the church became Lutheran. There was a campaign to have Protestant services in all the churches in Strasbourg by Martin Bucer, along with the other reformers. But as early as 1525, the city council had voted that the celebration of the mass was to be retained in several churches, and among these was the Eglise Catholique Saint-Pierre Le Vieux. There, a middle school was opened in 1535, with emphasis on learning Latin.

Two years after the annexation of Strasbourg to France in 1681, King Louis XIV, ordered that part of the church be returned to the Catholics. A rood screen was built to divide the church, where the Protestant services were to be held in the nave. After centuries, a door was opened in 2012 on this dividing wall.

The Catholic Church as it is Today

Church facade and entrance

Eglise Catholique Saint-Pierre Le Vieux (The Old Church of St. Peter)

Main altar and vault design

Paintings by Heinrich Lutzelmann (c. 1485) serving as backdrop behind the main altar

"Passion of Christ"

Back in the 19th century, the Catholic part of the church was extended under the design-supervision of architect Conrath in 1867. In it are the relics of St. Kildare and works of art such as the "Passion of Christ," a series of 10 Gothic paintings by Heinrich Lutzelmann (c. 1485), a series of 4 unfinished early Renaissance or late Gothic wood reliefs depicting the life of St. Peter (c. 1500), and four paintings depicting " Scenes of the Life of Christ after the Resurrection."

The Protestant part of the church has a collection of notable works of art, as well, among which is a Renaissance wooden-relief of of the "Holy Family by Hans Wydyz (c.1520s).

Chapel of of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Pipe organ

In 2012, the original wooden door was opened as an entrance to the 2 sections of the church.

Stained glass window of St. Odile, sister of Duke Adalbert of Alsace

Stained glass window depicting the St. John the Baptist baptizing of the Lord in the Jordan River

The creche (nativity) display this Christmas season

The Lutheran side of the church is owned and continues to be used by the Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace-Lorraine.

A Live Christmas Village, Old Towne Orange, City of Orange, So. California

2016-12-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

When my children were growing up, I used to load them in the van, every year, to go around villages during the Christmas season to see the Christmas displays. Now, the tradition has been passed on as it is my daughter who takes me along with her family, each year, to enjoy the Christmas ambiance in different sections of town. This year, we went to Old Towne Orange to check out their holiday decorations and Christmas lights.

Old Towne Orange is a historic district in the city of Orange, with over 1,300 homes and other town buildings. It is just about one square mile in size. It reflects life in the city of Orange in the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. The homes were built in a variety of 50 architectural styles. In it are the oldest operating bank and oldest operating soda fountain. It is complete with churches, schools, an Old Santa Fe Depot, a post office, packing houses, industrial buildings, clubhouses, parks which are all still in use.

It was declared a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, and is ranked second as having the highest number of historic buildings. All structures in this community predate 1940.

Since 1973, she annually host the Orange International Fair every Labor Day weekend with food and drink stalls, held in the Plaza, bound by West and East Chapman Avenue and North and South Glassell Street, reminiscent of the 1910 Orange Street Fair. Aside from it being an international food fair, there is also live music and entertainment from the local businesses and non-profit organizations serving the community.

The architectural styles in this neighborhood have been identified as California Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow, American Craftsman, Hip-Roof Cottage, Mediterranean, Prairie, Spanish Colonial, And Victorian.

The walk is over a two-block strip on Pine street. Just on this street alone, there were different architectural styles that we noted

Cinderella theme...

...with the reindeer pulling the carriage

Peace, love and joy

The star-motion lighting makes this so magical, with the angel blowing the trumpet...to announce the Good News.

A very pretty illumination on this property

An orange-holiday theme, after which the City is named

A set-up on the driveway by a homeowner for visitors to have a photo op

This display "Ugly Sweater Factory" made us all laugh. We could relate to it.

It was a windy evening and some of the display items were blown out of place.

Kids and kids at heart loved this wrap-around display...

...with hot cocoa and cookies were being served to the visitors.

Happy Hannakuh!

A life-size nativity...the reason for the season

A Christmas trolley plying up and down the street

I am still trying to figure out which house represents which period architecture. The property values in this two to three-bedroom houses range from $800,000.00 to over a million.

What a lovely evening it has been. It's a live Christmas village in Old Towne Orange. Christmas is surely in the air. Have a merry one!

Christmas in Manhattan, New York, 2016

2016-12-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

One of the best times to come and visit New York is during the holiday season, as it becomes more picturesque dressed up in Christmas finery.

This year, it seems that it is a much heavier crowd that has come to experience Christmas in New York. There is crowd control on 5th Ave. where the big numbers of people on both sides of the street are contained to walk in barricaded sidewalks, with specific lines going to Tiffany's, another one to the Trump Towers (residence of president-elect, Donald Trump, Jr.) on one side, and the rest are directed to cross over to the other side of the street.

I had a list of places to see and illuminated streets to walk in Manhattan, to experience the 2016 Christmas holiday season in the Big Apple. I often wondered about the histories of the cathedral; the personalities in the creation of some of the most successful fashion and jewelry boutiques; the parks, and more, in this major city.

CENTRAL PARK

Central Park at the height of winter is just so beautifully landscaped with snow. In a couple of weeks, after Christmas, it will be.

Tavern on the Green

A carriage ride around the park

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COLUMBUS CIRCLE

Named after Christopher Columbus, this traffic circle is located at the intersection of 8th Avenue, Broadway, Central Park South (West 59th Street) and Central Park West. It is from here that all distances from New York are measured.

COLUMBUS CIRCLE HOLIDAY MARKET

(November 29 - December 24, 2016)

Here is a bit of European ambiance in winter - a Christmas market located at the entrance to Central Park, at 59th Street and Central Park West. Visitors and shoppers have a couple of holiday weeks to eat and shop.

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THE PLAZA HOTEL

768 Fifth Avenue

The Plaza, a twenty-storey luxury hotel-and-apartment building. It is one of New York's historic landmarks.

Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed this French Renaissance-chateau style hotel, which opened to the public on October 1, 1907. Tourists are welcome to take a tour of the hotel's interiors.

Among the owners of the Plaza were Conrad Hilton, who bought it for $7.4 million in 1943; The Childs Company (which became Sonesta International) for $6.5 million in stock in 1955, then they sold it to Western Plaza International (which became the Westin Hotels) for $25 million in 1975.

Donald Trump bought it for $407.4 million in 1988. With his first wife, Ivana, as the hotel's president, a $50 million renovation was undertaken. However, the hotel income was not enough to pay off the heavy debt-load trump incurred when he purchased the hotel. A deal with the creditors, headed by Citibank, entailed a takeover of 49% of the stake, in exchange for a $250 million debt forgiveness, with an interest rate reduction. This agreement was seen as a prepackaged-bankruptcy in November 1992.

Subsequently, CDL International and Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia purchased a controlling stake for $325 million in 1995. It was sold for $675 million in 2004 to El AL Properties,an Israeli owned Manhattan developer, who hired the Tishman Construction Corporation to undertake the renovation and conversion of the hotel, according to the landmark regulations. Closed in April 2005, it reopened in March 2008, with 282 hotel rooms and 152 condominium units. It is managed by Fairmont hotels and Resort.

In 2008, an underground mall was opened, featuring luxury brands. In 2011, a food hall was added, anchored by The Todd English Food Hall in collaboration with Chef Todd English.

On July 31, 2012, An Indian business group - Sahara India Pariwar bought a 75% controlling share from El Ad Properties for $570 million.

Among the famous guests at the hotel wereJosephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, Liza Minelli, Maelene Dietrich, Lena Horne, Ethel Merman, Shirley Bassey, Andy Williams. The Mills Brothers, Patti Page, and Peggy Lee had played at the Persian Room, and Miles Davis recorder a live album in 1958 there, too. The Beatles stayed here during their first visit to the United States in 1964.

Writer Truman Capote hosted the "Black and White Ball" at the Grand Ballroom in honor of Katherine Graham, the publisher. In this same ballroom, Donald Trump's wedding to Marla Maples was celebrated in 1993, with around a 1,500 guests.

It was a different time, then. Unaccompanied ladies were not permitted in the Oak Room, but were allowed to have lunch or tea at the Palm Court.

It was in this hotel, in September 1985, that finance ministers from developed countries me to discuss financial matters, where the "Plaza Accord" was signed - an agreement among the United States, Japan, West Germany, and Great Britain to bring down the value of the dollar against their currencies.

On 58th Street

TIFFANY & CO.

5th Avenue corner 57th Street

Tiffany & Co., with headquarters in New York, is an American luxury brand that is in the business of selling jewelry, watches, fragrances, personal accessories and small leather goods, stationery and China. They are most known for their diamond jewelry.

The original founders were Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young. They had put up a "stationery and fancy goods emporium" in Brooklyn, Connecticut, in 1837. In lower Manhattan, they sold different types of stationery under Tiffany, Young & Ellis. In 1853, Charles Tiffany took control and, mainly, focused on marketing jewelry as Tiffany & Co. They were among the first to put prices on their goods ( no more haggling) and only accepted cash payments. By then, their mail-order catalog was available, published in 1845.

Tiffany's was the supplier of products to the Union Army for swords, flags, and surgical tools. In 1877, they designed the New York Yankees insignia; revised the seal of the United States. They had won several accolades and grand prizes for jewelry and silverware in various international expositions.

In 1877, they earned so much publicity when they took ownership of the French Crown Jewels, thus it strengthened their reputation as a company engaged in the business of selling very good, high-quality diamonds.

Charles Lewis Tiffany passed away in 1902, and was succeeded by his son Louis Comfort Tiffany who was named as the first Design Director. Under him, the company continued to design for the government agencies, such as the revised Medal of Honor for the navy awarded for combat, and a version for non-combat awardees in 1942, until the Tiffany Cross medal for awardees was eliminated in August of the same year.

A line of holiday cards was put together by Andy Warhol and Jean Schlumberger, Circa 1956-1962. In1968, Lady Bird Johnson had ordered a complete China-service, featuring a design of 90 flowers.

Avon Products Inc. bought Tiffany's in November of 1978 for $104 million in stock. It was, later on, sold to an investor group, with William R. Chaney at the helm, for $135.5 million, in cash. In a public sale of 4.5 million shares of common stock, $103.5 million was raised in 1987.

When the recession came about in 1990-1991, Tiffany started a mass-merchandising campaign about how affordable their products could be, by circulating their "How to Buy a Diamond" brochures and establishing a toll-free number. At their stores, they always maintained having the image of a luxury-goods brand in their product display.

In one of their collaborations in 2008, with Japan's SoftBank - a mobile-phone operator, Tiffanys designed a cellphone with more than 400 diamonds, with a total weight of 20 carats and a limited edition of just 10 copies, costing about 100,000,000 yen ( close to 800 British pounds, at the time).

Their flagship store since 1940, located on 5th Avenue corner 57th Street, was made popular in the movies "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn and "Sweet Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon.

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ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL

5th Avenue between 50th/51st Streets
New York, NY

It took several generations to build St. Patrick's Cathedral. To raise money, there were contributions by poor immigrants and the generosity of notable citizens, and an ecclesiastical fair from October 22 to November 30, 1878 to shoulder the building of the cathedral based on the design of architect James Renwick. It took 21 years - from 1858 to 1879, to complete.

This was the ambitious dream of, then, Archbishop John Hughes. He proposed “for the glory of Almighty God, for the honor of the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin, for the exaltation of Holy Mother Church, for the dignity of our ancient and glorious Catholic name, to erect a Cathedral in the City of New York that may be worthy of our increasing numbers, intelligence, and wealth as a religious community, and at all events, worthy as a public architectural monument, of the present and prospective crowns of this metropolis of the American continent.”

It was considered a foolish idea at that time as the location was too far, outside of the city. But, regardless of what people had to say, Archbishop Hughes continued to pursue his dream in building the most beautiful gothic cathedral which he believed would become the "heart of the city" one day. Indeed it has! Now, St. Patrick's Cathedral has become one of the iconic, religious landmarks of New York.

The manger scene at the cathedral, in anticipation of the birth of the Infant Jesus.

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SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

655 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022

He was an Italian shoe designer who worked in Hollywood in the 1920s. When he returned to Italy, he founded his company, Salvatore Ferragamo, S.p.A. Known for making handmade footwear, his shoe designs had a scientific approach that led to the creation of the wedge heel and cage heel.

He was the eleventh of fourteen children born to a poor family in Bonito, Italy. He made his first pair of shoes at the age of nine for the confirmation of his sister. After that, he decided that that was what his calling would be. After studying shoemaking in Naples, he put up a small shoe store in their home. In 1914, he decided to join his brother in Boston who was working in a boot company. After a brief stay there, he convinced his brothers to head to Santa Barbara, California. There, he opened a shop for the repair and made-to-measure shoes. His handmade products became popular among the celebrities. But he realized that though his creations were beautifully designed, they hurt the feet. He decided to take a course in anatomy at the University of Southern California.

His famous creation in 1938, "The Rainbow," brought back the platform shoes to the West. It was a pair of platform sandals made for Judy Garland, inspired by her signature song "Over the Rainbow" in the Wizard of OZ in 1938.

He returned to Italy in 1927, to set shop in Florence. His clientele included the wealthiest and most powerful women of the day, the likes of Eva Peron, Marilyn Monroe, and the Maharani of Coach Behar, and many others. He concentrated much of his efforts in experimenting with new designs and materials, and construction technics. Due to mismanagement and the bad economic times, he filed for bankruptcy in 1933. In the 1950s, he was back in business with a workforce of about 700 expert, shoe artisans, producing 350 pairs of handmade footwear.

Ferragamo applied for patents and registered trademarks for his creative shoe designs and inventions. in total 369 have been discovered among the patent files, at the Central Archives in Rome. His work makes up a library of information for shoemakers, showing them technic and styling.

His company has become one of the most famous Italian luxury-goods brand, with continued worldwide patronage among the rich and famous and those with discerning taste in search of good-fitting and comfortable footwear. Through the years, fashion accessories and ready-made fashionable wear have been added to the Ferragamo brand, as the family-owned company continues to grow.

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CARTIER

653 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10022

The company was founded in Paris, in 1847, by Louis-François Cartier when he took over his master's workshop. His son, Alfred, took over the company in 1874. Alfred's sons - Lois, Pierre, and Jacques were responsible for taking the company to new heights, making it a name-brand, worldwide.

There is an interesting story about how the first men's wristwatch came to be in 1904. Louis' friend - A pioneer Brazilian Aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont, had complained to louis about how impractical it was to use a pocket watch while flying. Because of this, it got Cartier to the drawing board and he came up with a flat square-bezel design wristwatch which came to be known as the "Santos" watch.

The Société Cartier is a French luxury goods conglomerate, that designs, manufactures, and markets watches and jewelry. In 1964, the family-owned business became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Compagnie Financière Richemont SA., with headquarters in Paris.

Among its clientele in the past were Wallis Simpson for whom the panther brooch was designed in 1940. King Edward VII of England ordered 27 tiaras for his coronation in 1902, and soon other royal orders came from the other European countries. Now a days, the Duchess of Cambridge - Kate Middleton, is said to be wearing the Cartier Ballon Bleu wristwatch, occasionally.

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

611 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10022

Click on Saks 5th Avenue for the light show

Saks 5th Avenue is an American luxury brand. It's origins began with Andrew Saks, who. founded Saks and Company in 1902. Ten years after, he passed away.

Saks & Co. was merged with Gimbel Brothers in 1923, which was owned by Andrew's cousin, Horace Saks, with Bernard Gimbel continuing to operate as an autonomous subsidiary. In 1924, Saks Fifth Avenue was opened in a prestigious location south of St. Patrick's Cathedral, facing the Rockefeller Center. It was in a building designed by architects Starrett & van Vleck, with features similar to the Gimbels Department Store in Pittsburg. Bernard Gimbel, who passed away in 1926 was succeeded by his brother, Adam Gimbel.

Adam Gimbel took on the position of president of Saks Fifth Avenue and expanded the company operations, opening seasonal branches in different states. By 1929, it opened a full-operational, full-line store in Chicago, then a resort store followed in Palm Beach, Florida. Saks Fifth continued to expand, opening in Beverly Hills in 1938, and in other states like Michigan, Pennsylvania. In 1952, their San Francisco store opened to compete with I. Magnin.

Changes in ownership came about. From being a family-owned and run business, it was acquired by BATUS Inc. in 1973, and expansion projects continued in the Midwest and in the South. In 1990, Investcorp S.A. bought Saks Fifth Avenue and took it public in 1996 as Saks Holdings, Inc. Profitt's, Inc. Took over Saks Holdings Inc., and changed its name to Saks, Inc.

In the international expansion programs, by 2000, stores opened in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kazakhtans, and Mexico City.

In 2013, Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) acquired the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue. It was estimated that the real estate value of the NY flagship store was around $800 million to $1 billion, responsible for 20% of the annual sales of $620 million, while others locations were not as profitable. With its profits, the 5th Avenue location began a three-year renovation/restoration program since 2015, with a budget of $250 million.

This year, Saks Fifth Avenue opened in Toronto, Canada, and another full-line store near the World Trade Center in New York.

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ROCKEFELLER CENTER

This is an area in midtown Manhattan, between 48th and 51st Streets, from Fifth to Sixth Avenues. Now a famous National Historic Landmark since 1987, it started out as a piece of land - 22 acres - that was leased from Columbia University, upon which a large complex of 19 high-rise commercial buildings were built.

At Christmas time, it is magnificently illuminated and decorated for the holiday season with the giant Christmas tree, with the lighting ceremony taking place on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. It is broadcasted on live television by NBC to hundreds of millions of televiewers all over the world. This has become a national tradition since 1933.

(November 30, 2016 - January 7, 2017)

The tree, which had measured anywhere from sixty nine to a hundred feet through the years, is lit with 50,000 LED, multi-colored lights, and topped with a crystal star since 2004. The star was designed by a German artist, Michael Hammers, measuring 9.5 feet and weighing 550 pounds. It is made of 25,000 Swarovski crystals, with one million facets and illumined by LED lights.

The herald angels were designed by artist Valerie Clarbout and are annually used to decorate the Channel Garden in front of the tree, since 1969.

A Skating rink was added in the plaza in 1936. A symbolic representation of the tree was given by the center as "from the beginning...a gathering place and reflection of what is happening in the world." This main attraction at the center is expected to be visited by about 125 million this 2016. It is such a beautiful wintry scene to see ice skaters in motion, right beneath the Christmas tree.

The view of the Christmas tree from E 48th Street

After several lease options with Columbia University had expired, the land below the Rockefeller Center was sold to the Rockefeller Group for 400 million in 1985. In 1989, the Mitsubishi Group's subsidiary - Mitsubishi Estate, purchased the Rockefeller Center and the Rockefeller Group. It was sold to a consortium of owners, organized by David Rockefeller in 1996, with Goldman Sachs (taking 50% percent of the ownership), plus some international investors like Gianni Agnelli, Stavros Niarchos. Tishman Speyer (led by Jerry Speyer) and the Lester Crown family of Chicago, bought the original buildings and land for $1.85 billion in 2000.

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An all-year round Christmas store on 5th Avenue

Holiday market stalls

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RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

On 50th Street and 6th Avenue

The Radio City Music Hall is part of the Rockefeller Center extension. It was completed in 1932 and was originally intended to become the "the largest and most opulent theater in the world." Notable for its interior design by Donal Deskey in European Modernist style, it has been declared as one of the best designs of Art Deco. With a capacity sitting for 6000 guests, it was declared a New York City landmark in 1978.

For the last 70 years, an annual musical show - the Christmas Spectacular - is presented during the holiday season.

Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald have performed here. This has also been the venue for the Grammy and Tony Awards. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and has been visited by over 300 million people.

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Illuminations on 6th Avenue

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WINTER VILLAGE AT BRYANT PARK

Bryant Park came to be in 1884 when Reservoir Park was renamed to honor the New York Post editor and abolitionist William Cullen Bryant. To repurpose the area, the reservoir was removed and the construction of the New York Library commenced. Other structures were also added like the terrace gardens, public facilities, and kiosks. This 9.063 acre is a privately managed park located in the borough of Manhattan, in New York City, where the main entrance is located on Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) between 40th and 42th Streets. It is situated over an underground structure upon which the new library facilities were built in 1980s, when the park was excavated.

This holiday season, Bryant Park has been turned into a Winter Village with a European-inspired open-air market, modeled after the Christkindlemarkt, adding to the Christmas holiday scene in the city.

The winter village holiday shops began in 2002, in see-through "jewel box" kiosks, offering food and artisanal goods. The kiosks are permanent fixtures in the park, all-year round, making the park a regular destination. Some of the best restaurants in town also have a presence there.

Holiday Shops Schedule:
October 29, 2016 - January 2, 2017

Winter Ice-Skating Rink Schedule:

October 29, 2016 - March 5, 2017

The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park features an ice-skating rink. It is free admission to the ice skaters. There are skating shows and special events and other activities in the winter village also scheduled for the rest of this Christmas season.

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ON PARK AVENUE

WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK (to the left)
301 Park Avenue, New York, New York, 10022-6897

The Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan is a luxury hotel situated in 2 historic buildings. First, there was the Waldorf Hotel and, secondly, the Astoria Hotel. Thus, the two names made up for the hotel's name as Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The original location on 5th Avenue, which opened in 1893, was on the Astoria properties. In 1929, it was demolished and became the site for the Empire State Building.

The present location in Midtown Manhattan, is an Art-Deco style building designed by Schultz & Weaver, and was finished in 1931. It earned the reputation of being a luxurious and glamorous hotel, often publicized for the lavish dinners and galas, conferences and fund-raising events by political figures, celebrities, and the rich and famous. After World War II, during the cold war, the World Peace Conference of March 1949 was held there, where Stalinism was denounced.

The Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts was a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels. Conrad Hilton had acquired the management rights to the hotel on October 12, 1949. It was bought by Hiton Hotels Corporation in 1972. it had undergone extensive renovations in the 1980s and 1990s. In October 2014, the Anbang Insurance Group of China purchased the Waldorf Astoria New York for US$1.95 billion. By 2017, the hotel will be closed for a three-year structural renovation, with some hotel rooms slated to undergo conversion into condominium units.

The HELMSLEY BLDG
(straight ahead)
230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169
(between E 45th and E 46th Streets)

This New York City landmark, a 35-storey building is located in the middle of the Park Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan. It was built in 1929 by Warren & Westmore, in Beaux-Arts style. The building was designed with a pyramid shape and crowned by an ornate cupola. Built as the New York Central Building, it was once the tallest in the terminal complex around the Grand Central station.

There are two portals where traffic goes through in two directions from Park Avenue Viaduct, at street level to the highway, to Grand Central Terminal to 42nd street, and back to the street level. Uptown and downtown vehicular traffic pulsates through this building, especially, during rush hours.

The building was sold to General Tire & Rubber Company. it was, then renamed to New York General Building. It was sold to Helmsley-Spear, and Leona Helmsley renamed it the Helmsley Building. The Helmsley-Spear Management sold to Max Capital in 1998, for $253 million, with the stipulation that the building would not be renamed again. In 2006, it was sold to Istithmar of the the royal family of Dubai for $705 million. in 2007, it went to Goldman Sachs for over $1 billion. In May of 2015, it was sold to a property firm, RXR Realty, for $1.2 billion.

This holiday tour of Manhattan has come to an end for me. May you all have a wonderful Christmas celebration, wherever you may be.

Strasbourg Christmas Market : La Féerie de Noël, A Christmas Ornament Boutique

2016-12-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

La Féerie de Noël

Kathe Wohlfahrt

This is a shop that specializes in Christmas decorations found in the different Christmas markets in the Alsatian region. La Féerie de Noël has the most variety of some traditional Christmas decorations, with some limited editions from "Käthe Wohlfahrt's Childhood Dream", nutcrackers, pyramid trees and crèches, decorated pine cones, glass balls, brass ornaments, and an assortment of table settings and candle holders, to create the setting for an Alsatian Christmas- holiday celebration.

Christmas decorating started as decorations used for other family celebrations and traditions, before the Christmas tree came to be. The origin of the Alsatian Christmas decorations and the others from Europe come from the holiday traditions of Germany. It was in Germany that the celebration of Christmas started as we do today.

Martin Luther, who gave the reformation a kickstart, was instrumental in changing the Christmas season celebration from being about St. Nicholas Day to making it a celebration about the Christ Child, and that led to the holiday celebration of Christmas and the renaming of the holiday markets to Christkindl markets.

Though, the creation of ornaments for use with the celebration of St. Nicholas Day (celebrated on December 6th in the Christian calendar), after the change in the focus of the celebration to the Infant Jesus, the ornaments became part of the Christmas tradition.

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St. Nicholas - Père Noël - Santa Claus - Sinterklaas

Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Christian saint, who was a Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor. He was called "Nikolaos the Wonderworker." His reputation among the people in his village was that of a secret-gift giver. Thus, he became the model for Père Noël (Father Christmas), Sinterklaas, and Santa Claus.

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A-Frame Pyramids and other Decorations
made by German Artisans

As Martin Luther wanted to include two biblical themes - the stories of paradise and the nativity of our Lord into one representation, the Christmas tree came about. Because trees were not always readily available, the people started making an A-frame pyramid, with an evergreen bough tied to it. In it were little figurines - characters depicting Adam and Eve in paradise and their fall from God's grace due to sin. Later on, other characters found their places in the pyramid about the birth of the Christ child - the redeemer of the world. On the boughs hang small candies and wafers, folded or cut papers following the theme of the two stories from the Bible. From this came the German pyramid or the candle carousel, and the Christmas tree.

La Creche -Nativity - Christkindl

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Christmas Winter Scenes

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Tree Ornaments

Having a Christmas tree is now the traditional decoration as the holiday season comes around, filled with ornaments that people find nice and pretty, and not necessarily related to the two Biblical themes.

In the olden days, it was the farmers - in their spare time beginning in spring - who were making the hand-hewn ornaments, works of art that were made from cut paper, shaved wood, and twisted wire. Dried fruits ands nuts were also used to adorn the trees.

In 1800, in Lauscha, Germany, a company started to produce ornaments on a commercial scale. Using other materials, such as marble, flasks and dishware, more artistic creations in ornamentation were added. In time, the company started using blown-glass that was molded while still hot, then hand painted. Icicles, stars, bells, animals, angels were added to the usual fruit and nut designs they had started with. Ornament figurines of saints and political figures followed.

It was only in the mid-nineteenth century that other countries followed suit in decorating Christmas trees during the holidays. England set the pace when in 1846, the royal family - with Queen Victoria and Prince Philip - had a family picture taken with a decorated Christmas tree in the background. After the royal family pictures published, soon, the Christmas tree became the rage in the rest of Europe, and Woolworth Five and Dime stores brought the concept to the United States of having a Christmas tree for the big, holiday celebration for the German immigrants - who, of course, were happy as this gave them back a tradition they had in the old country. And the rest is history!

While Christmas has become commercialized, there are still handmade ornaments by German artisans that are being imported into the United States. These are truly works of art.

Perhaps, you, too can have an Alsatian-Christmas theme as you decorate your homes this season. It brings warmth and beauty as you celebrate, even more so when you include some Alsatian holiday food specialties to times spent with the family and friends this Christmas.

Christmas Market in Colmar: Hansi - an Artist from Colmar

2016-12-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Among the discoveries we made while walking the streets of Colmar, were a store next to the Museum of Hansi and the museum itself. Hansi, a pseudonym, was Jean-Jacques Waltz, a famous artist.

UNCLE HANSI'S BOUTIQUE

The storefront display

It was this print of the little girl that caught my attention, on the show window.

THE STORE'S MERCHANDISE

Some unique gifts and souvenirs

Jean-Jacques Waltz was born on February 23, 1873. Colmar at that time was part of German Alsace. While attending the Reichsland school, he showed promise as an artist. He went on to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Lyon, leading on to a career as an industrial draftsmen. He worked as a draftsman in textile industries in Cernay, Mulhouse waterforteand Logelbach, at the same time he was to improving his painting technic. He dabbled in watercolor.

Among his first designs were found in postcards that were released in Austria and Germany. In 1896, Colmar became part of his scene. He met some Alsatian artists from Strasbourg - Bartholdi, Spindler, Schnug, Loux, Hornecker, to name a few, and soon he began to collaboratee with them in doing events. As a result of the, he started to be known in Colmar.

In 1907, he started to publish his works under a pseudonym, Hansi. His work, entitled Vogesenbilder (Images of Vosges) was quite successful. This was a series of boards - of maps and landscapes, that were published by Max Wettig. Up to 1914, his literary works were being published. one of them was Professor Knatsche - an anti-Germanic satire. Because of his anti-Germany messages in his works, he received several convictions before the German courts.

In La Cigogne - a magazine, he contributed his postcard designs of Alsatian children in in their local landscape. This was seen as a symbol of the Alsatian resistance towards Germany as he used them as a vehicle for the graphic expression of his sentiments.

In 1914, Hansi enlist in active military service with the French army. After the war, he published some illustrated books, though they did not do as well as his first works. Some of the illustrations have been reproduced in postcards.

A glimpse of the life and times of Colmar during Hansi's time

Though, the museum was already closed by the time we got there, we saw some of his designs in this area - in a passageway. it would have been nice to see his original artworks.

Here are some of them, in posters:

Posters he produced for the Alsace and Lorraine railways

A depiction of the little girls in their Alsatian clothes

It was so nice to see a lady dressed in traditional fashion at the Christmas market.

Jean Jacques Waltz took over his father's position as Conservator of the Museum of Unterlinden and worked on "heraldic art" - the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning arms, tracing genealogies, and determining and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms.

Once again, he put on his hat as a draftsman when he accepted a commission from the Potashes of Alsace , who had ordered advertising cards, which were, then, published by Braun in Mulhouse Dornach. He was in advertising for a decade - from 1923 - 1933.

When the WWII broke out, Hansi, who was now identified for his anti-German stance, took refuge in Agen, then went into exile in Switzerland. In 1946, he returned to his native Colmar. Not long after his long journey, he got ill, became very weak and demoralized. he passed away on June 10, 1951, at the age of 78.

From the Handicrafts Christmas Market - At the Koïfhus

Alsatian fashion

Hansi's designs used for winter ornamentation

As an artist, Hansi left Colmar with much contribution in arts and culture. He was prolific in creating designs and motifs which have been used and are still being used in stained-glass windows, serve ware, dolls, posters, commercial labels, menus, books, fashion, and nearly 400 postcards. He was an engraver and painter in water color. At the same time, he was a writer, an activist, a historian who memorialized his era through his many works.

What an interesting discovery Hansi has been.

A Day at the 2016 Christmas Market in Colmar, France

2016-12-12T04:35:00.001-08:00

My daughters and I just love going to Christmas markets. Its the warm and Christmas fairytale atmosphere that we enjoy. So, off we went to another Christmas market, after spending a day at the "Christmas Capital of France" - Strasbourg. By train, we headed to Colmar: The Land of Christmas Stars

Colmar is the 3rd largest city in Alsace. It is 40 miles southwest of Strasbourg. Its history on how she acquired Germanic and French influences is very similar to that of Strasbourg. The town is on the Alsatian wine route and is the "capital of Alsatian wine."

In Colmar, it is said that one can experience the magic of Christmas. The historic part of town is illuminated and decorated, making the ambiance in the old town so festive. Among the discoveries here are the architectural treasures of churches , museums, and structures dating back to the medieval ages. And not to be missed are the regional foods and the artisanal crafts.

From walking the picture-perfect streets of Colmar at this time of this year, we could see how the description that Colmar is "The Land of Christmas Stars" is most fitting.

November 25 to December 30, 2016

Welcome to Colmar this holiday season!

ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

There are Germanic and French influences in the architectural history of Colmar that have been adapted to the traditions and the culture of the local population. Prominent is the use of yellow and pink sandstone bricks from the Vosges mountains, and the timber-frame construction.

Egise Saint-Martin

The collegiate Church of Saint Martin is an example of Gothic architecture in Alsace, constructed between 1235 and 1365. The south tower was destroyed by a fire in 1572, also damaging the framework and the the whole roof. Three years later, the roof was reconstructed with the original design of the lantern bulb - a dome constructed in the form of a lantern, giving it back its former silhouette. In the last restoration in 1982, traces of the foundation of a church going back to the year 1000 , and extensions made in the 11th and 12th centuries were discovered.

For the people of Colmar, they consider the St. Martins collegiate church as their cathedral. A collegiate church is one that has been given a "chapter of canons but without a bishop's see." This is because the two constitutional bishops who followed one another from 1790 to 1801 were not able to organize a diocese. A constitutional bishop was a Roman Catholic bishop who was elected among the clergy and sworn to follow the Civil Constitution during the French Revolution.

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The Pfister House

Built in 1537, for the hatter Ludwig Scherer, with medieval features, this house exemplifies architectural renaissance in Colmar. The family lived in this two-storey house, with a corner oriel window, a wood gallery, an octagonal turret with mural paintings with biblical themes, from 1841 to 1892.

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Petite Venise

The name, Petite Venise (Little Venise), came from the houses on both sides of the river, in the southeastern part of the city, from the Koïfhus, through the fishmonger's district, and to the bridges Turenne and Saint-Pierre. it is at the beginning of the Krutenau, which were the places of market gardening on the outskirts of towns. It was inhabited by rural wine-producers, market gardeners and boatmen.

In the warmer months, boat rides are offered on the waterways.

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Fishmonger's District

This is where the professional fishermen and boatmen lived, composing a powerful corporation. The fishes they caught were stored in fish ponds or sold directly from the fishmonger's district. This area was restored from 1978 to 1981 after a fire destroyed more than 40 homes. The half-timbered houses from the Tanners district and Little Venice were restored to how they were, then.

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TIMBER-FRAMING ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

Timber- framing or half-timber construction is a building method, wherein, external and internal walls are constructed with timber frames, and the spaces between the wooden structures are filled with materials like bricks, plaster, or wattle and daub.

Wattle and daub is a a building material for making walls, in which wooden strips are woven to form the wattle, is daubed with a sticky material made by combining wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung with straw. This is making a comeback as a sustainable building technic.

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AT THE COLMAR CHRISTMAS MARKET

Christmas Market - Place des Dominicains

There are sixty Christmas huts that offer decorations, fashion accessories, and food specialties from the region in this market.

Our daytime walk around the Christmas market at Place des Dominicains

On our way back to the Christmas market by the Dominicain church

With the Dominican Church in the background, the stained glass from the 14th century, lit from within, was a beautiful addition to the Christmas market setting.

How the market ambiance changes from day to night.

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Christmas Market - PetiteVenise

This market was designed as a child's kingdom for the young and old. There are 43 cottages beautifully decorated, with treasures to admire or buy. Kids can write and post their letters to Santa in a giant postbox.

The animated Nativity display

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Christmas Market - Place Jeanne d'Arc

This is a recreation of an Alsatian village, offering Alsatian culinary finds - foie gras, charcuterie, Christmas cakes and cookies, and more. And, vin chaud or mulled wine to help keep warm.

This lady attracted a lot of attention, as she was the only one dressed for the Christmas market in a traditional Alsatian outfit.

By late afternoon, the Christmas lights were turned on.

By nighttime, the stage was fully set - with the glow of the lights which illuminated the market and the timber-framed homes and colorful structures in the background, with vin chaud in one hand and some Bredele cookies in the other - for us to experience a traditional Alsatian Christmas.

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Christmas market - Place de l'Ancienne Douane

Fifty Christmas stalls are arranged here, near the fountain of Schwendi, which extends along the river. Koïfhus, which houses the artisan vendors is not far from here.

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Handicraft Christmas Market - At the Koïfhus

This is the old custom house, a medieval building, where 20 local artisans - ceramists, potters, glassmakers, cabinetmakers, woodworkers, hatters, jewellers, patissiers, etc., - are showcasing their products.

The Toy Museum of Colmar set up this winter mountain-village electric train display.

The view below from the Koïfhus

A display by a patissier -

a gingerbread-house winter village.

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Christmas Tree Market

Varieties of Christmas trees, advent wreaths, and Christmas ornaments are available - all you need to create an Alsatian Christmas ambiance in your homes.

Artisanal-type Christmas ornaments, made by crafters

Christmas globes with wintry scenes, Christmas figurines,

and stuffed toy ornaments

Versions of le Père Noël (Father Christmas, now better known as Santa Claus in the west)

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GOURMET HOLIDAY TREATS FROM ALSACE

When family and friends gather together during the holiday season in Alsace, there is usually a table spread of gourmet, Alsatian delicacies to feast on. We, too, can experience a bit of this as we go around the Christmas market.

WARM BEVERAGES

The scent of hot mulled wine with aromatic spices fills the air. This is a blend of white and red wine, with added honey, sharp flavors of lemon and orange, and spices like cinnamon, aniseed, nutmeg and cloves, the perfect accompaniment to Bredele cookies.

The non-alcoholic drink for the kids: jus de pomme chaud

At the Christmas market, the big people walk around sipping mulled wine, and for the kids, they can enjoy their own warm beverage, too - an alcohol-free apple or orange juice. These warmed drinks are so perfect during the cold winter nights, especially, when the blustery wind blows at your face.

BREDELES

Bredeles are sweet, small, dry-cookie delicacies served as snacks around the Christmas tree or the Advent wreath. These cookies are prepared with cinnamon, orange, aniseed, chocolate and walnuts or almonds. In the market, you can buy and sample the cinnamon stars, butterbrele with butter, anisbredele dusted with aniseed, schwowebredle with almonds, spriyzbredle with lemon peel. They are sold by weight or packed in small cellophane sachets.

GINGERBREAD CREATIONS

Gingerbread is very popular. They come in different shapes, sizes and flavors. Some are simply cut into little diamond pieces, coated with a light sugar icing, with ginger or dried fruit. These specialties are made with flour, honey and spices and are a traditional symbol of an Alsatian Christmas celebration. Gingerbread is typically served on the feast of Saint Nicholas.

Among the fabricators of these Alsatian gingerbread varieties are Palais du Pain d'spices of Maison Fortwenger and Maison Lips Musée du Pain d'spices et des Douceurs d'Autrefois (Museum of Gingerbread and Delicacies of Yesteryear).

CHRISTMAS BEERS

In the Middle Ages, it was the monks who prepared a strong, malt-rich beer for the Christmas season. Now a days, it is the breweries that produce the beers, all in keeping with the tradition of producing special-edition beers at this time of the year. The Christmas beers have aromas of cinnamon, honey and ginger, and best served chilled between 10° to 12°. When you take a swig of beer, you are reminded to take it in moderation. The beer goes well with the regional spcialties of the season.

FOIE GRAS

Foie gras has been a staple on the table when celebrating a French Christmas, since the 17th century. The foie gras' rich, creamy taste - made from duck or goose liver, is best suited with a serving of the Alsatian wine produced in the region.

White and red wine from the Alsace region

It is not just in the food, but in the decorations, as well, are the flavors in their culinary Christmas specialties used, like in a fresh-pine wreath, Advent wreath, or swag decorated with sliced, dried oranges and tangerines or other fresh fruits and some nuts.

Imagine all the aromas from the spices and fruit ingredients, some roasted nuts, permeating the air, which all add to the warmth of creating an Alsatian Christmas for the big celebration!

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WALKING THE LOVELY STREETS OF HISTORIC COLMAR, IN CHRISTMAS FINERY

Christmas is just around the corner and we have brought back some of the Alsatian specialties and practices to bring some of the ambiance from here to our home.

Strasbourg: The Christmas Capital of France

Christmas Market in Colmar: The Covered Market of Colmar
Christmas Market in Colmar: Hansi - an Artist from Colmar

Christmas Market in Colmar: A Quick Visit to the Covered Market of Colmar

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After we visited Petite Venice, we came upon the covered permanent market in Colmar. Going to the market is always a favorite thing for us to do when we are traveling.

Petite Venise

This structure was built in 1865, with a metal framework and bricks. This market hall is well laid out, with wide aisles, and is kept very clean.

There are about 20 merchants selling everything - meats, fish, poultry cheese, fruits, vegetable, deli meats, pastry, breads, condiments - that you would look to buy in a French market. In the corner locations, there is a little cafe or a bar for a short stop, to have a cup or coffee or a beer.

Organic dairy products from the local farms

This holiday season, there are a few stalls dedicated to carrying Christmas decorating essentials and gift packages.

A quick stop here was all we needed to have a break. We picked up some goodies and beverages for our afternoon snacks, and continued on our Christmas market tour.

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Covered Market of Colmar

13 rue des Ecoles

68000 Colmar

Le Comptoir de Mathilde, Chocolaterie - Epicerie Fine, Colmar

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Le Comptoir de Mathilde - a chocolaterie and epicerie fine, carries products that are made from recipes using artisanal methods, showcasing French gastronomy in little packages or in bulk. Relatively new, as it was just started in 2007 by Richard Fournier - the founding president, looking at the variety of products on their shelves is like being in a gastronomic paradise of epicurean delicacies and fine chocolates.

Quality ingredients - no GMOs - are used to make dark chocolates with, at least, 70% of rich cocoa (which, by the way is a brain-food); premium spreads with 30% to 50% of hazelnut (no palm oil) ; condiments - mustards, oils and vinegars, salt and pepper; and specialty alcohol - wine and liquor.

As their retailing business grew in the last couple of years, their boutique-type concept stores carrying their same name have sprung up in France in the south-east, and the rest of the world with franchise-shops. Their storefronts are designed in vintage style, with the use of 100% reclaimed wood.

I came across this store when I went to the Christmas Market in Colmar, France.

At the Colmar location

It is quite an experience to enter this place - the eyes feast on many things that awaken the appetite, complemented by the aromatic scents that fill the air. There is free-sampling of featured items - a good way to get to know their products. The beautiful packaging and the product display make for an effective marketing presentation on the spot. I was sold!

Confiture (fruit jam) and Advent calendars on display

Here is a gourmet gift suggestion for 54 euros,

or you can also create your own.

Different types of vinegar, wine and liqueur sold in bulk, or bottled; tapenades, baba au rhum - their house specialty

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Confiserie ( Confectionery)

Candy pops and fruit bars

Chocolates - plain or with added fruit bits or nuts,
in different sizes

Olives enrobed in chocolate

Salts and peppers

Bottled Olive oils and olive oils sold in bulk

Vintage-designed delivery trucks - metal containers to package goodies of your choice for gift-giving

There are numerous varieties of each product to choose from. I just gave you an idea of what the store has to offer. Especially, at Christmastime or on any other occasion, they make excellent gifts. But, of course, there is not need to have a special occasion to enjoy these culinary delights. For, after all, everyday is to be celebrated with good eats.

Just in case you want to try your hand at making one of these, like confiture , here is a site to make jams with just a fruit-and-sugar combination, the French way.

Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo, Puglia, Italy

2016-12-08T00:34:00.002-08:00

From San Giovanni Rotondo - after visiting St. Padre Pio - we found ourselves in Puglia, in a church that was built to find a resting place for a miraculous history - the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, in a series of apparitions. We headed to the Church of St. Michael Archangel under snowy, stormy weather conditions.

The snowfall along the way did not diminish our interest to get to this place. When we finally got dropped off here, the wind was howling and the temperature had dropped down to very cold levels.

This looks like another gothic church, but there is a unique feature to discover - a "sacred cave." In the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel, it is said that he had appeared here three times: in the years 490. 492, and 1656.

Also known as Monte Sant’Angelo or the Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, it is located in the hills of Promontorio de Gargano (Gargono Promontory) in the east coast of the south-central part of Italy, right by the heel strap of the boot-like shaped peninsula.

In the courtyard, to the right is a flight of stones leading down to the church where the cave - where St. Michael had appeared in, has been made a main part of this church.

During the early hundred years in our calendar history, the Roman cult of Mithraism – the shedding of the bull’s blood in caves, was in practice. According to the traditional story, in 490, there was a noble man – Elvio Emmanuele, who was searching for the best bull he had in his herd that had gone missing. As he went around, he found the bull kneeling in a cave. Since it was difficult for him to approach the bull, he shot an arrow towards the bull, but the trajectory of the arrow changed and hit him, instead. Surprised and bewildered, he went to see his local bishop who had asked him to pray and fast for three days. After three days, St. Michael appeared to the bishop and identified himself “ I am Michael the Archangel and am always in the presence of God. I chose the cave that is sacred to me. Where the rocks open widely, the sins of men will be pardoned. What is asked here in prayer will be granted. Therefore, go up to the mountain cave and dedicate it to the Christian God.” Thinking that he may be going mad, the bishop did not do anything about his visionary encounter.

After two years, there was a town under the bishop’s diocese – Siponto, that was attacked by the pagans from the city of Odoacre. Once again, Michael the Archangel appeared before the bishop with a promise to save the beleaguered city. Soon after, a big storm visited Odoacre, and sidetracked her people. This was how the city of Siponto got saved. Greatful, the bishop led a thanksgiving procession to the mountain cave, but dared not to enter it. Was it skepticism or fear that kept him from entering the holy cave?

Now a grotto, this is the cave. With an altar set in and pews for the pilgrims, masses are held here regularly.

Still at another time, the archangel gave the bishop one more visit, to explain “It is not necessary that you dedicate this church that I have consecrated in my presence. Enter and pray with my assistance and celebrate the Sacrifice. I will show you how I consecrated this place.” As the bishop, finally, entered the cave, there was an altar covered with a red mantle, “a crystal cross and a footprint on the ground.” This was enough to convince the bishop that he was not seeing nor hearing things and soon commissioned a church to be built by the cave’s entrance, which became known as the Celestial Basilica.

There are still some remnants of frescoes that used to decorate the ceilings and walls of the church.

We were back in the car and heading, yet, to another church...

when the sun peeked in.

Just like a painting, this town suddenly appeared as we were driving downhill.

And, then we were at sea level, and driving towards another church where a Eucharistic miracle had taken place.

September 29 is the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel. His name signifies "Who is always with God." In the Christian religion, he is the character who led the good angels in the heavenly battle, triumphantly, against the evil forces of hell.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness
and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.