Day 19 Thoughts about Burgos Cathedral et al.

I am stuck in Terradillos de Templarios waiting for my ankle to finish healing. So in addition to sleeping and making new friends (Cada dia Ina nueva amiga, observes my hostess.), I have been trying to write out some of what I have been thinking on the road into blogs. Today I even revived A Rambling Theologian at Large which has lain dormant for a long time now.

One thing I have been pondering about has been my reaction to Burgos Cathedral. Burgos Cathedral is a beautiful place full of amazing artwork. And it left me cold.

I have been trying to figure out why I had. such a negative reaction. It is not simply to the gold and expense. I have been in a number of places where I could see the gold retablos behind the altar as a gift that stemmed from faith and a symbolic picture of the glory of heaven. And perhaps I was overly swayed by the audio guide which seemed to focus greatly on who paid for what. 

This cathedral was started in 1221. To put that in perspective, Francis of Assissi was still alive and St Dominic, who sold his university schoolbooks to buy food for hungry people died that same year. Dominic was born not far from here and his early ministry included helping to clear the path for pilgrims to Santiago. The cathedral was built on the site of a previous Romanesque church. But that wasn't good enough for the increased importance of a city that had recently become the capital city of Castille. Nothing would do but a huge new cathedral in the latest French Gothic style. While, like most cathedrals, it was built and decorated over hundreds of years, they set something of a speed record for the basic church. Within 9 years it was usable and within 39 years the high altar was consecrated. But as I listened to the audio guide I kept hearing that this or that huge side area had been decorated and consecrated to one or another event or Saint so that it could house the family remains of someone or other. It was hard to imagine this as acts of faith rather than acts of politically expedient displays of piety. 

It is certainly possible that I am completely misjudging the situation. But I am more comfortable thinking of the faith of the thousands of pilgrims who streamed along the roads then. I suspect the  motives then as now we're a mixture. Undoubtedly some made the journey out of curiosity or for the challenge and excitement of doing something different. Some must have rejoiced in the people they met along the way. I'm sure some made the journey in gratitude. I met one man who was walking because he has been cancer free for 10 years  Doubtless some made the journey to buy favors from God or to earn forgiveness in some way. Being a convinced Protestant, I don't think that is how the economy of heaven works but I do think that there is some sort of blessing that comes with effort. And day by day as I experience the Camino of today (surely much easier than the Camino of the Middle Ages) I am struck by the fact that people are metaphorically walking towards God and that all these people have made the effort and set aside time and resources towards doing something that they feel, at least vaguely, to be a step of faith.