prologue pilgrim · kochukunju joy, m.a. prologue pilgrimage, the journey to a distant sacred goal...

Kochukunju Joy, M.A. ©

REMINISCENCES OF A BLESSED MEMORABLE PILGRIMAGE TO THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF FÁTIMA

13 – 23 October 2006

OTTALIL KOCHUKUNJU JOY, M.A.

PROLOGUE

Pilgrimage, the journey to a distant sacred goal found in all the great religions of the world, is a journey both outwards to hallowed places and inwards to spiritual improvement; it can express penance for past evils, or the search for future good; the pilgrim may pursue spiritual joy in the sacred sites of a particular faith, or seek a miracle through the medium of God or a Saint. Throughout the world, pilgrims move invisibly in huge numbers among the tourists of today, indistinguishable from them except in purpose.

Therefore, a Pilgrim is one who strives to obtain salvation of his soul through a physical journey in which caritas, love for God; and not cupiditas, greed for material things, drives him.

Some of the oldest destinations for pilgrimages are found in India. On the Sacred River Ganges lies Benares (Varanasi), the Holy City of Brahmanism. Buddhism offers four sites of pilgrimage, viz, Sri Buddha's birthplace at Kapilavastu, Gaya the site where he first preached, where the highest insight dawned on him at Benares and Kusinagara where he achieved Nirvana. Modern pilgrimages, such as the Way of St. James, the Hajj, and the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash are still carried out throughout the world.

We, a group of 45 Malayalis living in Germany, Spain and Switzerland undertook a pilgrimage, the ultimate destination being Fátima in Portugal and Ávila in Spain from 13-23 October 2006 organised by RASMI, an independent bimonthly publication for Overseas Malayalis, from Cologne, Germany.

Below is a narrative of this memorable pilgrimage in a Bus which took us through Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. The narrative sequence is arranged chronologically, that means the sequence is arranged in the order of visit.

Fr. John Kappiarumalayil of the Congregation of St. Therese of Child Jesus, C.S.T.

Congregation of St. Therese of Child Jesus (CST) is the first Institute with exclusively non-clerical members, which was founded at Mookannur (Kerala) in 1931.

Fr. Vincent Moolanparambil of the Order of Discalced Carmelite, O.C.D. (Ordo Carmelitarum Discalceatorum)

Order of Discalced Carmelite is an Order founded by St. Teresa of Ávila. Because Reformed Carmelites wore sandals in place of shoes and stockings, they came to be called the Discalced, or barefooted, Carmelites, to distinguish them from the older branch of the order.

Fr. Anthony Swamy, Priest from the Vellore Diocese, Tamil Nadu

gave the spiritual lead. Thus we were able to hold two Holy Masses at the Chapel of Apparition in Fátima and could also attend one in English language in which our priests participated. There was hardly a day when a Holy Mass or Prayer was not held during our entire journey (whether in the bus/hotel/church).

The journey began in Cologne, Germany on Friday, the 13th October 2006 around 3 p.m.

Cologne (German: Köln /Kœln), one of the oldest cities in Germany, founded by the Romans in A.D. 50., is Germany's fourth-largest city after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than 12 million inhabitants.

Cologne, the economic and cultural capital of the Rhineland, lies at the River Rhine and the city's world famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, just as important to the city as its specially brewed Kölsch beer. Cologne

Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima 2 of 22


University is one of Europe's oldest universities and internationally renowned for its Faculty of Economics.

In 2005 Cologne had the privilege of hosting the XX Catholic World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI and one of the largest ever meetings of over a million participants.

We reached Basle in Switzerland, bordering Germany, very late around mid-night because of heavy traffic jam on the way and collected the pilgrims there.

Basle (German: Basel, French Bâle) is Switzerland's third most populous city (188,000 inhabitants in the canton of Basel-City; the 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerland's second-largest urban area).

Travelling over 20 hours, we reached Lloret-de-Mar (Catalonia/Spain) the following day and checked into Hotel Aquarium.

Lloret-de-Mar is a former Catalonian trading port, but the region’s fiery spirit is still evident, which is why Lloret de Mar is regarded as the liveliest holiday spot situated in the southern part of the Costa Brava, 70 Km from Barcelona.

Lloret-de-Mar is one of the Mediterranean’s most popular resorts and certainly the liveliest holiday spot on this stretch of the Spanish coastline. This former fishermen’s village covers 48 square kilometres, and has five main beaches along a 7 Km of coastline.

Its beaches have been awarded the blue flag by the EEC, bearing witness to the perfect state of beaches in terms of quality of the water, sand and services

provided.

The history of Lloret goes back to the third century BC throughout that long history, though being a dynamic and modern tourist town, Lloret has managed to sustain its personality and preserve those distinguishing traits and traditions that only the passage of time can instil.

Lloret is regarded as one of the best-endowed tourist centres in terms of sports facilities, and its many options in shopping, leisure and cuisine, along with its hotel, camping and apartment provision, bring it to the forefront of the country’s tourist areas in terms of quantity, variety and quality.

Families also flock to Lloret for their summer holidays as the resort offers a wealth of entertainment and five safe, sandy beaches which bask in temperatures of 22-28 C° during the summer months. Europe’s biggest water park, an aquatic zoo and the Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park are all within easy reach.

From Lloret within a radius of less than 100 Km, Barcelona, Girona, Figueres (with its Dalí museum) and Montserrat can all be visited.

Evening we visited the Gran Palace Lloret to enjoy a famous Flamenco troop to the almighty Can Can, River Dance as well as Magic Shows, which offered plenty of entertainments, with a complimentary glass of Cava (Catalan Champagne) to help get in the mood for the festivities ahead.

Barcelona, capital of Catalonia - one of the seventeen Autonomous Communities that make up Spain - the second largest city in Spain in both size and population, is in a privileged position on the north-eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean. There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castilian Spanish. Barcelona has a population of over 1.510.000, but this number spirals to more than 4.000.000 if the outlying areas are also included.

International Show at Gran Palace



Barcelona has emerged from a spotty history. With Castilian kings pumping cannonballs over the city walls and anarchists disagreeing on which shoulder to hang their rifles, the city

shrank in the shadow of greater cities and powers for centuries.

Though founded around 230 BC, likely by the

Carthaginians, and invaded by the Visigoths and then the Muslims, the history of the city, in a sense,

only truly began after armies from what is now France pushed back the Muslims in 801 AD. At the time, the plains and mountains to the northwest and north of Barcelona were populated by people who by then could be identified as 'Catalans'.

The landmark of the city is the famous still unfinished “La Sagrada Familia” (The Holy Family) Cathedral. It is an awe-inspiring Cathedral under construction. The lifework of Barcelona's favourite son, Antoni Gaudí, the magnificent spires of the cathedral imprint themselves boldly against the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. They are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to breathe life into the

stone. Gaudí died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed.

Within days of Spain's Second Republic forming in 1931, Catalan nationalists declared a republic within an 'Iberian Federation'. Catalunya briefly gained genuine autonomy after the leftist Popular Front won the February 1936 Spanish general election, and for nearly a year

revolutionary anarchists and the POUM (the Workers Marxist Unification Party) ran the town. Get 10 anarchists in a room, though, and you'll have 11 political opinions; in May 1937 infighting between communists, anarchists and the POUM broke out into street fighting for three days, killing at least 1500 people.

The Republican effort across Spain was troubled by similar infighting, which destroyed any chance they may have had of defeating Franco's fascist militia. Barcelona, the last stronghold of the Republicans, fell to Franco's forces in

January 1939, and the war ended a few months later. Rather than submitting to Franco, thousands of Catalans fled across the border to France, Andorra and farther afield.

The Ramblas

The City of Barcelona

Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family)



Franco wasted no time in banning Catalan and flooding the region with impoverished immigrants from Andalucía in the vain hope that the pesky Catalans, with their persistent movements for independence, would be swamped. But the plan soured somewhat when the migrants' children and grandchildren turned out to be more Catalan than the Catalans. Franco even banned one of the Catalans' joyful expressions of national unity, the sardana, a public circle dance.

But they'd barely turned the last sods on El Supremo's grave when Catalunya burst out again in an effort to recreate itself as a nation. Catalan was revived with a vengeance, the Generalitat, or local

parliament, was reinstated, and today, people gather all over town several times a week to dance the sardana. While there's still talk of independence, it remains just that - talk. Barcelona is the country's most happening town, and seems set to stay that way.

Five separate streets strung end to end, La Rambla (also called Las Ramblas) is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewellery. The noisy bird market on the second block of La Rambla is worth a stop, as is the nearby Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, with arts and entertainment information and a ticket office. Next door is La Rambla's most colourful market, the Mercat de la Boqueria. Just south of the Boqueria the Mosaic de Miró punctuates the pavement, with one tile signed by the artist. The next section of La Rambla boasts the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the famous 19th century opera house. Below the Plaça Reial, La Rambla becomes decidedly seedy, with strip clubs and peep shows. La Rambla terminates at the lofty 60m Monument a Colom (Monument to Columbus) and the Harbour. You can ascend the monument by lift. Just west of the monument, on Avinguda de les Drassanes, stand the Reials Drassanes (Royal Shipyards), which house the fascinating Museu Marítim. It has more seafaring paraphernalia than you'd care to wag a sextant at - boats, models, maps, paintings, ships' figureheads and 16th century galleys.

The capital of Catalonia is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only because of its geographic location but also and above all because of its history, tradition and cultural influences. The documented history of the city dates back to the founding of a Roman colony on its soil in the second century B.C. Modern Barcelona experienced spectacular growth and economic revival at the onset of industrialization during the second half of the 19th century. The 1888 World Fair became a symbol of the capacity for hard work and the international outlook projected by the city. Culture and the arts flourished in Barcelona and in all of Catalonia; the splendour achieved by Catalonian modernism is one of the most patent displays.

Barcelona, more than just a single city, is really a collection of multi-faceted and diverse cities. The visitor unfamiliar with its history might be surprised that such a modern and enterprising city preserves its historic Gothic center almost intact, or by the curious contrast between the maze of narrow streets and the grid-like layout of the Eixample, the urban planning "Enlargement" project of the end of the 19th century.

The unique natural environment and religious center Montserrat is a mountain range 60 Km northwest of Barcelona, which is one of the main tourist destinations in Catalonia. The strange rock formations, the long history of the monastery and the many legends surrounding Montserrat attract many visitors. Tourists from all over the world are seduced by the magic of the mountain. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montserrat and the Benedictine monastery sit at 720 meters, which has served pilgrims and visitors since 1025. In the basilica the image of the Patron saint of Catalonia, Montserrat, is venerated.

The entrance to Güell Parc

Columbus Monument



According to legend the image was found in a cave in 889. In 1881, she was crowned and declared the Patron Saint of Catalonia. Montserrat (Montse) is a very popular woman's

name in Catalonia.

In the photo above, you can see a detail of the rock formation that has made this mountain famous. Already in the prehistory local tribes venerated the mountain; ever since it has been a mountain of magic.

The basilica is beautiful! There are many ornate shrines to different Catholic saints and everything seems to be covered in rich gold. If you enter from the side door you can walk your way up to the shrine of the Black Virgin. The Virgin sits in a little room which overlooks the back of the Basilica. She is in a glass box, but one of her hands and a wooden orb

protrude through the glass so that you can touch her. The room that she is in is decorated with mosaic murals and gold, which is quite amazing! From the Black Virgin Mary Shrine you walk out into the Cloisters, where there are places for hundreds of candle novena. There are funiculars, which would take you to the summit of the mountain or down to the walkway that leads to the Holy Cave where the Black Virgin is said to have been found. Be mindful of your time at the monastery, because the funiculars do not run all day.

This basilica is located in the Monsterrat Mountains of Cataluña (Spain), and this sculpture is what makes it the second most important pilgrimage site in Spain (after Santiago de Compostela).

Welcome to Lisbon (Lisboa) the capital of Portugal. This city used to be the center of one of the biggest empires of all times, with colonies in America, Asia and Africa.

Portugal is a small country on the west of the Iberian Peninsula. It has more than 800 km of Atlantic Coast and it is the most western country in mainland Europe.

Lisbon's climate strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream is one of the warmest European capitals. The city has privileged natural conditions 10 Km from the river Tejo's mouth. At Lisbon, the river broadens into an inland sea, Mar de Palha. The quarters of Castelo and Alfama, the Belém (Bethlehem) zone and the Baixa are only a few of the places reflecting Lisbon's ancient history.

The historic centre of Lisbon is built on seven hills, making some of the city's streets too steep for motor vehicles; the city is served by three funicular services and one elevator. The western side of the city is mainly occupied by the Monsanto Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe with an area close to 10 square kilometres.

Montserrat Monastery

Our Lady of Montserrat

Facade of the Montserrat Monastery



Lisbon was taken by the Moors around the year 711; the Moors, Muslims from North Africa and the Middle East, built many mosques and houses as well as a new city wall, currently named the Cerca Moura. Life in Muslim Lisbon was completely different from contemporary Lisbon life. Arabic was the official language, spoken by the majority of the populace as their mother tongue. Islam was the official religion, and by the 10th century majority of Lisbon's inhabitants were Muslim.

The Moorish influence is still present in Lisbon. Many names are derived from Arabic; the Alfama, the oldest existing district of Lisbon, for example, is derived from the Arabic "al-hamma". Lisbon's name itself, pronounced "Lizhboa" in Portuguese, is more directly derived from the Arabic name of the city, al-Ushbuna, than the Latin Olissipo.

In 1147, as part of the Reconquista, a group of combined French, English, German, and Portuguese knights led by Alfonso I of Portugal, sieged and re-conquered Lisbon. Lisbon was now back in Christian hands. The majority Muslim population was gradually converted to Roman Catholicism and the mosques

were turned into churches.

On 1 November 1755 Lisbon was destroyed by an earthquake (second in a series), which killed between 60,000 and 90,000 people and destroyed eighty-five percent of the city. Voltaire wrote a long poem, "Poême sur le désastre de Lisbonne", shortly afterwards, and mentioned the earthquake in his 1759 novel Candide.

After the 1755 earthquake, the city was rebuilt largely according to the plans of the Marquês de Pombal; hence the designation of the lower town as Baixa Pombalina. Instead of rebuilding the medieval town, Marques de

Pombal decided to demolish the remains of the earthquake and rebuild the down town in accordance with modern urban rules.

The Vasco da Gama Bridge (Portuguese: Ponte Vasco da Gama) is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts and roads that spans the Tagus ((Tejo in Portuguese) River near Lisbon. It is the longest bridge in Europe, with a total length of 17.2 km, including 0.829 km for the main bridge, 11.5 km in viaducts, and 4.8 km in extension roads. Its purpose is to alleviate the congestion on Lisbon's other bridge (25 de Abril Bridge), and to join previously unconnected motorways originating

from Lisbon.

The bridge was opened to traffic on March 29, 1998, in time for Expo 98, the

Vasco da Gama Bridge - Lisbon, the largest bridge in Europe with a total length of 17.2 km

King José I erected as part of rebuilding Lisbon after the earthquake in 1755

Jesus Christ, Portuguese replica of the Brazilian Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro



World Fair that celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery by Vasco da Gama of the sea route from Europe to India. The Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world. As you can see in the photo it is so large that you cannot see the other end from this side of the river.

The bridge carries six road lanes, with a speed limit of 120 km/h, the same as motorways, except on one section which is limited to 100 km/h. On windy, rainy and foggy days, the speed limit is reduced to 90 km/h. The number of road lanes will be enlarged to eight when traffic reaches a daily average of 52,000.

The capital of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of History. The Alfama is one of the oldest quarters in Lisboa. Since it largely

survived the earthquake of 1755, the area still retains much of its original

layout. Adjacent to the Alfama are the likewise old quarters of Castelo and Mouraria, on the western and northern slopes of the hill that is crowned by St. George's Castle.

Lisbon has changed over the years, and a building boom has contributed to urban sprawl since Portugal joined the European Union in 1986. Modern buildings tucked into downtown streets can also be jarring to travellers who remember Lisbon in the days when the city was crumbling but prettier. Still, in the words of Lonely Planet Portugal, "Add today's cultural diversity together with a laid-back ambience and an architectural time-warp, and you have one of Europe's most enjoyable cities."

The physical setting alone makes Lisbon an appealing destination. The city is built on hills overlooking the Tagus River where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is benign and the older parts of the city are rich with murals of azulejo tiles, art nouveau buildings, sidewalks paved with decorative patterns of tiny black and white stones, public staircases leading steeply upward through ancient neighbourhoods, double-decker buses, and funicular tramways where you may see a cat hop aboard and get off at the next stop.

Museums and monuments are other popular attractions. No visit is complete without a tour of the Jerónimos monastery, where ropes and other maritime themes are carved into stone. Take time to explore the Moorish Castelo de São Jorge, which looks like a fortress on the outside but is a delightful place of gardens, towers with scenic views, ponds with swans and peacocks, and other attractions within its walls.

Don't miss the Torre de Belém built in 1515-1521 to protect the seaward entrance of the city. The sounds of Lisbon are as distinctive as its sights and scenery. You'll hear the rumble of cable-drawn ascensores rounding tight corners on steep hills, the trilling of canaries in cages hanging outside the windows of apartments, the flapping of sheets on overhead clotheslines, the screech of seagulls along the waterfront, and the haunting songs of fado singers in smoky nightclubs.

Arco da Rua Augusta, Lisbon

Torre de Belém



Best of all, Lisbon is affordable. It isn't cheap, the way it was 20 years ago, but your dollars, pounds, or euros will stretch farther in Portugal than in other major cities of Western Europe.

Vasco-da-Gama was buried in Kochi (formerly Cochin) in Kerala, on the west coast of India, but in 1539 his remains were carried back to Portugal and interred in the Church of Vidigueira. There the coffin remained until 1880, when it was transferred to a marble sepulchre in the church of the Monastery of the Jerónimos at Belém, outside Lisbon. This monastery had been erected by Manuel as a token of the country’s gratitude to da Gama. Later it was proved that the wrong coffin had been removed from Vidigueira and in 1898, about 400 years after da Gama’s first voyage, the coffin that contained his true remains was placed in the sepulchre. The tomb lies very near that of Camões, Portugal’s most famous poet, who commemorated da Gama’s deeds in his epic 1572 poem The Lusiads.

Details on the side of the sarcophagus relate to Vasco da Gama's voyages - a sailing vessel in the center, the cross of the Order of Christ, and the armillary sphere. The lion is associated with Saint Jerome, the order for whom the monastery was built.

The Jerónimos Monastery is a magnificent monument marking the high point of Portuguese art in the century of the Discoveries. This 16th century monastery is one of the few surviving examples of medieval Manueline architecture (named after Manuel I and featuring naval motifs) and is listed along with the Torre de Belém as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The lower choir of Jerónimos is the final resting place of Vasco da Gama (inside main entrance on the left) and of Luis de Camões (inside main entrance on the right); both

tombs

were

designed by sculptor Costa Mota. Vasco da Gama had sailed from Belém in 1497 to discover India and later, in 1524, became Portuguese viceroy in India, appointed by King John III. However, within three months of assuming office he became ill and died in Cochin on 24th December 1524. Initially he was buried there but later his remains were returned to Portugal and taken to the Convent of Our Lady of Relics at Vidigueira. Only in 1880 were his remains and those of the poet Luis Camões moved to the Monastery of

Jerónimos. With these two tombs (and the royal tombs in the choir) the church became a patriotic shrine and a national pantheon.

A period of decline followed the Discoveries Age. In 1580 Portugal lost its independence, when the Spanish Habsburg Philip II claimed the Portuguese Throne. Portugal would not recover its independence till 1640 when the royal house of Bragança established itself.

Vasco da Gama

Final Resting Place of Vasco da Gama

Monastery of Jerónimos



Lisbon and Portugal’s economy were strongly hit by the 1755 quake; this favoured the Napoleonic invasion, which led Pedro III to move to Brazil, where he established the court.

We are now in "Comercio" Square, in front of the Tagus River (at our back). This square is one of the centres of the town.

The 1998 Expo, which took place from May to September, prompted a major city renewal. The decaying industrial district was transformed into a beautiful waterfront. By the sea you can visit one of the best aquariums in Europe. Don’t miss it if you come to Lisbon. Another nice day trip is Sintra, declared world heritage by UNESCO, and a 19th century aristocrats meeting place.

The "Praça dos Restauradores" is located north from the Rossio. The Obelisk and the sculpture commemorate the 1640 restoration

of Portugal’s Independence from Spain.

UNESCO has classified the monastery, which faces the Tagus River, as a World Heritage site. In the main doorway is Our Lady of Belém (Bethlehem), patron saint of seafarers, a beautiful example of 16th Century Portuguese sculpture. In the centre of the monastery is the symbolic figure of Prince Henry the Navigator, grasping a sword. While the work of sculptor Nicolau de Chanterenne stands in the west doorway, a statue of King Manuel I.

Five hundred years ago, the monastery was the site of a modest chapel where departing and arriving seafarers came to pray. King Manuel transformed it into this remarkable monument, a prayer to the Virgin of Belém for the success of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India.

The site is a monument to the great men who spearheaded the Portuguese Discoveries, glorified by Luís de Camões in his epic poem “Os Lusíadas”.

After a military coup Dictator Antonio Salazar took the power in 1926. The dictator, and his successor Marcelo Caetano, exploited the domestic workers and African colonies richness. In 1974 Portugal recovered its parliamentary Republic, after 50 years dictatorship on the 25th of April.

Fátima is a city of approximately 10,000 inhabitants located in the district of Santarém in central Portugal, 187 km south of Porto and 123 km north of Lisbon, famous for the religious visions that have taken place there in 1917.

The name of the city (formerly a small village) comes from the Arabic, and derives from a local Arab Muslim Princess named Fátima who, following her capture by Christian forces during the Moorish occupation of Portugal, was betrothed to the Count of Ourem, converted to Catholicism, and was baptised before marrying the Count in 1158. Her baptismal name was Oureana (Oriana), from which the town Ourém derives its name.

Fátima's claim to fame is the shrine called the Sanctuary of Fátima, built to commemorate the events of 1917 when three peasant children claimed to have seen the "Virgin of the Rosary", Our Lady of Fátima. The children actually experienced the apparitions in a

The Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima

Monument of Discoveries



pasture called the Cova da Iria ("Irene's Cove") near the village of Aljustrel, about a mile from Fátima.

Fátima now attracts hosts of believers from far and wide, particularly on the pilgrimage days, and the shrine has been developed on a correspondingly large scale. The large torch-

light processions in the evening are particularly impressive.

The pilgrims gather in the Cova, on a huge esplanade in which is built a little chapel where the Virgin is believed to have appeared to the children.

On the far side of the esplanade rises the gigantic basilica, in neo-classical style, with a central tower 65 meters high, the construction of which was begun on 13 May 1928. It is flanked by colonnades linking it with the extensive conventual and hospital buildings. In the basilica are the tombs of two of the three seers, Francisco Marto and

Jacinta Marto, who died in 1919 and 1920 respectively, and were beatified in 2000. The third seer, Lúcia dos Santos, died in 2005. Now Lúcia's tomb is also in the Basilica.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora do Rosário da Fátima) is one of most famous Marian shrines in the world. Some four million people visit Fátima each year.

History

Between May and October 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children - Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto - in the fields outside the village of Aljustrel, very close to Fátima, Portugal.

The Virgin would come and speak to them on the 13th of every month. Lúcia later described the vision of Mary as “more brilliant than the sun”, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun.

According to Lúcia's account, Mary exhorted the children to do penance and sacrifices to save sinners. Most important, she asked them to say the Rosary every day. She reiterated many times that the Rosary was the key to personal and world peace. Many young Portuguese men, including relatives of the visionaries, were then fighting in World War I.

During the second apparition on June 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary predicted the deaths of two of the children. Previously, she had told them they would all eventually go to heaven. On June 13, Lúcia asked the Virgin to take them to heaven soon.

Mary replied, "Yes, I shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain a little longer, since Jesus wishes you to make me known and loved on earth. He wishes also for you to establish devotion in the world to my Immaculate Heart."

On her last visit, a crowd of 70,000 people, including reporters from sceptical, anti-religious newspapers, gathered in a torrential rainstorm to witness the great Solar Miracle of

Fátima Sanctuary, 2005

Jacinta Marto, Francisco Marto, Lúcia dos Santos



Fátima. Many people in the crowd said that the sun changed colours, began spinning in the sky and went completely dark for several minutes before seeming to plunge toward the earth, then returning to its proper place. Reporter Avelino de Almeida, who had snarked at Fátima in previous articles, saw and reported the phenomena, while his photographer saw nothing but shot pictures of the mesmerized crowd looking up.

It was reportedly witnessed from up to 25 miles away, but these people did not know what to make of it. Not everyone in the crowd saw the "sun dance", including the children, who reported seeing Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph blessing the people. Some people only saw the radiant colours. Others saw nothing at all.

After hearing Mary's prophecy of their deaths on June 13, 1917, the siblings Jacinta and Francisco were ecstatic to hear that they'd be going to Heaven "soon" and did not keep this information secret. Family, friends and curious tourists all report Jacinta and Francisco joyfully and serenely predicting their deaths. Jacinta accurately predicted the exact hour and detailed circumstances of her death, according to accounts by her own mother, by Lúcia, and by hospital staff. Francisco and Jacinta Marto were both victims of the Great Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919. Exhumed in 1935 and

again in 1951, Jacinta's body was found incorrupt. Francisco's had decomposed.

Francisco and Jacinta were declared "venerable" by Pope John Paul II in a public ceremony at Fátima on May 13, 1989. John Paul returned there on May 13, 2000, to declare them "blessed." Jacinta is the youngest non-martyred child ever to be beatified.

Lúcia reporting seeing the Virgin again in 1925 at the Dorothean Convent at Pontevedra, Spain, and was asked to convey the message of the First Saturday Devotions. A subsequent vision of the Christ Child Himself reiterated this request. Lúcia was transferred to another convent in Tuy, Spain in 1928. In 1929, Lúcia reported that Mary returned and repeated her request for the Consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart.

Lúcia reportedly saw Mary in private visions off and on throughout her life. Most significant was the apparition in Rianxo, Spain in 1931, in which Jesus taught Sister Lúcia two prayers and delivered a message to give to the hierarchy of the Church.

In 1947, Sister Lúcia left the Dorothean order and joined the Carmelite order in a Convent in Coimbra, Portugal. Lúcia died on February 13, 2005, at the age of 97. The date has significance for Fátima devotees, since most of the major events of this vision series took place on the 13th day of the month.

After her death, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (at that time, still Head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) ordered her cell sealed off. It is believed this was because Sister Lúcia had continued to receive more revelations, and they wished to censor them, or perhaps simply to examine them in the course of proceedings for Lúcia's canonization.

Most of the interest in Fátima revolves around the famous three-part secret of Fátima, which includes remarkable visions of the future. Lúcia only wrote down the secrets in 1941, when she was asked to compose memoirs about Fátima and her cousins so their canonization proceedings could begin.

The first secret described a horrific vision of Hell. The second secret foretold the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II and called for the "Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary." Many believe Pope John Paul II fulfilled this request in 1984 by giving a blessing over the world, including Russia, shortly before the collapse of the

The Chapel of Apparitions



Soviet Union. There is some confusion as to whether Sister Lúcia believed this fulfilled the request of Mary.

The Vatican kept the third secret under wraps until Easter 2000 – despite Lúcia's declaration that it could be released to the public after 1940. Several sources, including Canon Barthas and Cardinal Ottaviani, said that Sr. Lúcia insisted to them it must be released by 1960, saying, "by that time, it'll be more clearly understood." 1960 passed without any such announcement, which led to immense speculation over the content of the secret.

The officially released text of the third secret was symbolic in nature and open to various interpretations. The Church's interpretation was that the prophecy pertained to the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Ağca in Saint Peter's Square, Rome. The shooting occurred on May 13, the date of the first of the reported Fátima visions. The Pope had reportedly stooped to hug a little girl wearing a Lady of Fátima badge when the assailant fired, and the bullets struck him in the abdomen rather than in the head as planned.

John Paul himself credited Our Lady of Fátima with saving his life. He said more than once that he plainly saw her actively intervening to deflect the gunman's arm. He said he maintained consciousness on the ride to the hospital by keeping his mind focused on her.

The basilica is flanked by colonnades linking it with the extensive conventual and hospital buildings. The Chapel of Apparitions, an open-air church built on the site of the appearances, is open year-round for regular services.

Some Fátima pilgrims also visit a church and cemetery, the original burial site of Francisco and Jacinta, on the outskirts of Fátima.

In Aljustrel 3.2 km away, the homes of the children, largely unchanged over the past 88 years, give a glimpse of what the tiny village was like for the shepherd children.

A particularly popular site is the Hungarian Stations of the Cross, 14 little chapels leading to a marble monument of Christ on the cross, along 3 kilometres of uphill, stone walkways, a challenge for some elderly visitors.

There are many processions and festivals at the shrine; the large torch-light processions in the evening are particularly impressive. Our presence was visibly present with the tricolour and ladies in their saris!

What makes a Spaniard unique within Western civilization? Why is Spain so different from other European countries? Some people look for a simple geographic answer. But the fact is that its geography has not changed that much since the days when Spain, as so many other European lands, was but a piece in the grand imperial mosaic put together by Rome. This common background persisted for several centuries as northern European tribes - Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and Franks - overran southern Europe and established themselves there.

What really made the difference was the arrival in Spain of the Arabs early in the 8th century. From that moment on, Spain’s development took on a distinctive character. While it is true that the Arabs also reached up into France, they were soon thrown back. In Spain it was a different story. The Moslems

conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula and stayed on for nearly eight centuries.

Small Christian nuclei in northern Spain resisted the Moslem invaders from the beginning. Over the centuries these rugged groups grew into powerful Christian kingdoms that pushed the infidel ever southward. During this prolonged struggle, Spain served as an advance post

Evening Procession



for Christianity, a religious frontier. The main performers on this medieval stage were the monk and the warrior - the man who prayed and the man who fought; the man who

reflected upon death and the man who faced it on the battlefield. The victory achieved after nearly 800 years of effort gave the Spaniard a feeling of superiority, which was reinforced by medieval chroniclers who were quick to remind them that their country had once given great emperors to Rome. In that long contest Spain put ideological values ahead of purely material interests. Rivers were more often used as moats behind which to fight raiders than as trade routes. Cities sprang up not because of economics but because of strategic imperatives. Such was the case of Segovia; and it was as a guardian of the mountain passes that Madrid had its humble beginnings. This also explains why the Spanish landscape often has a warlike appearance. Any knoll, any mountain pass, any meadow, was a good place to build a fortress-castle.

When the Catholic Sovereigns ended the war of re-conquest from the Moslems, the Reconquista, and stood at the Moorish Towers of the Alhambra at Granada, they once more turned their eyes southward, as Spaniards had done for so many centuries. This time there was only the sea. But

that very same year Spanish ships under Columbus succeeded in crossing the great Dark Sea. It was as though Spain, having run out of land to re-conquer, had been forced to look beyond the ocean for new lands in which to continue its feats of valour. In a broad sense, the Reconquista grew into the discovery, conquest and colonization of the New World.

It was at this moment that the concept of manifest destiny - so easy to take hold in any country at the height of its power - sank deep into the Spanish conscience. The Spaniard felt he had a godly mission to carry out, and this was

to make it possible for him to withstand bitter defeats in later years. When the Castilian Cortes met after the disaster of the Invincible Armada, someone advised the king to abandon his ambitious foreign policy, which had forced Spain to fight against half of Europe. "If they want to ruin themselves, let them," the adviser added spitefully. To have followed this counsel would have amounted to striking the flag that had let Spain on a universal mission. But at that same Cortes another ringing voice was heard. Recommending that the fight be carried on, a representative from Murcia said: "If what we are doing is defending the cause of God - as I am sure we are

Cibeles

Palacio de Cristal

The Metropolis building located on the Gran Vía



- then we must not give it up as impossible, for He will discover new Indies for us, as He discovered the Catholic Sovereigns when we needed them."

The capital of Spain since 1562 is located on the geographic center of the Iberian Peninsula. Because of its central location and high altitude, the climate of Madrid is characterized by warm dry summers and cool winters.

Madrid is a city of great monuments. Among its highlights are the medieval centres dating back to the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum.

But Madrid is not just a cultural destination. It is also a lively metropolis with many pubs, cafes, discotheques and nightclubs open late into the night. Don't be surprised if you get stuck in a traffic jam at four in the morning, and the people you meet are not necessarily going off to work....

of Spain and the third most populous city in the European Union. Madrid is also the largest city in Spain, as well as in the province and the autonomous community of the same name. It is located on the river Manzanares in the center of the country, between

the autonomous communities of Castillo Leon and Castilla-La Mancha. Due to its geographical location, wealth and history, Madrid is considered one of the financial centres of the Iberian Peninsula, together with Lisbon, and the political center of Spain.

As the capital of the Spanish Empire, Madrid is a city of great cultural and political importance. While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighbourhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; a restored 1850 opera house; the Buen Retiro park, opened in 1631; the imposing 19th century building containing the Spanish National Library (founded 1712); the national archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which houses one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of

modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

The population of the city was 3.5 million (December 2005), while the estimated urban area population is 5.5 million. The entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be 5.84 million. The city spans a total of 607 km².

Following the restoration of democracy in 1975 and Spain's integration into the European Union, Madrid has played an increasing role in European finances, marking the city as one

Egyptian temple of Debod in Parque del Oeste

Main Square of Salamanca

Retiro



of the most important European metropolises. The residents of Madrid are called Madrileños.

The capital of Spain, located in the heart of the peninsula and right in the center of the Castilian plain 646 meters above sea level, has a population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city, a business center, headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also

plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. Most of its industry is located in the Southern fringe of the city, where important textile, food and metal working factories are clustered. Madrid is characterized by intense cultural and artistic activity and a very lively nightlife.

The grand metropolis of Madrid can trace its origins to the times of Arab Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered the construction of a fortress on the left bank of the Manzanares River. Later it became the subject of a dispute between the Christians and

Arabs until it was conquered by Alonso VI in the 11th century. At the end of the 17th century, a defensive wall was built for the protection of the new outlying areas, tracing the roads of Segovia, Toledo and Valencia. During the 18th century, under the reign of Carlos III, were designed the great arteries of the city, such as the Paseo del Prado and Paseo las Acacias.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Joseph Bonaparte undertook the reform of the Puerta del Sol and vicinity. The commercial street known as the Gran Vía was built as an east-west Avenue at the start of the century. In the 1950s the north-south boulevard called Paseo de la Castellana was extended and modern buildings were erected, housing the major financial institutions. Remnants of the distant past are mainly the Baroque and neoclassical structures of the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) and others which will be described later during our guide of the city.

Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos.

Travel is easy, accommodation plentiful, the climate benign, the people relaxed, the beaches long and sandy, the food and drink easy to come by and full of regional variety. More than 50 million foreigners a year visit Spain, yet you can also travel for days and hear nothing but Spanish.

Geographically, Spain's diversity is immense. There are endless tracts of wild and crinkled sierra to explore, as well as some spectacularly rugged stretches of coast between the beaches.

Culturally, the country is littered with superb old buildings, from Roman aqueducts and Islamic palaces to Gothic cathedrals. Almost every second village has a medieval castle. Spain has been the home of some of the world's great artists - El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, Dalí, Picasso - and has museums and galleries to match. The country vibrates with music of every kind - from the drama of flamenco to the melancholy lyricism of the Celtic music and gaitas (bagpipes) of the northwest.

Bullfighting is a very popular tradition in Spain, especially in Madrid. I think it's a cruel tradition, but some consider it an Art.

Plaza de España Square, Monument of Cervante/ "Quijote’s“ Statue



Ávila is a world heritage walled city, the main points of interest in which are the Cathedral and Museum, the Walls of Ávila, and the Monastery of Santo Tamas de Ávila.

One of the finest remnants of Europe's medieval era, the walled town of Ávila was sacred to an ancient Celtiberian culture long before the arrival of the Romans or Christians. The city

was captured by the Arab Moors in 714 AD, recaptured by the Christians in 1088, and had its protective walls built in the 12th century. Extending for 2,500 meters (8202 ft.) and encircling the old town, the massive walls are punctuated by ninety, heavily fortified stone towers. Ávila is much visited by tourists today, yet in the late medieval ages its visitors were pilgrims coming to the church in the center of the walled city. The current church, begun in 1091 and completed in the 13th century, is where the mystic St. Teresa (1515-1582) had frequent visions and ecstatic experiences. Nearby the church stands the house where St. Teresa lived.

There is a wonderful presence or

energy inside the cathedral, especially focused at two locations, which stimulate most sublime and

passionate feelings of spiritual love. In Ávila, there are three of these energy beam points.

Saint Teresa of Ávila (known in religion as Teresa de Jesús, baptised as Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada) (March 28, 1515 - October 4, 1582) was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation as a prominent Spanish mystic and writer and as a monastic reformer. She was born at Ávila, Old Castile and died at Alba de Tormes (province of Salamanca). Her feast day is October 15. She is recognised by Roman Catholics as one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church. She is one of only three female Doctors of the Church: St. Teresa of Ávila - 1970, St. Catherine of Siena - 1970 and St. Thérèse of Lisieux – 1997.

Ascetic ideal after the example of saints and martyrs was instilled in her at a young age by her father, the knight Alonso Sánchez de Cepeda, and especially by her mother, Beatriz d'Ávila y Ahumada. Their parental family were Jewish converts from Toledo. Teresa was fascinated by accounts of the lives of the saints, and ran away from home several times as a girl to find martyrdom among Moors. Leaving her parental home secretly one morning in 1534, she entered the monastery of the Incarnation of the Carmelite nuns at Ávila.

In the cloister, she suffered much from illness. Early in her sickness, she experienced periods of spiritual ecstasy through the use of the devotional book, Abecedario espiritual, commonly known as the "third" or the "spiritual alphabet" (published, six parts, 1537-1554). This work, following the example of similar writings of the medieval mystics, consisted of directions for tests of conscience and for spiritual self concentration and inner

Teresa of Ávila, by Peter Paul Rubens (Ulm, 1615)

Walled City of Ávila



contemplation, known in mystical nomenclature as oratio recollectionis or oratio mentalis. Besides this, she employed other mystical ascetic works; such as the Tractatus de oratione et meditatione of Peter of Alcantara, and perhaps many of those upon which St. Ignatius of Loyola based his Exercitia, and not improbably this Exercitia themselves.

She professed, in her illness, to rise from the lowest stage, "recollection", to the "devotions of peace" or even to the "devotions of union", which was one of perfect ecstasy. With this

was frequently joined a rich "blessing of tears". As the Roman Catholic distinction between mortal and venial sin dawned upon her, she came upon the secret of the awful terror of sinful iniquity, and the inherent nature of original sin. With this was correlated the consciousness of utter natural impotence and the necessity of absolute subjection to God.

The intimation on the part of several of her friends (c. 1556) of a diabolical, not divine, element in her supernatural experiences led her to the most horrible self-inflicted tortures and mortifications, far in excess of her ordinary asceticism, until Francis Borgia, to whom she had made confession, reassured her. On St. Peter's Day of 1559 she became firmly convinced that Christ was present to her in bodily form, though invisible. This vision lasted almost uninterruptedly for more than two years. In another vision, a seraph drove the fiery point of a golden lance repeatedly through her heart, causing an unexampled, as it were, spiritual-bodily pain. The memory of this episode served as an

inspiration in determining her long struggle of love and suffering, from which emanated her life-long passion for conformation to the life and endurance of Jesus, to be epitomized in the cry usually inscribed as a motto upon her images: "Lord, either let me suffer or let me die."

The oldest Spanish Gothic Cathedral

Building began in the Romanesque style, but the master Fruchel later took charge of the project and built one of the first Gothic cathedrals in Castile.

The sanctuary of the cathedral is built into the wall, making it part of the city's defences. It has two fronts: the main front, flanked by two towers, one of them incomplete, which gives it a look of church-fortress, and the Apostles front, on one of the sides. It has a Latin cross plan. The choir and the cloister were added later, in the 16th century. The main chapel has a magnificent reredos by Vasco de la Zarza and paintings by Berruguete and Juan de Borgoña. The stained glass is from the 15th century. The ambulatory contains the crowning work of Vasco de la Zarza, the tomb of El Tostado, in alabaster.

Ávila is Spain's highest provincial city being approximately 1,130 metres / 3,706 feet above sea level. It sits against the backdrop of the Sierra de Ávila, on a ridge that overlooks the Río Adaja (River Adaja) and a craggy plain.

Iberian tribes established the city before it was integrated into the Celtic culture and eventually Romanised and Christianised. Ávila is the celebrated birthplace of Santa Teresa de Jesús (St. Theresa of Jesus) 1515 to 1582. Santa Teresa was born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, a noblewoman who became a nun at the Convento de la Concepción (Convent of the Conception) at the age of eighteen. Santa Teresa was revered for her writings, first published in 1588, and mystical visions.

Some of the top attractions in Ávila include the Cathedral - which dates back to the 12th century, St. Vincent's Basílica - a Romanesque Basílica, purported to be raised on the site where Vicente and his two sisters were slain in 303 AD by the Romans, the Palacio de los Deanes (The Deanes' Palace) - located on Plaza de Nalvillos, now housing the Museo Provincial (Provincial Museum) with regional archaeological finds and information on the city, and many other monuments of interest.

Renowned for its harsh winters, Ávila is also famous for its medieval Las Murallas (town walls), the best-maintained example to be found in Europe. The City Walls were built



between the 11th and 12th century Ávila's city walls still surround the city. Until the fall of Toledo in 1085 to Alfonso VI, Ávila frequently changed hands for 300 years between Muslims and Christians. In later centuries the city was to become a significant centre for commerce.

Ávila is a wonderful city, full of charm and character. There are some great places to eat in Ávila, including restaurants with alfresco dining and some with wonderful views. Ávila worth visiting at any time of the year, but is particularly pleasant in the summer, when the weather is warmer.

In Ávila we had the good fortune of enjoying the hospitality of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, who lead contemplative, quiet lives, largely secluded from the outside world. We had the good fortune of enjoying their hospitality to the extent that the elderly Spanish Rev. Mother sang us a Malayalam devotional song “Nanni Deivame …..” in choir with her protégées.

Nice (pronounced [nis]) local dialect: Nissa; Italian: Nizza) is a city in southern France located on the Mediterranean coast, between Marseille and Genoa, with over one million inhabitants in the metropolitan area. The city is a major tourist center and a leading resort on the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur).

Ever since the Victorian upper classes and Tsarist aristocrats fell in love with Nice in the 19th century, it has been an ever increasingly popular destination. Now, much less expensive than Cannes (the least expensive of the resort cities) it is the destination of not just the rich and famous! It's also the best excursion centre on the Riviera, especially if you're dependent on public transportation. For example, you can go to San Remo, "the

queen of the Italian Riviera," and return to Nice by nightfall. From the Nice airport, the second largest in France, you can travel by bus along the entire coast to resorts like Juan-les-Pins and Cannes.

Nice is the capital of the Riviera, the largest city between Genoa and Marseille. It's also one of the most ancient, having been founded by the Greeks, who called it "Nike," or Victory. Because of its brilliant sunshine and relaxed living, it has attracted artists and writers. Among them were Dumas, Nietzsche, Flaubert, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Stendhal, Chateaubriand, and Mistral. Henri Matisse, who made his home in Nice, said, "Though the light is intense, it's also soft and tender." The city has, on the average, 300 days of sunshine a year.

Nestled in south-eastern France on the Mediterranean coast, Nice is the capital - and chief resort - of the Riviera. Although it’s sometimes overshadowed by its more glamorous neighbour Cannes, Nice is a charming port city blessed with a number of cultural and recreational attractions. Visitors from around the world are drawn to its pebbly beaches and narrow, cobblestone streets. Cars are forbidden in the old town, which sits up against the romantic hill, Colline du Chateau. Tourists can stroll past quaint little cafés, outdoor markets, and Latin-flavoured squares. Further south, the

Nice - La Côte d’Azur

Nouvel Hotel



Promenade des Anglais offers an enchanting walk along the sea front. Like most of the Riviera, the nightlife in Nice is lively, with trendy clubs and restaurants to suit everyone. For the culturally minded, Nice is home to one university and a number of fine museums, including Musée Matisse and Musée Chagall.

Nice, France's second-largest tourism center and a dignified queen of the Cote d'Azur, certainly has plenty to offer the tourist. Still, this area of France is filled with wonderful hilltop perched villages, upscale resort cities, an independent principality and neighbouring Alps villages. Find out the best daytrips from Nice so you can maximize your vacation time.

Nice is the birth place of Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1885), nationalist revolutionary and Italy's most famous soldier of the Risorgimento

Promenade des Anglais: the street running along the edge of the water, with strong nightlife and nice views is worth a visit.

Château, Monument aux morts and The port are other places of interest.

Marché aux fleurs (flower market): runs every day of the week selling all the best produce of the area

Religious buildings of interest are: St.Nicolas'

Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Sainte-Réparate Cathedral, 17th century, Saint-Jacques Church, 17th century, Sainte Jeanne d'Arc Church, 20th century

The famous Cannes is located only about 25km west of Nice and easily reachable by bus from Nice's international airport. The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival

international du film de Cannes or simply le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1939, is considered one of the world's most prestigious film festivals.

In May 2006, Hollywood Reporter acknowledged that Cannes is the "granddaddy of all film festivals".

The storybook destination of Monaco, at once romantic and captivating, boasts an unparalleled tradition of luxury and refinement. Lovers of all things splendid can experience the utmost in pampering

and service with membership in Le Club Diamant Rouge de Monaco, the luxury travel club of the Monaco Government Tourist Office. Exclusive in benefits, yet affordable in price ($55), Le Club is the best way to take advantage of all the Principality has to offer.

Monaco has a colourful and fascinating history filled with barbarians, kings and even a movie star. It is a story of castles, epic battles and untold riches. In 1997, the Principality of Monaco celebrated the 700 year reign of the Grimaldi dynasty. It all began on January 8, 1297 when the Guelf François Grimaldi dressed as a Franciscan monk, seized the fortress protecting the famous

Changing of the Guard

Prince’s Palace by Night (Monaco)

Saint Nicolas Orthodox Cathedral



rock of Monaco and the port of Hercules. The legacy of his daring victory is recorded on Monaco's coat of arms, which bears two monks brandishing swords.

Over the next few centuries, Monaco prospered as an important port in major maritime trading routes and as a strategic naval base for European military powers that were constantly vying for control of The Rock.

In 1604, Lord Honore II came to the throne and launched Monaco into its "Great Century". Reflecting upon his accomplishments, he deigned himself worthy of a new title, Prince Honore II; ever since the Grimaldis have proudly held to this title.

The French Revolution took a heavy toll on European royalty, including the Grimaldis. Monaco was annexed by France and members of the Monegasque royal family were imprisoned. The annexation was cut short with the abdication of Napoleon in 1814, and all rights of the Grimaldi were restored.

In 1861, Monaco relinquished one-half of its territory to France in exchange for cash and independence. On the throne at this time was Prince Charles III. He realized that most of Monaco's natural resources had been lost and

something had to be done to re-establish an economic base in the Principality. He decided that the answer was tourism and gambling. In 1863, he established the Société des Bains de Mer. The company consisted of a handful of hotels, a theatre, and a casino, which would soon flourish and become the foundation of the magnificent district of Monte-Carlo.

Prince Rainier III ascended to the throne in 1949 and later caught the world's attention with his storybook marriage to actress Grace Kelly. Today, Monaco stands as a proud monarchy with their son, H.S.H. Prince Albert II as its Head of State.

The Grimaldi dynasty has bequeathed Lords and then Princes to the Principality, illustrious in their many domains, who wrote the most enticing pages in the history of Monaco. To cite but a few: Rainier I, General Admiral of France; Honore II, the first Prince of Monaco at the origins of the most important treaties with France; Louis I, Ambassador to the Holy See under Louis XIV; Antoine I, grand patron of the arts; Charles III, founder of Monte-Carlo; Albert I, renowned as the father of oceanography; Louis II, the soldier Prince.

How to Gamble “European Roulette”: "Faites vos jeux", "Rien ne va plus"... silence falls around the table when the croupier throws the small ball into the wheel with its 37 sections numbered from 0 to 36. These numbers also appear on the layout on which the players place their bets. Half of the numbers are Red, the other half are Black. When the winning number comes up, the winnings go from 1 to 35 times the bet which is played on one, two, three, four, six, twelve, twenty-four numbers, or on single bets (Red, Black, even, odd, passe or manque). If the 0 comes up, the single bets lose half their value unless the player prefers to wait for the next throw by waiting to free himself when he gets a winning.

Monte-Carlo Casino

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo



The buying of the Monte Carlo Casino by Aristotle Socrates Onassis in early 1953 put him on the front page of newspapers around the world, and probably brought him to the attention of British Intelligence and thereby Ian Fleming and his friends.

In 1953 Ian Fleming penned the secret service thriller Casino Royale and a legend was born. Fleming himself was unimpressed with his own work, he thought it absolutely second-rate

and apologised to his publisher for this rather tawdry effort. However the public disagreed and the rest is history.

James Bond - code name 007 - a suave, somewhat snobbish, ruthless and lethal Agent working for the British Secret service soon established himself as one of the world's best loved adventure heroes. A sparkling mixture of sadism and sex ensured Bond thrillers a popular following with a population recovering from the austerity of the post war years and hungry for some vicarious excitement in a dangerous underworld inhabited by cruel master-villains and beautiful and willing women. Bond gained a stature that outgrew and outlived the thrillers that spawned him and the character achieved icon status

becoming part of the cultural landscape; often imitated, used as an example, inspiring spin-off merchandising and appearing in other media such as a newspaper comic strip, graphic novels and the famous series of feature films.

His mission - to destroy the evil mastermind Le Chiffre (Orson Welles) a powerful Communist Agent operating

in France. Bond's (David Niven) devious plan is to force Le Chiffre to lose a large sum of KGB money at the gambling tables of Monte Carlo’s infamous Casino Royale, and then to leave him at the mercy of his Russian paymasters. Bond is aided by double agent Valerie Mathis (Ursula Andress), the first Bond Girl, a blonde femme fatale working for the Bureau alongside Bond. The climax is a brilliantly staged 'card duel' between Le Chiffre and James Bond, with the cards stacked against evil.

British spy and protagonist of the Bond book and movie series frequented the city's glamorous, Belle Époque casino. This was the model for the casino in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953), "Royale" being a fictional name for Monaco. Monte

Carlo and its casino is one of the glamorous locations in the 1995 James Bond Film, Golden Eye.

EPILOGUE

There were many occasions when we obviously felt the benevolent and protective hands of the Almighty. One such instance was in Nice in France. As the two Turkish drivers returned from Monaco and parked the bus in front of our hotel to retire for taking rest, thieves broke open the window glasses at the front side door of entrance and took valuable documents and money left by them in full day light. Another occasion was in the same hotel as we were about to leave the escalator failed and plunged down locking up some seven members causing great moments of anxiety. The third incident involved the tyre of the front right wheel burst. It happened in a rainy weather in the Motor Way (Autobahn) and fortunately the bus had not yet taken its full speed. And there too as it happened not far from an Autobahn Raststätte (Service Area alongside Highways) we could repair the damage and



conveniently proceed. Last but not least the driver with missing documents had the luck that we were not controlled in the borders of Italy and Switzerland!

As the organizer of the journey Mr. Augustine Elanjippilly arranged Guides in all places, we were able to receive first hand information. His kindly wife, Pushpa, served us tea, coffee and delicacies prepared at home. The group was homogenous, which gave us a homely feeling. The constant prayers, hymns catered to the spiritual needs, but worldly amusements were not left out either. We also had the privilege of having a noted Malayalam writer, Mr. Paul Zacharia in Germany to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair, with us who contributed his characteristic literary skills at intervals. There were wits, oldie cine hits in Malayalam, Hindi and Tamil, everything to refresh the soul, mind and body in an expedition which lasted over 20 hours in the bus one place to the next; five such trips were undertaken.

The hotels were nice; sumptuous buffet breakfast and dinner with vintage wine were served.

We also participated in a port wine tasting event in one of the largest wine cellars in the neighbourhood of Fátima. It was demonstrated there how wine is to be tasted and drunk (and not simply gulps down like water!). Anyone can drink wine, but it takes practice to be able to recognize and distinguish a wine's characteristics. Information about tasting techniques and terms, how smell and taste are integral to the enjoyment of wine, the proper way to serve wine and what types of wine glasses are appropriate for certain wines, where you can go to participate in a wine tasting and how to act when you are there were all briefly explained. Well, we didn’t stop at that but also collected some vintage port wine to carry homewards.

This narrative is not comprehensive but gives all salient features we had seen and experienced.

The Almighty was with us throughout and helped to return to our homes spiritually invigorated and with the understanding of an accomplished pilgrimage!

The Author

prologue pilgrim · kochukunju joy, m.a. prologue pilgrimage, the journey to a distant sacred goal...

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