The Pilgrim, photo courtesy of Nicole Morel
We are delighted to include our first post in the French Language. Here are some reflections from Nicole whom we famously met in Viskarret.
El Camino Frances.
Ultreïa ! En avant, route !...
Pas besoin d'être croyant, catholique, anglican, ou de toute autre religion pour marcher sur le Chemin de Saint-Jacques-de -Compostelle.
Ce sont le désir de marcher, de faire silence en soi et de se retrouver en harmonie avec la nature qui m'ont conduite sur le Chemin.
A chaque pas, je découvre une espèce végétale qui m'était jusqu'ici inconnue, des fleurs de toute beauté en ce joli mois de mai et les oiseaux qui, dissimulés dans les branchages touffus, saluent le passage des pélerins.... des moments de bonheur simple et intense.
Vous l'avez deviné, c'est au détour d'un chemin calme et ombragé, entre Roncesvalles et Viscarret en Navarre, que j'ai rencontré Patrick, Barry, Frazer, Pat et Dan. Ils s'étaient arrêtés, tout comme moi, au bord d'une rivière qui chantait, cachée derrière les bouquets de fleurs blanches qui ornaient les arbres. Nous nous sommes extasiés ensemble comme si nous nous connaissions depuis longtemps.
Arrivée à Viscarret sous une chaleur torride, j'entends une voix qui appelle : "Nicole"...; incrédule, car je marche seule sur le chemin, je me retourne cependant et aperçois Patrick et son grand sourire qui me convient à partager la table de déjeuner. Quelle gentillesse, sur le chemin c'est avec joie que l'on se joint à celui, celle qui vous accueille. Mais ce déjeuner Patrick vous l'a déjà raconté.
Alors revenons à l'expérience que je souhaite maintenant vous relater.
Une journée a passé depuis le déjeuner de Viscarret. Tandis que je traverse Torres del Rio ( Navarra), le granit brûle sous le soleil de midi et pas une âme ne bouge, harassée par la chaleur. Je continue d'avancer lorsque je découvre sur ma droite une église minuscule, l'église du Saint Sépulcre, XIIème siècle.
Quelques pélerins sortent de l'édifice par un portail roman tout simple. Je me glisse à l'intérieur et me trouve directement sous la coupole centrale, l'église octogonale ne mesure guère plus de 38 m2.
Soudain dans le silence, un pèlerin assis sur un rebord de pierre sort un harmonica de sa poche et commence à jouer, en sourdine, un hymne très lent. Les trois ou quatre visiteurs, dont je fais partie, s'arrêtent, écoutent. L'hymne s'intensifie sous la coupole de la petite église; soudain une voix de baryton-basse s'élève, puissante et généreuse; un pèlerin coréen s'est mis à chanter l'hymne. Sa voix est magnifique et profonde. Je ne puis résister à ce timbre émouvant et commence à chanter moi-même dans une tonalité aussi élevée que possible pour accompagner la voix. Les visiteurs retiennent leur souffle; j'aimerais que cet instant de grâce se prolonge infiniment.... Le chant de la voix et de l'harmonica s'éteint, mais l'émotion demeure, personne ne bouge, l'instant se prolonge encore, puis nous nous quittons sans parler, pour reprendre notre marche intérieure sur "el Camino".
Ce fut un moment d'exception inoubliable qu'il m'a été donné de partager avec deux personnes inconnues et qui pourtant, à cet instant, me furent tellement proches... C'est cela le chemin de Saint Jacques.
The signpost at the meeting of the ways at Roncesvalles; photo courtesy of Nicole Morel.
Nicole's penseees, en Anglais - a rough translation
The Camino Frances.
'Ultreïa' (the Basque equivalent of ‘en avant. route, buen camino, onwards, forwards…)
There is no need to be a believer, to be a Catholic or an Anglican or to belong to any religion in order to walk the way of St James of Compostela.
It was merely the wish to walk, to maintain inner silence and to place myself once again in harmony with nature that drew me to the Camino.
At every step I discover a new species of flora of which I was previously unaware. The flowers, blooming beautifully, in this pretty month of May and the birds, hidden in the leafy branches serenade the passing pilgrims. These are moments of simple and intense happiness.
I came across a group of pilgrims in a clearing on the peaceful and shady path between between Roncesvalles and Viskarret in Navarra. It comprised Padraic, Barry, Fraser, Pat and Dan. They too were stopped on the bank of a stream that was singing, hidden behind a clump of trees that were adorned with white flowers. We were overjoyed and it seemed as if we had known each other for a long time.
As I arrived at Viskarret in the torrid heat, I hear a voice that calls “Nicole”. I am taken by surprise because I am travelling the Camino on my own. I turn round to find Padraic with a big smile inviting me to join the group for lunch. Another unexpected kindness upon the Camino. I am delighted to accept the invitation and a glass of red wine!
'Ultreïa' (the Basque equivalent of ‘en avant. route, buen camino, onwards, forwards…)
There is no need to be a believer, to be a Catholic or an Anglican or to belong to any religion in order to walk the way of St James of Compostela.
It was merely the wish to walk, to maintain inner silence and to place myself once again in harmony with nature that drew me to the Camino.
At every step I discover a new species of flora of which I was previously unaware. The flowers, blooming beautifully, in this pretty month of May and the birds, hidden in the leafy branches serenade the passing pilgrims. These are moments of simple and intense happiness.
I came across a group of pilgrims in a clearing on the peaceful and shady path between between Roncesvalles and Viskarret in Navarra. It comprised Padraic, Barry, Fraser, Pat and Dan. They too were stopped on the bank of a stream that was singing, hidden behind a clump of trees that were adorned with white flowers. We were overjoyed and it seemed as if we had known each other for a long time.
As I arrived at Viskarret in the torrid heat, I hear a voice that calls “Nicole”. I am taken by surprise because I am travelling the Camino on my own. I turn round to find Padraic with a big smile inviting me to join the group for lunch. Another unexpected kindness upon the Camino. I am delighted to accept the invitation and a glass of red wine!
And now let me share with you a very special experience.
A day had passed since the lunch in Viskarret. I was travelling through Torres del Rio in Navarra. The granite stones along the path gleamed in the midday sun and not a soul stirred in the burning heat. I was making my way when I noticed to my right a tiny church – the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, dating from the 12th century.
Some pilgrims were leaving the church through a simple Roman doorway. I slip inside and sit under the central cupola. The tiny church measures not more than 38 square metres.
Suddenly in the silence, a pilgrim who is sitting on a stone ledge takes a harmonia out of his pocket and begins to play a muffled hymn very slowly. Like me, the three or four other pilgrims stop in their tracks and listen. The sound of the hymn intensifies under the cupola of the tiny church. Suddenly the lovely voice of a base baritone intones. The voice is powerful and generous. It is the voice of a pilgrim from Korea. It is both deep and magnificent. I find it impossible to ignore the wonderful timbre and I began to sing myself at a high pitch so as to complement the others voice. The visitors hold their breath; I would love for this moment of grace to last forever... The song, combining voices and harmonica, reaches its end but the emotion lingers on, no one moves, the moment extends and lasts because we leave the church in silence to continue our interior journey along the camino.
It was a moment of magic that I will never forget which was shared with two strangers who though unknown to me seemed very close during that experience. That’s the way it is on the Camino of St James...
Some pilgrims were leaving the church through a simple Roman doorway. I slip inside and sit under the central cupola. The tiny church measures not more than 38 square metres.
Suddenly in the silence, a pilgrim who is sitting on a stone ledge takes a harmonia out of his pocket and begins to play a muffled hymn very slowly. Like me, the three or four other pilgrims stop in their tracks and listen. The sound of the hymn intensifies under the cupola of the tiny church. Suddenly the lovely voice of a base baritone intones. The voice is powerful and generous. It is the voice of a pilgrim from Korea. It is both deep and magnificent. I find it impossible to ignore the wonderful timbre and I began to sing myself at a high pitch so as to complement the others voice. The visitors hold their breath; I would love for this moment of grace to last forever... The song, combining voices and harmonica, reaches its end but the emotion lingers on, no one moves, the moment extends and lasts because we leave the church in silence to continue our interior journey along the camino.
It was a moment of magic that I will never forget which was shared with two strangers who though unknown to me seemed very close during that experience. That’s the way it is on the Camino of St James...
Merci Nicole et bonne route!
Carrefour des 2 chemins, chemin par la forêt de hêtres et par celui de Valcarlos, avant la descente sur Roncesvalles
