Monserrat — October 30, 2024

 


We drove in a bus about an hour from Barcelona, to Monserrat, a Benedictine minastery in a mountain range. The monastery was founded around 1025 A.D.  Their mission was to teach theology and music. To that end, they still have a lovely boys’ choir.  The boys have to leave when their voices change.  As we understand it, Montserrat means “serrated mountains” for the shape of the peaks.




Looking at the view below.

Several structures are built into the mountain side.


You can see the river below, whose valley we followed up from Barcelona.

That’s not a waterfall. It is a tram track!  Not to worry — we did not opt to go where it goes!

The Black Madonna, who was found in a cave there, is the reason for the founding of the monastery.

The entrance to the Basilica 

Interior of the basilica.  The Black Madonna is in the balcony in the center on the second level.  Pilgrims were allowed to walk in front of the statue to ask special blessings 
, and they were doing so continuously.

We only had a few minutes inside, as there was a mass scheduled.  Here, some of the priests are preparing.

The organ pipes are quite unusual.  Notice the horizontal pipes above the vertical ones?











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