Astorga Cathedral

Friday morning mass at 10 am drew in around 70 people to share in Word and Sacrament. A simply celebrated mass at the main altar was the order of the day. Yet another incredible Spanish reredos was revealed when the lights were turned on. It produced the feeling of being surrounded by the saints and chief holy figures of our faith. I guess that was exactly the aim of the artist. It is of course that which mother church teaches and our awareness particularly at the Sanctus in the mass.

There was a rich variety of historical exhibits, in the Cathedral museum, including two on loan from the British Museum, in it's many displays. Admission was once again at a concessionary rate for Peregrino's, so I got in for €3.50 . It took me 2.5 hours with the audio guide and my own pauses to complete my visit. It was slow going partly because I became excited by some of the minutiae of church life over the years. Once inside the cathedral there was so much to see. I took a lot of photographs once again. Perhaps the unusual item of the day was a stained glass window of two of the newest saints - St John XXIII and St John Paul II.

Here is flavour of the Cathedral...




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SS John XXIII and John Paul II

St Michael

Main Altar Reredos

A big organ, 2200 + pipes...

Walnut carved choir stalls, each one different.

St James, as pilgrim

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