Santiago, A Mass to Remember

There are a few things that we do in life that both in the moment and looking back upon them we realize the surreal nature of what is or was going on. For me, the first time I really experienced this was standing in the Cathedral of Santiago, with a thurible almost as tall as me suspended from a pully being swung through the church at ridiculous speeds. In that moment, seeing all of the pilgrims from across the world arriving at the end of their journey, hearing the voices singing with the organ, smelling the incense fill the room, it's a truly surreal experience.

The entirety of the mass itself held no shortage of experiences as well. It's a strange but spiritual feeling to go through an entire service in a language you only barely understand but to still know exactly what's going on at all times since you've experienced these rituals every Sunday for the past 20 years of your life. The words may not be the same, but the music is, the structure is the same, and priests around the world give homilies that last just a few minutes longer than you always want them to.

The most interesting aspect of this mass for me at least, was looking around and seeing people from all over the world gathered together, speaking a multitude of languages and each with their own unique lives, and yet I still felt that they were welcoming. It felt like a local church parish, with people who have been there for years and are glad to see you each week. That was the incredible feeling I got from this service, from this journey. That's what I hope to always remember and take with me.