Rabanal Del Camino

I'm sorry this one is a day late but I was a bit busy yesterday!

We were out of the albergue by about half 7 and walking in half dark. The day stayed windy but was really sunny - next to no clouds.

For the first time since I walked in 2009 the small hermitage, ecco de hommo, was open so we were able to go inside and get a sello (one of 7 that we managed to get!).

We arrived at Rabanal at about 12:40 and were surprised to find the confraternity of saint James' albergue open as other years it has not been open until about 2.

Up to 1991 there was no where for pilgrims to stay between Astorga and Ponferrada (a section that is 54 km long) so the parish priest's house was converted into an albergue by the Confraternity of St James and the El Bierzo association of Friends of the Camino. I did have pictures of this albergue but they are on my camera so I will have to add them later.

Here we were looked after by the amazing hospiteleros Dick and Liz. The hospiteleros here are always great but these two were exceptional - we ate tea with them and chatted then afterwards Dick took our plates away, washed them and returned with a hot drink for us!

Late in 1999 a small number of monks moved next door to the albergue into the Benedictine monetary which holds three services a day in the small Church in front of the monetary and albergue all in sung Gregorian chant:

Lauds 7.30am (8am at weekends)

Mass daily 9.00am (12.30 on Sundays and Feast Days)

Vespers 7.00pm

Compline 9.30pm

This being the day before Easter though the Compline was cancelled and a Easter vigil held from 10:30 until 12:30 which we attended (despite wanting to be up at 6:30 the next morning!). I was even asked to do one of he Bible readings which was very special. Being Anglican and not Catholic I wasn't always sure what was happening but enough parts matched up to make sense and it was a wonderful experience - every year we go to Church for the mudnight srvice for Christmas but Easter is such an important time that having this service was great and where better to celebrate Easter than on the Camino?!

After the service we all went outside and the owner of the other albergue in the village had a big basket of sweets that she threw at us whilst wishing us all a happy Easter (and yes, a few did hit me on the head!).

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