| Show y hk r x a L at h i t 4 b to ti tiG G Yr LJ f 51 1 Y The Black Virgin of Mo Montserrat Prepared by National d Geo Graphic Society Washington D. D C C. C C. Service out of sight of ot the HARDLY HAnDLY sm smoking factory chimneys and scarcely out of oC hearing of ot tho the noise and bustle of ot Barcelona Barce Barce- lona Iona busiest and most restless city of ot Spain a n medieval Benedictine monastery clings to the face Cace of oC a n fantastic stone peak penk that rises boldly boldly boldly bold bold- ly from the brown foothills of ot Cataluna Cataluna Cata- Cata luna Catalonia It Is Montserrat the nations nation's holiest shrine to which thousands of oC the Spanish faithful make pilgrimage each year to pay homage to what is called the Black Virgin Montserrat Is the name of oC the strange mountain and also of ot the monastery which clings like a swallows swallow's nest halfway up Its precipitous precipitous precipitous pre pre- cliffs cUffs The Tho Black mack Virgin a wooden Imago image darkened by age is 19 not the only reason why It is a place of ot pilgrimage Montserrat In Catalan tradition Is the tile Mon Mon- t or l of or the Middie Middle Mid Mid- nd- nd dIe dle ages site of ot the castle of ot the Holy Oly Grail The Arabs called It or the stone watchman Here Ignatius of ot Loyola a n wounded wound wound- ed soldier knelt In to prayer and ond went away to found the Society of ot Jesus In more recent years the Montserrat choir school schoot has become celebrated Ah Alt but s senor senor nor a hotel manager manager manager man man- ager asked a n traveler have you seen Montserrat It is Spain's most sacred shrine It Is very quaint and old and nud the Benedictine monks will let you live lIe with them In the monastery monastery monastery mon mon- astery for three days I It Is not far from Barcelona You should see seethe seethe the Black Virgin and the view from the monastery Is la ma magnificent t 1 I Monserrat Is accessible to Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona Bar Bar- celona by both railway and ron road One way Is as ns picturesque as the theother theother theother other for while the highway climbs to the monastery In a n series of ot hairpin turns and horseshoe curves the last few miles mUes of ot the the mile 35 railway Journey may be made on a narrow-gauge narrow rack and pinion line or In the bobbing cage of or a new aerial I Trip There Is Interesting i Many who are In no hurry cho choose se I Ithe the railway and the rack and ro route te Once clear of ot the spreading suburbs of Barcelona the main line railroad strikes Cs boldly out Into the beautiful plain o of The countr countryside sl e here hero resembles southern California I There are green fields with angular Irrigation ditches rocky river bottoms bottoms rising at nt first gently and then abruptly Into covered brush-covered foothills and scraggly scraggly gly and unkempt clumps of ot and pepper trees tree around the water holes Gradually the scenery changes as asIt asit asit it enters a region of ot irregular hills hilts hillsand hillsand and rocky valleys sparsely covered covered cov cov- ered with vegetation The line tine twists and turns now hurdling a n adeep adeep deep ravine on a n stone viaduct now plunging Into n a short tunnel Not until one Is la very close to Montserrat does the mountain come into view The train emerges from froma a tunnel and sUd suddenly enty a giant mass massof massof massot of ot rock seems seems to to spring from the foothills flinging a thousand ca en- cathedral cathedral thedral pinnacles skyward I As the tho train tran swings closer so that only onty a n adeep adeep deep river rl valley separates It from the mass a n fantastic fantastic fan fan- stone forest of ot smoothly weathered domes sugar loaves minarets and organ pipes is sit ell silhouetted n against the sky Of Ot the monastery nothing Is visible vis vIs- ible at first Then one catches a n ge of oC tiny buildings which seem to be carved from tho the rocky cliffs cUtTs themselves The little tittle buildIngs buildings build build- ings lugs are rather extensive but against the vast bulk butk of ot the moun noun mountaIn mountain tain thin they seem no larger than wren houses The of oC buildings snugly fills fins a n notch or narrow ravine ra cut deep Into the mountain side A thousand feet above it It the topmost pinnacles of ot the mountains rise menacingly but the notch Is safe enough Thousand Years Old While most of oC the present buildings build build- lags ings are comparatively new the monash monastery ry Itself dates from A. A D. D and legend reports that a n nunnery nun nery that preceded It was founded In So faithfully have ha the monks ton followed owed the lines of ot the older parts of ot tho the monastery In making additions mIdi addi dons that even the new garage e for tor modern pilgrims who come by motor has an nn old age air of ot per per- I The archway emerges into a sunlit sunlit sun sun- lit Ut plaza or market place filled fined with lowland peasants hawking their wares and groups of ot pilgrims of oC all classes actively and noisily bargaining bargaining bargaining bar bar- gaining for tor food Among city Span Span- lards dressed In In modern garb one sees farmers In red caps or gorros and sandals working men In velvet knee breeches and faded scarlet sashes wives with mantillas and shawls drawn closely over their heads pairs pars of ot the typical typical cal Catalan state police poUce monks In sable cloaks and children of ot all aU ages A few pannier laden donkeys onke s 's nibble at the S grass ss under the stunted stunted stunted stunt stunt- ed trees Except that the setting Is undoubtedly Spain it Is all aU Yer very much like a n page out of oC Canterbury Canterbury Canter bury Tales A traveler directed to a n terraced arcade at nt the far side of ot the court within which is the office was given somewhat of ot a n surprise Over the desk of ot the tile father In charge of ot pilgrim pilgrim pilgrim pil pil- pil- pil grim registration was a n shining electric light and at his right hand was a n telephone lie had not ex ex- expected expected expected such Innovations in a Benedictine Benedictine Bene Dene- monastery Had flail he ho been better acquainted with the tho rule rute of or St. St Benedict ho would have bave known that the manner manner manner- of ot life among Benedictine monks monk has never been austere The Tho Black Virgin In order to see the sacred Image which is shown at the 10 o'clock mass one hurries down to the court court- yard ard A steady stream of oC worshipers worship worshIp- ers files through the carved doorway doorway door door- way of ot the basilica According to legend La l as the Black Virgin is called was carved by St. St Luke himself and brought to Barcelona Barcelona Bar Bar- celona A. A D D. D 00 GO by St St. Peter Ieter DurIng During Dur Dur- ing log the tile Moorish Invasion and occupation occupation pation It t was hidden by Christian monks In one of ot the caves of ot Montserrat Mont Mont- serrat near the site of oC the present monastery Years later shepherds discovered It it and told stories of oC strange music heard in the vicinity An effort was made to bring It down from the mountain but although although although al al- al- al though the statue tue Is not quite liCe liCe- size it could coul not be moved be beyond ond the ledge where the monastery now stands The basilica accordingly was erected to protect it It and the monastery built to care for the throngs of ot pilgrims who climbed tho the mountain to worship at nt the Virgins Virgin's Virgins Virgin's Virgins Virgin's Vir Vir- gins gin's shrine Especially do young couples come to Montserrat for the blessing of ot La is said to Insure a n happy union The dinginess of ot the Interior of ot the basilica serves only onty to accentuate ate the brilliance of oC the tile altar with its Jewels jewes silver er plate and bright vestments It was on this altar In Inthe Inthe inthe the Sixteenth century that Lo Loyola ola laid his hla sword when he ho abandoned his military life to devote himself to the tho service of ot Christ Above the thc high altar surrounded by lighted candles Is a small stage concealed by two velvet vel curtains You keep your e eye o on those curtains for tor you ou know the image must be back of oC them Presently tho the chanting of or orthe the priests increases In n volume and the tho curtains are drawn slowly aside You gasp 1 I Even though you have ha been told that the Image Is blackened blackened black black- ened from nee age you had not expected expect expect- ed an anything like this White vestments vestments vestments vest vest- ments and a n light background nd make the tile face and the tho hands gleam steam like Jet I For a silent moment everyone everyone every every- one gazes and then tho curtains drop together Only Onty so long Is the sacred Image exposed to view Quietly you make matte your way to adoor n a door leading upon a paved terrace El HEI Cam Cami dels The Tire Road of oC the Drops a n sign reads The Thc drops do not refer as they well night might to the taking breath ab abysses along the side t f f tho the path but to a n kind of ot grotto moistened by trickling water which Is reached after a n few tew minutes minutes' es' es wall walk walk Here Hero Is one o of the finest panoramas panoramas pano pano- ramas in Montserrat Almost half hatt of or Cataluna Is spread below Surprisingly Surprisingly Sur Sur- near Is the sparkling blue bluewater water of or the Mediterranean while the white peaks pe of C the Pyrenees seem but a good stones stone's throw away The river which was a silver sHyer ribbon ribbon ribbon rib rib- bon from the co cog railway Is only a 11 thread from this dizzy height It ItIs ItIs Itis Is a view to stir the Imagination Imn and to make muke the tho liei Kean J swim |
