Spain: Madrid again

October 2 is the anniversary of the foundation of Opus Dei, the day St. Josemaria saw footsteps in the snow and heard his calling.  We therefore spent the day following closely in his footsteps.  We saw all of his old apartments, the building where he hid in the attic and should have been found, we saw the first AYD building  and the benches in the park where he used to hear confessions, where he worked for nuns visiting the sick and dying, convincing some to come back to the church, the place he got into a fight and a man saved him, calling him a mangy donkey (his guardian angel).  We went to the convent where he said mass for the sisters, where he said "I love you more than this woman does" and God responded "Love is action not words" this is where the Baby Jesus he loved so much he wanted to steal it. 

We ran into an old friend of St. Josemaria's as well, who talked to us for a while.  He said St. Josemaria  looked at you as if he knew you deeply, no matter who you were.  He is also the one that took the photograph of him that is on the prayer cards, with the same look in his eye.  He told us "it looks like he is looking at you, but he was really looking at me!"

We ate lunch in the train station, and had some extra time to walk around

Mama and me

This is the attic building

And the center for the sick

The first AYD - now a bank

Another apartment

footsteps.

Spain: Madrid

We traveled next to Madrid.  When we arrived, we first walked by the Royal Palace on our way to mass at the Cathedral, and the King and Queen were to arrive the same day! So we got to see a bit of a spectacle with guards and horses and all that. 

Door of John Paul II

The cathedral had the most spectacular ceiling - I just loved it! But my mom did not.  And the chapel was encrusted with golden mosaics (no photos allowed).

This statue to Our Lady is rebuilt, containing pieces of the original - It was hidden during the Moor's Invasion, and found centuries later in a wall. 

(Here is where it was found, outside)

The side chapels were each dedicated to a 20th century Spanish saint, so of course there was one for St. Josemaria

This is supposedly the first restaurant in the world

Plaza Mayor

We went to the market for lunch - very photographable

This is what we had for lunch - with beer and sandwiches

Wake up and smell the coffee

Cookies for pilgrims

We went to the Prado after lunch! We had a very quick guided tour of four of the most prominent Spanish artists: El Greco, Velazquez, Murillo, and Goya.  And thanks to the wonderful Art Department of UD, there is not a lot I learned.  Mom and I did sneak away from the group to go back for a couple more hours....