Montserrat

Before I’d ever dreamed of coming to Spain, my younger sister had shared with me that her day trip to Montserrat was life-changing for her. I took note and made sure it was on our list for one of our days in Barcelona. It’s a mountain about an hour northwest that was known as “Mons Serratus” (saw-toothed) to the Romans, and as “Montsagrat” (sacred mountain) to the Catalans of the area.

It is famous for its interesting appearance and the Benedictine monastery to Santa María that houses an ancient wooden statue of the Virgin Mary and Child that is unique in origin and appearance. Some say that St. Luke himself carved the statue and that it was brought by St. Peter to Montserrat and hidden in a cave. Centuries later, in 880, shepherds saw a bright light coming from the cave on Montserrat and found the statue inside. It is painted gold but both Mary and the Child have a black face which was unheard of at the time. Only recently have scientists been allowed to investigate and learned that the black color comes from the oxidation of the lead and copper that are in the white paint that was originally used. The shepherds traveled four days to the nearest bishop to tell him of their miraculous discovery and they were told to return to Montserrat and bring it back to him. They tried to do so, but when they reached the area on the mountain where the monastery now sits, the story says that the statue grew so impossibly heavy that they took it as a sign from God that it should remain on the mountain. The monastery was then built around it. Pilgrims have traveled to see it since that time and many miracles are attributed to the statue here.

The monastery as it is now is not the original building. The current basilica was rebuilt after Napoleon’s armies had completely destroyed the monastery and several other sanctuaries on the mountain. There are currently 48 monks that reside and care for the monastery. The Benedictine order is a vow of little sleep and work. Pilgrims and visitors can stay in the monastery if they agree to abide by the schedule of early rising, prayers and work. There is also a hotel and a hostel on site for other visitors who want to stay on site.

Jesus, center, with the 12 Apostles.

These used to be the monks quarters around the central courtyard but there is too much noise from tourists now.

The side chapels are areas that were purchased by wealthy families who then commissioned art or alters to a specific saint to which pilgrims can come. The family then can be buried in this chapel. The money is then used to run the monastery.

This artwork in one of the chapels was my favorite.

We visited Montserrat with a local guide in a small group of six and it was perfect. Two girls were from Boston and one their way back to the US after their professional soccer contract had just ended in Lithuania. The other two were friends touring from Italy. Our guide, Ramon, shared with us the local stories and value of the site and then we set out on a three hour hike over and around the mountain. The views were stunning and I loved learning about the wild herbs and boars and mountain goats and seeing their paths all over. Ramon shared with us traditional Catalonian foods and I especially fell in love with what they call tomato bread. “This is how we make our sandwiches,” he explained while showing me the insides of his. They take an overly ripe tomato and spread it on their bread and then drizzle it with olive oil. It is so simple and delicious and something I could eat everyday just like they do. The mix cheese was also very, very good. Ramon said these cheeses don’t have a name here, they are just locally made and you can ask for mixed at the farmers markets or roadside stands. Mixed cheeses are made from different combinations of cow, goat, and sheep milk. It was so good!

Our hike down the mountain was full of stories of what the locals did when Napoleon came and how a young boy with a drum was able to warn the monks to leave in enough time to save the most precious things. Hearing the bells echo through the mountain during the prayer times was so special.

It does feel remarkable to be in a place that has been sacred ground for so many and for so long. I remember feeling the same sense of wonder hiking Mt. Sinai and seeing the sunrise from the top. I think wherever there is a reverence for God — no matter how He is worshipped or what others believe about Him — you can feel that. There are holy places. Some are on mountain tops. Some are shared with others. And some are in the quiet spaces of home.

Montserrat was a good day.