Montserrat Visit Is Obligation in Catalonia

For the faithful of Catalonia, the annual visit to the sanctuary here is viewed as a righteous, holy obligation. To persons from afar it is considerably removed from the typical travel experience. It is an encounter never to be forgotten, irrespective of one’s religious beliefs.

Framed by immense stone monoliths high in a jagged mountain range 30 miles northwest of Barcelona, Montserrat (sawtooth mountain) has long been a spiritual focal point, beckoning pilgrims down through the ages.

It has become a symbol of Catalonia; the large number of visitors who found their way here as early as the 12th Century is recorded in an illuminated manuscript.

First documentary evidence is traced to the year 888, the donation of the hermitage of Santa Maria, after the reconquest of the territory from the Moors.

Four Hermitages

Scholars speculate that hermits may have been present as early as the 8th Century. Proof exists of four hermitages. One, under the name of St. Mary, was the origin of the present sanctuary, the original hermitage having been replaced by a Romanesque chapel. The portal still stands.

Residents advise making the journey by aerial cable car to Montserrat on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

The panoramic vista is awesome beyond imagination. Consisting chiefly of limestone with fragments of quartz and slate, the mountain, soaring 3,725 feet over the Llobregat River, rises almost perpendicularly from the lowlands. Natural elements--snow and rain, sun and wind--have for millenia sculpted these towering crags into bizarre, incredible shapes.

Twisted, convoluted, a marvel of geological formation, for almost 1,000 years Catalonia’s holy mountain, it serves a singular role in the life of inhabitants. Made of odd configurations and weird promontories, it is renowned as the sanctuary of the famous Black Madonna, patroness of Catalonia.

It is also the site of the celebrated Benedictine Monastery whose library and music school are acclaimed, as well as a boys’ choir, the oldest in Europe, distinguished for centuries with an international reputation.

Schiller professed that “Montserrat sucks a man in from the outer to the inner world.” As he approached the end of his life, Goethe acknowledged: “Nowhere but in his own Montserrat will a man find happiness and peace.” Some suggest that Wagner, while writing “Parsifal,” received his inspiration from Montserrat.

Continues to Be Worshiped

Beyond dispute, the mystique of Montserrat is world-famous, largely due to miracles attributed to the Black Madonna, said to have been carved by St. Luke, taken to Barcelona by St. Peter and rediscovered in the 9th Century.

While those origins may be highly speculative, there is proof of the presence of the carving between the 12th and 13th Centuries. The Romanesque sculpture, showing delicate, skillfully chiseled features, is highly regarded for its artistic merits in addition to its religious significance.

Affectionately called La Moreneta, “the little dark one,” by the devout of Catalonia because of the dark color of the face, it continues to be worshiped. Countless pilgrims visit the cave where, according to legend, the carving was discovered.

Her fame grew rapidly, extending far beyond nearby provinces, aided in early years by various conquests of the Catalan-Aragonese monarchs. In Italian territories more than 150 churches or chapels were dedicated to the Madonna of Montserrat.

Later the cult of La Moreneta flourished in Bohemia and Austria. Churches in Mexico and South America were dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat. The name was bestowed upon villages and mountains, as well as on an island in the Antilles.

Unfortunately, during the peak of its 19th-Century prosperity, the Spanish Montserrat suffered almost complete destruction, following invasion by Napoleon’s armies in 1811. Buildings were reduced to ruin, monks were forced to flee, La Moreneta was hidden.

Collective Pilgramages

Despite this devastation, reconstruction was surprisingly swift, thanks to the rebirth of Catalan consciousness called “Renaisenca,” and diligent efforts by the influential in ecclesiastical circles.

In addition to numerous private groups who visit Montserrat, there are collective pilgrimages from villages or parishes. Weddings, anniversaries and feast days are celebrated here. According to folklore: “A man isn’t properly married until he’s taken his wife to Montserrat.”

The scene on a typical Sunday, before cold weather sets in, is benevolent, warmhearted bedlam. Tour buses park bumper to bumper; people stroll shoulder to shoulder. A sprawling plaza near the entrance is crammed with vendors, selling, among choice produce, giant mushrooms. Amid the prevailing atmosphere of a country fair, sips of sherry and cookies are free to sample.

In the spacious plaza directly in front of the basilica: a buoyant mass of humanity, dwarfed by the dramatic backdrop of capricious mountain crags. Here, too, the mood, benignly contagious, is festivity and merriment. According to official estimates, Sundays or feast days may bring from 5,000 to 10,000 people.

One of many is Joan (Catalan form of John) from the industrial city of Terrassa. A young pathologist, he has been here many times.

“Is like the center of Catalonia, spiritually,” he said. “Is a patriotic, almost political symbol. During the years of the dictator Franco, demonstrations and secret meetings took place here. The monks were very supportive.

“Most Catalans feel it embodies the spirit of Catalonia. There is a pull to go, somewhat like a duty we must fulfill.

“Also, we revere the Black Virgin, the patroness of Catalonia. It means a great deal to people. In every family there is a girl named Montserrat.” And in your family, he was asked? “I have plenty. Two aunts, at least three cousins, all named Montserrat.”

His sister Sion, also a physician, is moved by the magnificence, the grandeur of the natural setting. “No matter how often I come here, two or three times a year, I am still overwhelmed. The scenery is so beautiful, so different. It is like being on another planet. There is nothing to equal this.”

Within the vast, imposing basilica every seat is taken. Hundreds throng the aisles, pushing their way for standing room. The priest delivers a short ecumenical homily based on the message: “He who hates his brother is in darkness.” It is repeated in French, Spanish and German.

A continuous procession of the faithful pray before the Black Madonna, elevated above the lavishly gilded altar in a balconied niche.

What the thousands have been waiting for soon begins: the traditional midday Salve Regina sung by the celebrated Escolanias, the “little choristers” whose voices are notable for a characteristic timbre.

Trained by a group of monks assisted by lay teachers, the Escolania’s origins reach back to 1223, presumably to a small monastic school for altar boys. The present Escolania has 50 youths, the largest in its history.

Youngsters aged 9 to 14, pursuing a music curriculum, also study regular subjects. Implicit in their discipline, whose primary function has been assistance in the liturgy of the basilica, is the expectation that the youngsters will devote their future to the monastic life, a decision that rarely occurs.

At the conclusion of midday services, events in the square outside seem astonishingly non-religious. Gymnastic teams, cheered by an overflow audience, compete in pyramid-building feats. Attractions vary in this main plaza, Sunday to Sunday. The pack of people makes it difficult to exit.

Opening onto the plaza are two museums. One is an extensive gallery, faultlessly maintained, of works classified as “modern,” dating from 1895 and totally removed from so-called church art.

Marvelous Artworks

On exhibit are marvelous oils and other mediums from the masters of Catalonia including Picasso, Salvador Dali, and vibrant, colorful canvases by Olga Sachanoff from Tiflis, who lived for many years in Catalonia.

The other museum, not too many steps away, with a representative selection of great masters, is an exclusive repository of ecclesiastical treasures as well as archeological finds from the Middle East.

Encased in glass is a spectacular collection of beautiful chalices, some jeweled, some enameled, others in exquisitely etched silver. One, with elaborate ornamentation, was presented by Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III of Austria in thanks to Notre Dame of Montserrat for his victory over Sweden in 1639.

Across the years, world-famous figures maintained close connections with Montserrat. Louis XIV of France paid for prayers to be said at Montserrat on behalf of the Queen Mother. Handsome endowments were contributed by Ferdinand of Austria. Even now, requests for prayers reach Montserrat from far-flung points of the globe. In our own time, when he was Cardinal Roncalli, Pope John XXIII stayed here.

The monastery on these rugged heights provides the secluded environment necessary for work and prayer. Professional activities for the monks include work in bookbinding, the pottery kiln, art studios, photo lab and a print shop founded in 1490.

Their publishing house prints technical, scientific and popular tomes as well as liturgical treatises. The outstanding library, with more than 200,000 volumes, is open to lay scholars. Archives contain 5,000 parchments from the 12th through the 19th centuries.

Returning to Barcelona in late afternoon, our seatmate was a vivacious blonde who assumed that I was a compatriot until I started to speak. Her disappointment abated when we produced pictures of Placido Domingo and Teresa Berganza that my husband had taken when he was a super in the opera and they were the stars.

She said she is sentimental about Montserrat because that is her name. For our next visit she suggested that we eat at a wonderful restaurant, Can Gepet, almost in the middle of a forest in the little town of Marganell, four miles away. It is muy ambiente.

Overnight guests can stay at Montserrat in a small hotel run by the monks with unbelievable prices. A double room is $14.40, breakfast is $1.60, dinner $6.80.

Meticulously Restored

Thirty miles north, the Castle of Cardona has been meticulously restored as one of the network of state paradors. Built in the year 789 by Louis the Pious as a stronghold against the Moors and expanded a century later by Wilfred the Hairy, large guest rooms are beautifully furnished with hand-carved canopied beds and woven coverlets.

In the arched, stone dining room, regional specialties are served: Catalonian-style bouillabaisse, spinach with raisins, a caramel cream with a toasted crust.

From the parador you can see Puente del Diablo, the Roman bridge, which pilgrims crossed in medieval times on their journey to Montserrat on the way to Barcelona.

Finding accommodations in Barcelona should present no problem. It has six five-star hotels, 22 four-star hotels and 30 three-stars.

The Hotel Condes de Barcelona (about $71 U.S. single and $160 U.S. double), a turn-of-the-century art nouveau landmark, is in the heart of the business area on the broad, tree-lined Paseo de Gracia, surrounded by the imaginative architecture of Antonio Gaudi.

The just completed Miramar Palace on Montjuic, a hill in the city, consists exclusively of three types of suites--two royal, each with five bedrooms, at about $1,330 U.S. a day. There are also 44 three-bedroom junior suites at about $330 and 19 four-bedroom senior suites at $625. Junior suites can be converted into double room accommodations at about $166 more. These figures do not include tax.

Other choices include the central Hotel Presidente (about $73 single and $113 double); Hotel Colon (about $46 single and $81 double) across from the cathedral in the Gothic Quarter; the stately, old-fashioned Avenida Palace (about $71 single and $125 double) in the city center; Princess Sofia (about $115 single and $165 double), a favorite of international travelers.

The Majestic (about $71 single and $115 double), with swimming pool, sauna and all rooms facing the street; the charming Paseo de Gracia; the Ritz ($160 single and $222 double) on Gran Via, with high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, palatial lobby and Roman baths in some rooms, and the Gran Via ($35 single and $52 double), Old World elegance in a stately palace from the mid-19th Century.

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Barcelona dining is an adventure, for Catalan cuisine is highly acclaimed as the most varied and sophisticated in Spain. In La Barceoneta, the harbor area, many restaurants offer outstanding seafood. Les Set Portes, where a meal costs about $15, has the best paella, called parellada, a medley of shellfish without the shells, poultry, meat, fish.

At Es Pla the lobster is good, but more expensive. La Ciboulette, downtown, where entries cost $10 to $15, serves French fare and exquisite desserts. In an old Catalan house, Can Culleretes, with entrees starting at $13, with a tradition of 200 years is recognized for specialties of the region.

About 150 years old, Siete Puertas also has a popular Catalan menu, with entrees from $29 to $44. Another, classically Catalan and medium priced in the Barrio de San Gervasi is Arcs de San Gervasi. We chanced upon El Canari, which charged about $4.50 U.S. for a tempting menu of the day at Plaza Fernando de Lesseps 32.

For additional information, contact the Spanish National Tourist Office, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960, Los Angeles 90211; phone (213) 658-7188.