Montserrat: Blessings above the clouds

MANILA, Philippines - It was mid-spring, and yet, it was not the best of times for it rained the entire night. However, since we had booked our transfers for an early departure to the mountaintops, there was no turning back, no matter the foul weather.

Huddled in the rain and darkness, we were soon joined by an unmistakably Filipino family of three generations. We quickly discovered we had several common friends, as we somehow always do – the magic of instant connectivity, Pinoy style.

Throughout our early drive enveloped in darkness, our ears popped as we felt the sensation of inching up, until we finally reached the blissful sanctuary that is Montserrat.

Situated some 65 kilometers from Barcelona, at the very heart of the Montserrat mountain range, where monasteries, churches, museums, shops, schools and dormitories are tucked between huge boulders laced with thick slow-moving fog.

Due to its attributed miracles, it is now regarded worldwide as one of the most important sites for Catholic pilgrims. Nature enthusiasts, on the other hand, will appreciate the variety of geological and volcanic rocks and even flora and fauna.

We immediately headed to the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, or simply called The Basilica. The courtyard, where tour guides impart last-minute reminders  to their wards before they wander off, was absolutely empty. Welcoming the pleasant surprise, we passed through the five arches into the interior of the place of worship, and headed to the image of Our Lady of Montserrat.

Believed to be carved by Saint Luke of the Four Canonical Gospels fame in Jerusalem around 50 AD, it is, without doubt, one of the most famous Black Madonnas, given more importance when Pope Leo XIII declared the Virgin as the Patroness of the Catalonian Community.

On most days – especially on feast days and holidays – there would be an almost agonizing wait to catch a quick glimpse of the Lady. But luckily, being super early and perhaps partly due to the pouring rain, we were only one of two small groups in queue at the sanctuario.

We took the stairway to the Throne Room surrounded by beautiful Venetian mosaics, laden with masterpieces of architects, artists and jewelers, to reunite with La Moreneta, The Dark One, with one hand grasping a sphere to symbolize the universe, while the other holding the child Jesus, as they both rest on an ornate throne. Tradition dictates one must touch her hand, while extending your other hand to Christ. So we did, totally in awe. It never fails.

Normally, there would not be a moment to pause and whisper a little prayer before the statue. But not on this particular visit; it seemed we had all the time in the world. We even turned around to admire the altar below, with a stunning overhead view inside of the Basilica, an opportunity missed by many.

We exited to the Cami de l’Ave Maria, where we lighted candles as thanksgiving. Several candles of different shapes, sizes and colors were already lit up, most likely from resident-devotees.

We then floated to La Cafeteria to enjoy our very first cup of coffee for the day and a simple breakfast. My sister Honey opted to sit alone – purely for memories sake – for her usual cup of hot chocolate and a warm croissant.

We settled for some madalenas, a traditional bite-size sponge cake shaped like a shell, as well as a selection of other freshly-baked Spanish pasteles. Everyone was extremely quiet, soaking in the atmosphere. Our experiences so far have been all too surreal.

We then trooped to the Museu de Montserrat, within the same complex, and were blown away by the sheer richness of the contents of this pocket showroom which possesses an eclectic selection of over 1,300 items of archaeological heritage throughout the 6,000 years of the Abbey.

Six permanent collections, as well as two temporary touring exhibitions, are always on display. A quick sweep of the area revealed pieces from Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and the Holy Land, as well as some Goldsmithery Liturgical objects. Some Catalan paintings and sculptures included masterpieces by Michelangelo Caravaggio, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Renoir, Roma Ribera, Salvador Dali and Claude Monet.

We made it just in time for the scheduled mass, with its main altar directly below the revered figure. We missed the boy’s choir, the globally renowned Cor d L’Escolania, who had a different schedule. Today, their ranks are limited to approximately 50 full-time students who have to fit in choir practice, rehearsals and concerts.

There are plenty of side trips around this charming area. A more-than-leisurely walk will take you along its walls, with its lush vegetation, and provide you a breathtaking view of the vista’s entirety and its underlying valley. Another stroll through a walkway consists of decorated sculptures on the 15 mysteries of the Virgin, which leads to the Santa Cueva de Montserrat, a hillside cave which, according to local legend, is where the Black Madonna was originally found by shepherds.

The cable car and the funiculars are both accessibility options to explore the top of the mountains. Prepare to conquer your fear of heights as cable cars and trains ferry you through the heights.

Along the Brades Main Road and Ryan’s Court were several boutiques and antique shops. We chanced upon a popular specialty store for rocks from the active Soufrière volcano.

We were overjoyed to bump into La Botiga, for local hand crafted products such as rosaries, crucifixes, scapulars, medals, images, icons and stampitas. One stall even displayed home-made hot pepper sauce and guava jelly.

We spent some time at the Espai Audio Visual Museum, which provided an interactive demonstration on the life in Montserrat. Each section gave us a glimpse of the day-to-day happenings and even honored us with a sneak peek into cloistered areas only accessible to the monks. To cap off our enthralling day, a video presentation highlighted the music from the monastery from daybreak, up till the choral concert at Vespers during sundown.

These melodies stuck in our minds all throughout our descent back to the city – and, alas, soon back to reality. Photos by Edu Jarque