Camino Day Fourteen- Burgos to Hornillos del Camino (13.5 Miles)

We had a great walk out of the city of Burgos. We would pass through only two small villages on our trek today. The church in the first town was closed ( in Tardajos) but the second church was open to us with special blessings. Inside the small stone Chapel called the Nuestra Senora de Monasterio Chapel in Rabe de las Calzadas we were welcomed by two Sisters of Charity that were greeting and giving blessings to Pilgrims who stopped in. One of diminutive sisters greeted me and grasped my Miraculous Medal of Mary that I wear around my neck, with joy! She laid her hand on my head and asked what nationality I was. “USA”, I said. And your name? “Christina” I said. And then she gave me a blessing for my Camino journey and draped a new Miraculous Medal of Mary around my neck. She then gave John a blessing and medal around his neck. Very moved I turned to look at the altar and there stood the most beautiful statue of Mary I’ve ever seen. John took a photo of it.

It was then we realized Father Matt, who we met earlier at a pilgrims’ mass in Puente de la Reina was also there. We reconnected and promised to meet at our next stop in Hornillos. As we ordered lunch at our hotel he came in and we bought him a beer and had lunch with him. We had a wonderful conversation with him about the state of the Church and the Priesthood. He is a Parish Priest from a suburb of Boston.