Pilgrim Blessing and Snoring Concert: A Night in a Big Dorm

A story from the series “WONDERful Stories Written by the Camino” by Manolo Link: a pilgrim blessing one evening in Navarre, a night in the largest dormitory of his life – and the realisation of how simple pilgrim life is.

The pilgrim blessing

… I didn’t understand much of what the four priests preached in Spanish during Mass. I didn’t need to. My heart seemed to grasp every word and to need no language at all. After the sermon, the priests asked all pilgrims to come forward to the altar.

During the blessing my eyes grew moist. It was a moving moment in which something very special happened. To bless a person, to wish them health, prosperity, love and peace on all their paths, is something wonderful.

After Mass I prayed in silence and then gave myself over to the cool Navarre evening. A heavenly peace was within me. I wanted to be alone and rejoiced in the soothing current spreading through me. And I appreciated being on this centuries-old mystical pilgrim path, because I caught a small glimpse of the precious treasures this path held within it.

In that moment it seemed to have opened a small window to reveal to me a tiny flame of its universal, spiritual soul. As if I were allowed to sense a small part of a gentle, divine light, but not yet to see the complete whole.

In the largest dormitory of my life

I was tired and walked slowly to the largest dormitory I have ever spent a night in. Pilgrims who weren’t yet in their beds were busy sorting their things when I entered the room. After brushing my teeth and rubbing ointment on my knee, I climbed onto my bunk and crawled into my sleeping bag.

Next to me lay a slim young Italian who grinned constantly. Below me, a woman of about 60 was having a lively conversation in French with her neighbour.

Looking around the vast room, I noticed that people treated each other with respect and consideration. Women and men changed unselfconsciously, draped their things over the bed frames and climbed into their sleeping bags.

The earplugs I stuffed into my ears felt like chewing gum that had already endured several hours of chewing. I didn’t like the things, especially since they affected my breathing. Although countless thoughts streamed through my head and my inner world was full of wonder, at some point I fell asleep.

My Italian neighbour was the first snorer to thwart my plan of sleeping through the night. Many others in this gigantic dormitory snored along with him. Soon it seemed to me like a concert that developed a character of its own and certainly had its charms.

No alarm clock needed

Early in the morning, strange noises woke me. As I opened my eyes, I realised it was the rustling of plastic bags, accompanied by busy activity and whispering among the pilgrims. Snoring and rustling plastic bags belonged to pilgrim life just like backpacks and hiking boots. In that moment it became clear to me that I didn’t need an alarm clock. My fellow pilgrims performed that function perfectly.

As on the evening before, there was a pleasant atmosphere among the people. I unzipped my sleeping bag, got up, got dressed and strolled cheerfully to the washroom with my towel and toothbrush.

Because most of the pilgrims, among them my first companions on the way, were already on the road, the dormitory was almost empty. So after washing I had enough space to roll up my sleeping bag and squeeze it into its cover. As on the previous day, it took forever to get the thing stowed away. While I packed my backpack and ate a few biscuits, I became aware of how simple pilgrim life was. The many beds symbolised equality. Everyone was entitled to a bed, a shower, a toilet and a roof over their head. If anyone came up with the “glorious” idea of claiming special privileges, they were quickly taught otherwise …

I wish everyone a good way.

Buen Camino
Manolo Link, writer and pilgrim

Another story from the series “WONDERful Stories Written by the Camino” by Manolo Link: The Camino gives much – sometimes even a new life.