The Monks of Roncesvalles ?

[bigcaminolover]

I stayed at the Orreage/Roncesvalles albergue back in 2021 and I remember hearing beautiful Gregorian chanting upon waking up. I'm not able to find anything online about the monks there (such as what religious order they belong to, how many monks there are, etc.). Let me know if anyone has any information.

 

[Bradypus]

The community in Roncesvalles is not a monastic one. They are a collegiate community of priests who live together under a common rule but who do not take monastic vows. They serve parishes in the district. The current rule for the community dates from 1983 according to their website.

History of Roncesvalles - Roncesvalles-Orreaga

From the beginning, Roncesvalles' strategic location in the middle of the Pyrenees favoured development of Orreaga- Roncesvalles itself as an essential point

roncesvalles.es

 

[SYates]

... and I remember hearing beautiful Gregorian chanting upon waking up. ...

Most likely the hospitaleros played a CD to wake pilgrims up ;-) if you do a search for "Chant by The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos" on Amazon or Youtube you will find beautiful ones.
BC SY

 

[Ianinam]

Most likely the hospitaleros played a CD to wake pilgrims up ;-) if you do a search for "Chant by The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos" on Amazon or Youtube you will find beautiful ones.
BC SY

Yes, it used to be a CD, nowadays we have the Gregorian chants on a USB-stick ;-)

As stated before, there are no monks in Roncesvalles. There are three priests, including the prior.
Every day of the year in the evening there is a pilgrims' mass in the church; at the end the pilgrims are asked to come forward to receive their blessing for their Camino, always a very impressive moment.

 

[Bradypus]

As stated before, there are no monks in Roncesvalles. There are three priests, including the prior.
Every day of the year in the evening there is a pilgrims' mass in the church; at the end the pilgrims are asked to come forward to receive their blessing for their Camino, always a very impressive moment.

On my first stay in Roncesvalles in August 1990 the evening mass was celebrated by 7 priests and a lay server. There was a congregation of 8 including myself of whom 3 were pilgrims who received a blessing. A much smaller group of priests now.

 

[Ianinam]

On my first stay in Roncesvalles in August 1990 the evening mass was celebrated by 7 priests and a lay server. There was a congregation of 8 including myself of whom 3 were pilgrims who received a blessing. A much smaller group of priests now.

Yes, it is.
There also used to live Don Jesús, a former prior; until last year he often attended the masses and made a small walk every day.
He is 99 now, and had to be taken into a nursinghome for old religious people a few months ago.

 

[Massey]

I attended evening mass in Roncessvalles in 2018. The church was full and to the surprise of everyone three priests came out onto the alter singing. During mass they sang at every opportunity. When I went to receive communion the priest was singing as he gave me communion.