Lightening causes blaze in the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Boat

[sillydoll]

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...xe-da-barca-muxia/00031387961899273663793.htm

 

[ivar]

This is very sad news... We have had a storm pass by with 150-170 km/h winds the last few days, not sure if this is related or not.

 

[camino07]

What terrible news and at Christmas too.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Oh dear!!! What a terrible loss. The good thing is, no lives were lost. It was beautiful then and despite this fire, will continue to be. Still...a great loss.
We were at the Sanctuary in November...outside of it, anyway.

 

[wayfarer]

I am so sorry to see this, it is such a beautiful place.

 

[pilgrim b]

Very sad news so sorry for the regular congregation they will feel so bereft.

 

[ivar]

Inside. More here:
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...xe-da-barca-muxia/00031387961899273663793.htm

 

[CaminoJohn]

So sad! 3 caminos and I never went there! I was hoping the next time.

 

[Anniesantiago]

What a shame

 

[Thornley]

We will treasure our photos and memories of this beautiful church even more after this terrible fire.
The 500m walk with the locals who never drove to the church was one of our fondest memories.
I sincerely hope the man who financed the lovely albergue in Dumbria helps the community of Muxia in rebuilding

 

[ivar]

 

[Madidi]

A terrible disaster for the people of Muxia. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Oh no. It is such a beautiful place. I hope they have the funds for restoration as it seams to be a popular church. It was full when I was there.

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

I find no words but I am sad.

 

[bimblingalong]

As above, I feel very sad to hear this news, and feel for the local community......was hoping to visit next year & I still will, am sure that the special energy will remain despite the devastation..

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

bimblingalong the energy and magic will always be there

 

[domigee]

Oh no, what sad news. The day I went there it was beautifully decorated for a wedding, full of white flowers... It was magical ... I hope it can be restored quickly.

 

[pattymo97206]

This is such a loss for the community and for all pilgrims who travel to Muxia. It is such a beautiful place and as Camino Samoset said,the energy and Magic will always be there.

 

[karenfromcali]

How devastating. Such very sad news for the community. So relieved to hear of no loss of life.

 

[michaelwalker]

Does anyone know if the parish or anybody else is starting a collection for the restoration? I would like to promote that so us in more fortunate countries can help out.

 

[Thornley]

If the Zara man commits Mike , no money will be required.
I really believe he will get the Gov't moving as he has put Dumbria on the map and has made the Muxia turn off very popular.

It is a very special place for the Spanish people. We got advised in 08 when having a meal in Melide .....Muxia and the church is the finish.
The lads were on Harley's , all around 40yrs and that is where their parents finished.
They were very sincere about this.
Over the years this became more applicable in our camino's...............to finish in Muxia.

The community of Muxia is made of very sturdy stuff as the boats in the church indicated.

 

[MaxfromMO]

I'm stunned, heartbroken. I'm so glad my husband and I took the time to go there in October. I will always have my photos and my memories.

 

[dalston999]

It was being restored when I was there in November 2012 so I never saw the inside, though I was drawn back to it again and again at different times of day over several days, and spent hours watching the waves and sunsets over the rocks and little church. It seemed so sturdy and immutable it is distressing to see it so badly damaged. It must be especially painful for all the local people coming so quickly after the rail tragedy in Santiago. My thoughts and prayers go to them all.

 

[Tia Valeria]

As above, I feel very sad to hear this news, and feel for the local community......was hoping to visit next year & I still will, am sure that the special energy will remain despite the devastation..

A church near us had a similar devastating fire many years ago. Even while sweeping up the fallen slates in a blackened building we were aware that nothing could remove that sense of the presence of God. The priest led a simple service by a light bulb linked to a car battery - it gave added depth to " a light shining in the darkness and the darkness could not overcome it" espcially as the fire there had been arson. It took just a year to restore the building and we were present at its rededication.
So our thoughts and prayers are with this community, trusting that they too continue to feel God's presence with them, and that they see their church restored.

 

[Al the optimist]

This makes me feel really sad. I ended in Muxia for the first time last June. I thought it a lovely place with the church being an important part of the joy I felt. I was lucky in visiting when there was a christening and the local choir singing beautifully. I remember it as a lovely mass with nice, friendly people. I was made to feel very welcome in Muxia and my heart and prayers go out to those who live there.

 

[supersullivan]

Thank you Al for finding the right words I was struggling to come up with, I feel almost selfish for having the pleasure of being able to visit last June.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Yes it is sad to see this accident. However this historic church like the others ought to be full insured and the replacement will be funded from that, I would seriously advise everyone not to raise or send funds until that situation becomes clear. If in due course the Parish or Archdiocese need funds for the rebuilding they will certainly be assisted by the heritage bodies in Spain and I sure if the church is short of money it will make an appeal.

 

[Mark M]

This is very sad news... We have had a storm pass by with 150-170 km/h winds the last few days, not sure if this is related or not.

View attachment 7556

Thank you for sharing. This is a huge loss. So sad...

 

[Geralbc]

Sad news! Still planing to finish my Camino there next May! Was heartbroken when i heard the news yesterday

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Lightening is a novel way for a church to burn, but tens of thousands have been burned in the past from candles and vandals, and a lot of them have been restored. I think the chapel/church/cathedral in Santiago has seen several fires. The Burgos cathedral had an entire tower collapse. Muxia will endure the setback, and they have my sympathy for the short term loss. My second thought was that only a few thousand people outside of Spain would even know about the Muxia church without the film The Way.

 

[colinPeter]

Extremely saddened to hear the news, it is such a lovely place to finish the Camino.

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

Falcon269 The Way was filmed there because pilgrims love that place longer than that movie exist. ;-)

 

[Pelegrin]

I, as a Galician, I'm very sad too. I hope that president of Xunta de Galicia fulfills his promise to give prority to the reconstruction of this emblematic church.

 

[Thornley]

I think Falcon was indicating that Muxia is very well known in Spain and by the Spanish and people who follow the camino.
Emilio Estevez who produced the film being Spanish.
The hint from the old father Gypsy ...you must go to Muxia shows the importance of Muxia to Spanish and Camino history.

How many tourists and also pilgrims go to Muxia instead of Finisterre ???????
***Not many which is Falcons point i think.
We went to Finisterre on the first camino , Muxia on the next four.

I cannot forget the old painting on the wall in Santo Domingo which showed the camino going through Valcarlos from France and ending in Muxia.

 

[Jochen-Schmidtke]

See this link: Fire in the church of Muxia.
Very sad.
Jochen

 

[shefollowsshells]

Heartbreaking news!!! Five of my precious pups have their ashes thrown in there....I placed them there in pouring rain....minutes later a rainbow appeared. I think my moments there were my post magical. I am so sorry to see this, I can only hope insurance can rebuild this special place on Earth.

 

[ivar]

... and then, if this was not enough... the storm last night (13 meter waves) went all the way to the church door and broke the wall around the entrance area.



More here in La Voz de Galicia.

 

[t2andreo]

Yikes! I hope the Xunta starts emergency work to build up the sea wall fast. Otherwise, there will likely be no church left to restore. I sincerely hope this works out for the better of the community.

This past June, I was privileged to visit Muxia. I managed to obtain a photograph of the sanctuary through the iron bars at the closed and locked doorway. The people of Muxia do NOT deserve this disaster.

I hope the Xunta, region and national governments can sit down with church officials and come up with a reconstruction plan. Spain may be having an economic crisis, but this particular building is of critical importance tho the region's economy.

 

[Agnogel]

This was the storm

 

[ivar]

..in the paper today. The work on fixing the roof looks like it is going well
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/terra...-barca/idEdicion-2014-08-21/idNoticia-885857/