A couple weeks ago we were lucky enough to take a family trip to Spain. Well, Barcelona to be precise, but during our stay we took a couple of side quests. One was a train trip to the town of Figueres, to see the Dali museum and where the eccentric artist came from. The other was a drive out to Montserrat, to see the famous Madonna of Montserrat, its unusually shaped peaks, and the Benedictine Abbey that is situated there. It’s best described as an otherworldly place, which is probably why the production design team from Star Wars selected it as inspiration for Andor Season 2.
Climbing for me is a religious experience, so being in the mountains of Spain at a place where people practice an organized faith each day, has special meaning. I deeply respect their rigor and their desire for a wholesome environment, and marvel at their call to pray each day for the people of the world— which they do no less than five times a day. Talk about faith. Talk about resilience. I know religion isn’t for everyone, and the search for meaning takes many forms, but regardless of whatever god you do or don’t follow, one has to give a nod to those who are endlessly praying on behalf of the shared human spirit. We should always respect those who desire to do good.
Looking at Montserrat Abbey from Saint Michael’s Cross
Spiritual, Religion or Not
If symbols of religious faith didn’t exist at Montserrat, it still wouldn’t be hard to feel that you’ve arrived someplace special when you walk its trails. Its craggy peaks rise from the earth like God must have dipped his fingers in wet sand, scooped it all up, and let it dribble back to earth, forming oversized versions of the stalagmites kids make at the beach. It’s wonderfully distinct. My only wish is that when we were there, we had longer to explore. Tucked into the hillsides are hermitages and paths, yielding a variety of perspectives, and I wanted to see them all. But our guide said we didn’t have enough time.
We were also a little hurried through the Basilica of Montserrat, where the famous Madonna statue resides. Unfortunately, a monk of the abbey had passed away, and they were closing the Basilica early to perform the funeral. We took what time we had to sit on the Basilica’s pews and observe the Madonna from afar, but it was hard to fully absorb the spirituality of the place, feeling so rushed. Legend has it that the Lady of Montserrat has delivered healing miracles to many, and whenever you hear about such things, of course you’d love to feel something about how such a thing could be possible. It was very hard to do so in a compressed timeslot amongst tourists taking pictures.
The Basilica at Montserrat 
Our Lady of Montserrat 
Saint George, Patron Saint of Catalonia 
An Inspiring View 
On the walk down 
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey 
Andor Inspiration 
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey 
Stone Relief on the trail 
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey 
Almost looks like something out of Capadoccia 
Holy statues line the path 
A special light 
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey
A Moment Long Ago
Years ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Cairo where I visited a Coptic church called the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus. This church is said to have been built on top of a cave where the holy family lived for three months, on their flight into Egypt. Now let me tell you, I’ve been in hundreds of churches that have never stirred anything in me—the truth is that I’ve always found God more in the mountains than any place constructed by man—but this church did something to me.
There was a moment where a warm pocket of air passed through me, when there was no door or window ajar to warrant the change in air, and I immediately felt a wash of good energy I hadn’t known since I was a kid. It was a “Whoa, what was that?” energy—unexpected, and something I certainly didn’t go looking for when I entered the church. It was a tremendous thing to feel something like that in a place constructed by man. Hope giving, in fact.
When manmade structures don’t inspire, the mountains have you covered
What Montserrat Might Be
Montserrat, it appears to me, could deliver that same energy if one had enough time to truly be there. To be present in the experience rather than a participant on a tourist’s mission. But I was glad we took our time walking the trails a bit, after riding the funicular to the top of the mountain. While it wasn’t enough time to feel something as an individual, I loved giving my family a chance to bear witness to the idea of these monks living in the hills, praying for mankind. Anytime we can see man trying to walk in concert with nature, and God, it restores our faith in humanity a little, and perhaps strengthens our faith in something larger.
Looking back at Saint Michael’s Cross from the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey