Today’s 13-mile walk brought us to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Saint Dominic dedicated the later part of his life to living in this small town. He was somewhat of a hermit and spent his energy supporting pilgrims. Among other things, he built a bridge over the river for them and improved the road.

The cathedral here is home to one of the most famous miracles or legends on the Camino de Santiago. (It involved a roasted hen coming back to life. We won’t explain the whole thing since you can read it here). Hence, the cathedral reportedly has a cage with a live rooster and hen living in its choir loft.

After resting and finding some dinner, Lori said she wanted to go to Mass. Jane opted to come along. We were very late arriving and had to plea to be let in. The church was packed. Apparently, it was a ‘special’ Mass. We were so wrapped up in the whole experience that neither one of us remembered to look for the chicken(s) until we were out of the now-locked church.

However, once outside in the plaza, we found ourselves carried along with a procession led by a youth drum & bugle corps. Church elders carried golden staffs. Someone carried a painting of the Virgin Mary. Quite the spectacle and a highlight of our day.