On plane en route to Spain

The traditional press conference held by the Pope en route to Spain, was introduced today by the Papal spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi who revealed that there are over 3.000 accredited Spanish journalists following - what he called – “a brief but interesting” apostolic journey. On his journey to visit the Shrine of Santiago de Compostela, the first question put to the Pope concerned the very concept of being a “pilgrim” in his life and in his spirituality. Benedict notes that he has spoken at length of his feelings of being a pilgrim on a journey of faith in his biography. However, he said, the sense of instability in this life points to the fact that God is everywhere, and it is not really necessary to seek him out in different geographical venues. It is also true, he explained, that in it’s essence, faith is “being a pilgrim”. The letter to the Hebrews illustrates the meaning of faith in the figure of Abraham who leaves his land and is a pilgrim on his journey towards the future for the rest of his life. This Abrahamic movement – Pope Benedict explained - is an example of how you can show faith in an interior manner, but – he said - it is necessary to express faith in an exterior manner as well, and sometimes to transcend the utalitarism of daily life, in a journey towards transcendence. But – the Pope said – being a pilgrim is not only transcending from oneself, but treading the path together communion and recipricol recognition. And he referred to the way of St. James as an important element in the formation of the spiritual unity of the European continent. Today – the Pope said - the need to renew this movement of spiritual union is in the forefront. Asked what significance does the consecration of a temple like the Sagrada Familia have at the beginning of the 21^st century, and whether there is any particular element of Gaudi’s vision he finds especially remarkable, the Pope said that the Cathedral is a sign for our time. In Gaudi’s vision- he said - there are three elements that I find particularly significant: the first is the synthesis between continuity and novelty, between tradition and creativity. Gaudi, he continued, had the courage to take up the challenge of building a cathedral with totally new architectural concepts that however contained the idea of creating a place of meeting between man and God. With great solemnity and with great courage, Gaudi’s new creativity stayed within tradition demonstrating the unity of history and its progress. Secondly, the Pope said, Gaudi wanted this trinomial: book of nature, book of scripture and book of liturgy. This synthesis, he said, today is of great importance. This synthesis between creation, scripture and adoration is a very important message for our society Thirdly: this cathedral was born from a typically 19^th century devotion: a devotion to the holy family of Nazareth. But this very adoration is again of great actuality because the renewal of the role of the family in society shows us the way to build a society in which there is unity between faith, religion and family. Family- Benedict underlined - is a fundamental theme for society today. And finally, responding to a question about the place of faith in the world of art and culture, the Pope said that he often highlights the relationship between faith and reason. Equally important, he said, is the relationship between faith and art. We need beauty – he pointed out - because truth and beauty are indivisible. Today there are currents of dissent that harm art and that harm faith he said. And art that does not go towards God is crippled, just as faith that turns only towards to the art of the past does not speak to the present. Just as Gaudi expressed faith through art, Benedict concluded, art today must not lose its contact with faith.