Page 15 - NewsandViews 2023 whole publication

Then there’s San Roque. I’m aware of him most of the time because I live in his neighbourhood - Barrio
San Roque (Eng: Saint Rock). This French saint was known for his Healing and I’d already heard him
mentioned by patients during my first profession (nursing) and when I later joined the National
Federation of Spiritual Healers. I have to say that, together with the Spanish NHS and Light from
Bournemouth Quaker Meeting coming across and probably through the Pyrenees, Roque has done
wonders for me when I’ve had the occasional illness whilst living in his territory. Just like him (he’s usually
pictured with a dog), when there, I used to look after and walk my Spanish neighbour’s dog until the
lovely animal’s recent death. Oh, I forgot - Rock is said to be a specialist in ‘Knees’, if you require help in
that area.

In an earlier Spanish home, high in the clouds and therefore cold but dry in the winters, I always tried to
prevent ear/nose/throat infections to which I was prone, from developing into bronchitis/asthma, by
using the effective, traditional British treatment: hot lemon (fresh from the tree here) drinks, Vicks
Vapour Rub and a woollen throat scarf. I showed the latter two to my Spanish asthmatic neighbours - and
have ended up providing an unforeseen courier Vicks service (the villagers pronounce it Wicks) from
Boots, BCP to Spanish hilltop, poking the Wicks between the contents of my Hold baggage for the
Bournemouth Airport Ryanair journey. The locals now swear by it and are so grateful when Señora Wicks
(as they call me) returns with the revered blue jars.

One day in that village, two Catholic friends arrived from Scotland. Jane, the wife, is asthmatic. They
asked after my health - “ I’m so well that I’m singing in the choir tonight as we process through the
freezing streets, it’s Feb. 3rd, San Blas our patron saint’s day, (English/French: Blaise)”, I said. Jane gave a
loud gasp. “Wh-a-t, you live in one of Saint Blaise’s villages?” she said. “How lucky can anyone get?”
“What do you mean?” I asked. Don’t you know?” she continued. It transpired that San Blas, an early saint
from Armenia, is the patron and protector of those who suffer from sore throats (especially), earache and
nasal problems. Apparently, asthma is often added to these and Blaise can prevent/ treat the
situation. When I mentioned this to my present village asthmatic folk, they already knew of Blas
(pronounced Blu, ‘u’ as in ‘up’) but said that Wicks has replaced him as their no.1 home treatment,
though they’re keeping Blas - in second place.

Although Spanish Catholics are leaving the Catholic church because of clergy sexual misconduct (2022: no.
of Catholics in Spain: 55.4% - 18.2% practising, 37.2% non-practising - it’s clear that they take their saints
with them wherever they go. From the number of Saint Christophers - brooches, necklaces, luggage/car
stickers – I’ve noticed on travellers in Spain and other countries, one can see that Christopher, the
universal ‘traveller’s protector saint’, (sp.San Cristóbal) remains popular with land, sea and air passengers.

If you’ve ever travelled on a Spanish plane full of Spanish passengers, you’ll know that as the plane taxis
along the runway to take off, suddenly - as if at a signal - the majority of heads are bowed, people sign the
cross on their chests and prayers (and I imagine, saints too) are recalled. At the other end of the journey,
as the aircraft’s descent ends in the noisy jolt of wheels touching down on Planet Earth, it seems that the
plane’s whole interior breaks out into ecstatic shouts of ‘gracias’ (thank-you). I think it’s to both pilots -
the Great Guide inside and outside the plane in the cosmic energy and matter - and the airline Captain in
the cockpit. Almost everyone claps wildly, arms wave in the air and folk shake hands with everyone
within shaking distance (including backwards over headrests). Brooches and bracelets of Saints
are kissed by their owners too; I’m sure there are other passengers who remember that not
everyone is arriving for a happy reason.

NASA respects both astronauts’ and space tourists’ privacy but does say that, amongst other items, some
carry religious texts with them. I know (for certain!) that future Spanish travellers into the cosmos, will be
taking their favourite saints with them too...

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