One may not think of Vienna and pilgrimage together-the city is grand and rich, while a pilgrimage brings to mind silence, simplicity and searching one's soul. But a pilgrimage to Vienna is exactly what I undertook last November with a small group from Abbey of the Arts and my dear friend Pamela.
The trip was centered around the Rule of St. Benedict and each morning we spent time in both meditation and conversation around a particular aspect of the rule and then went out into the city to put that rule into play. For example, one of the rules speaks of seeing the sacred in every person. This big city gave one ample opportunities to do that, from the wealthy, beautifully dressed retiree to a beggar dressed in rags sitting by the sidewalk.
Vienna is very Catholic, with a Baroque church on just about every corner. As awe-inspiring as the ornate interiors covered in gold leaf seemed at first, I did grow tired of it. But those churches were a haven for heavenly music, from organ concerts to a mass which featured an orchestra and choir in a Missa Brevis by Mozart.
About three days into the trip we went by bus to Heiligenkreuz Abbey in the countryside. This abbey is Cistercian and in a much more simple style than the gilded Baroque churches. Walking into this space reminded me of the palate-cleansing course during a fancy dinner! I immediately felt calm and centered and in the presence of the divine. We were able to hear the monks chant a noon service and I still wonder about the effect that would have on a person over the long term. Chanting the psalms in unison, over and over, for days, weeks, years...a lifetime.
Brahms and Beethoven were both known to have spent many hours walking these woods in search of inspiration.
I love having a coffee in Europe (surely this afternoon pause is in St. Benedict's rule?), where there's nary a drive-up or paper cup in site. Hear my friend and traveling companion Pamela is just getting started on her exquisite cup of coffee, served on a silver tray with a small chocolate and a glass of water.
Well...one does not just have coffee for the pausa...I think we would have been run out of the cafe if we'd passed on the pastry. And this is not just for tourists...the lean and fit Viennese were also enjoying a pastry with their coffee.
I'm not much for "bucket-lists," but for years I've wanted to pay homage to the great composers and give thanks for how they have enriched my life. Among others, the Vienna Central Cemetery contains the graves of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms and I put a rose on each of their stones, spending a little extra time with Brahms, my favorite of all.
Often I feel out-of-step with the world, in part because of my love of classical music and art, and because of my desire for silence and contemplation. Vienna allowed me to feed my soul and spirit, through the arts and through the sacred. The capstone of the week was seeing Dvorak's Rusalka, a fairy-tale opera for a fairy-tale week.
