22/1/11

8:17pm

Tonight, I went to church for the first time in my life.

San Cristóbal Norte has two services: Sunday morning and Saturday evening. Since we have to be at the school early tomorrow to prepare for the parade, my only chance to witness a mass would be this evening. Despite having my own spirituality, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to experience the church service in a town where the entire population appears to be devout Catholics. Even though I have nothing else to compare it to, I still saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It was very strange for a lot of reasons. First, and most obviously, the entire service was in Spanish, so I understood little of what was said. I found myself nodding off during parts when we were seated, but I managed to join in and mimic the tune of some of the hymns. There was a lot of love and affection between all the church-goers, and it's obvious how much their religion means to them. It's a sentiment I can still recognise and relate to, although for me any social aspect is not existent, with my spirituality being a mostly private affair, practiced in solitude.

The other thing that surprised me was eating the body of Christ. I expected the sermon, the singing, the kneeling and praying but that part caught me way off guard. Before I really know what was happening, I was being handed a small white circle of.. well, whatever it is. My blank stare was matched by the woman who handed it to me, who seemed almost as confused as I was, but at the fact that I didn't know what to do with it. I had to return to my pew and confirm with my host sister before I was sure it was safe to eat.

It had a strange texture and was completely void of any taste. As I stomached the foreign food, I pondered further on the complexities of religion, both this particular one, and the topic in general. Even my faith has a set of specific rituals not unlike Christianity, but I don't feel a need to follow them so strictly. Perhaps that's because I'm not bound to particular church, but in the end I still feel the same fulfilment that I've come to believe is the ultimate goal of any religion. I am just thankful my fluidity allows me to sit in on other faiths, and experience their customs, adding another step on my journey towards becoming an open-minded, inspired and well-rounded man.