Via Christi

Given the season, I thought now would be the right time to finally post about possibly the most moving experience I have had during my adventures so far - walking through the Via Christi, a series of statues nestled in the hills. They depict the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I begin this post knowing that, as I am becoming quite accustomed to with my Spanish skills, I am not going to be able to find the words to come close to describing my feelings towards this experience and the depth to which it moved me.

Seeing these statues was something that I had been looking forward to since I was first notified that I would be spending the period of my exchange in Junin. Although I had had the opportunity to do some research into the structure on the internet, nothing could prepare me for the wonder that I would encounter.

Walking up to the hill, my attention was immediately drawn by the giant white cross standing proud above the town. Upon seeing this, my thoughts are always drawn to the words of Psalm 121 - these ones in particular:

"I life up my eyes to the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of heaven and earth…"

This chapter is one that I seek regularly for comfort during my time here. When I reached the beginning of the walk I was greeted by a lovely lady who gave me (what I'm pretty sure was) a brief description of the Via Christi and some general directions.

The entire walk was beyond beautiful - both the nature and the sculptures. Those that constructed the marvel sought to blend the story of Jesus' life with the indigenous culture as well as modern themes. They have done this in a stunning and deeply moving way. Every statue had me gripped in a stunned silence, standing still and staring at the beautifully detailed depictions. The love and attention to detail that has been poured into the construction of the site is obvious in every single figure Their faces seem to glow with life, as if the moments in history have been frozen in the stone. I could have sat for hours marvelling over each individual sculpture, struggling to hold back the tears at every station. At some my jaw would drop and a soft gasp would escape my lips, words of glory spilling forth in both English and Spanish. At others a broad smile would stretch across my face at the joy that they evoked. Others still would cause me to bow my head and utter a short prayer of thanks and praise. It would be impossible for me to choose one individual sculpture that was the most moving. Even now as I think back to each of them I am hit with similar sensations as I was at the time.

After some meditation at each point I was able to bring myself to take some pictures. Unfortunately photos are never capable of fully conveying the beauty of moments such as these. I understand that while these photos may evoke a great deal of passion in me, it would be impossible for someone that has not taken part in the walk to feel the same way. The Via Christi is something that simply needs to be experienced to understand the entirety of its wonders.

I returned to the start of the journey shaking my head ii wonder, a giant smile across my face, trying to find every Spanish word that I could think of to attempt to convey how much I had loved my time there, how beautiful it was and how grateful I was to have experienced it.  I would recommend it to any person, whether avidly Christian or not so strong in faith. If you are ever lucky enough to be given the opportunity to partake in this walk, take no hesitation in grabbing it. I recall, at the time, feeling that even if my exchange was to go horribly wrong from that day forth, it would be worth it for having experienced la Via Christi. It is something that I will forever remember and feel blessed for having had the opportunity to experience it.

I have been extremely blessed to be able to be having such an amazing experience here in Argentina. However, all of these experiences amount to nothing when compared to the blessing that we received when Jesus Christ died on that cross for our sins.