King Felipe VI's visit shakes up Montserrat
The invitation to the monarch to attend some events at the monastery was prepared at the request of the royal house and the abbey invited him following Benedictine precepts.
BarcelonaKing Felipe VI's upcoming visit to Montserrat on the eve of Saint John's Day has caused a stir among Catalan Catholic circles, suggesting that consultations within the Royal Household pointed in that direction. The Newspaper published that the monarch would attend on June 23, but at that time, despite the Head of State's intention to attend, no details had been agreed upon between the institutions nor had the king's attendance been formally communicated, according to sources familiar with the matter to this newspaper. The Montserrat Abbey, symbol of Catalanism, has he opened the doors to the head of state?
According to knowledgeable sources, initially last month, "the king conveyed to the Abbey of Montserrat through various channels his willingness to participate in some event for the millennium." He did so through third parties "in a polite manner," to test the waters regarding the possibility of attending. In these initial contacts, Felipe VI's entourage conveyed that he "would very much like to participate" and that he "intended to find something that wouldn't inflame" the atmosphere. And the abbey, led by its father, Abbot Manel Gasch, agreed and sent the formal invitation. On the one hand, there was Felipe VI's excitement about making his first visit as king, having visited as a prince in 2011—but not after his coronation—and there was also the abbey's desire to be inclusive. On the other hand, the monastery has been mindful of the obligatory welcoming requirements set forth in the Benedictine rule and the polite manner of the request. In any case, no one has ever been denied entry to the monastery. Even the Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler visited it in 1940, although at that time the fascist faction was victorious in the state, allied with Hitler's Germany.
The monastery's relationship with royal families goes back a long way—starting with the Catalan royalty. The distinguishing feature is that it took Felipe VI thirteen years of his reign to take the step, which contrasts with the hyperactivity of other kings, such as Emperor Charles I.
The contrast
The event in which the king will participate on the day of the festival will focus on Benedictine values and how their application in various countries has allowed for conflict resolution. Medium-sized and large companies will address the concept of business diplomacy promoted by the UN. The abbot of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Donato Ogliari, will also participate; and the abbot of Pau i Treva, key to Catalan politics and the origin of the Catalan Parliament, will participate. According to sources consulted by ARA, this is where the abbot's speech will be directed. The abbot's speech will be scripted, according to the sources. According to this newspaper, the king's presence has generated controversy. October 2017. For his part, The ANC has called a march in Montserrat on June 23 to protest the tour, which will depart at six in the morning from Collbató, Monistrol de Montserrat, and the Can Maçana mountain pass. The pro-independence movement considers it "an attempt at symbolic desecration of one of the most sacred and emblematic spaces of the Catalan nation."
