echo168

I am travelling with a very religious person to Spain. We have a 3 hour lay over in Madrid on a Saturday before connecting to a flight to Malaga. Does anyone know if the chapel in Madrid airport is open all day Saturday for prayer/worship? Otherwise, we have to look for a church for him when we arrive in Malaga and have to wait around for him. We rather not have to do that.

Mary_Fran

For many of us, attending Mass in the countries we visit is part of the whole cultural experience.

It will probably be easy to find a church in Malaga where he can attend Mass at a church your hotel can point you to, and the service shouldn't last much over an hour.

josele

Madrid-Barajas Airport Mass timetable
There are two chapels


Chapel in Terminal 2 :

Mon to Fri, 10.00AM
Sat, 19.00 (PM)
Sun, 12.00 AM

Chapel in Terminal 1 :

Only Sun and observed festivities, at 11.00 AM

Chapels I presume are always open to pray.

Information obtained directly by phone from the airport info service. You can search at Spain Air Navigation website: www.aena.es

Tell me where you shall stay in Malaga and I may try to find a nearby church. On saturday and sunday evenings there is mass service almost everywhere at 19.00, 20.00 and several at 21.00 hours.
Josele.

echo168

My friend doesn't need to attend mass. He just needs a place to pray. We will arrive Madrid airport Saturday 7am & depart for Malaga 10am. I thing arrival & separture are both Termiinal 2. As long as the chapel is open during that time period, that would be ok. We are staying in the Benalmadena-Costa area. Are the churches in Spain open even when there is no mass?

Patrick

This is not meant to offend, but I'm curious here and will easily admit my ignorance. Is this a Catholic thing --having to pray inside a specific chapel or church? I had a very religious friend travel with a small group of us who prayed at every opportunity. But it was just as likely to be on top a mountain -- along the seacoast -- or in his hotel room or backstage before a performance of our play.

In the Catholic religion does praying need to be in a certain place?

josele

no, catholics do not need to be in a chapel or church to pray.
I do not know if chapels/churches in Benalmadena are open all day. I presume they are, but not sure.
Josele.

echo168

My friend is a 7th day adventist & he observes sabbath on a Saturday. They are not even supposed to travel on a Saturday. Since we depart NY for Malaga on friday, he can finish his trip even though it involves travelling on a Saturday. He attends church every Satuday and feels he is closer to God when he is praying in church. What are we supposed to say to that?

Patrick

I don't think there's anything you should or could say to that. I'd just go along with it. I hope you didn't think I was suggesting that you make an issue about it, I was just curious about why it needed to be a church -- and apparently this friend has already explained that.

Also, isn't it interesting how we can sometimes misunderstand? I wonder why I assumed it was a catholic thing we were talking about -- since it clearly isn't.