Darrell and Penelope Pennington made good on their goal to travel the world, as detailed in the July/August 2024 issue. Since listing their home and selling most of their belongings, the couple has visited a dozen countries. In this monthly series, Penelope — who quips she’s “a broad abroad” — shares missives from the road. Read the inaugural column here.
Hello, Evansville Living readers! Thanks for joining us, and I hope that you enjoy our stories. Among the amazing experiences we’ve had is enjoying a Latin Mass in one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world — a place that has held a Mass for more than 288,000 consecutive days.
Córdoba, Spain, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful cities we have visited, and in a country filled with historical significance, it contains some of the most impressive and important architecture in the country. In the city’s Historic Centre — itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 — is the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, officially known as Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is the most gorgeous, astounding, and overwhelming building — both visually and emotionally — I have ever stepped foot in. The current structure was first constructed circa 786 as a mosque after the destruction of the existing Visigothic Basilica of San Vincente that was shared simultaneously as a place of worship by both Muslims and Christians. The original structure was demolished and rebuilt within two years (it is amazing that they completed this in that time) as a dedicated mosque. The mosque existed in this capacity and underwent multiple additions for the next 400-plus years until the structure was claimed in the conquest of Córdoba by King Ferdinand III in 1236. The first Christian mass was performed there on June 29, 1236, and one has occurred EVERY SINGLE DAY since then, no exceptions.
The interior of the cathedral sits inside the still-standing mosque, and it literally took our breath away as we stepped into its space for the first time. The incredible choir loft must be seen in person to be believed. The choir stalls were built by Pedro Duque Cornejo, who died 10 days prior to the initial Mass following the completion of the project and is buried in the floor of the choir loft he built. I can’t recommend this experience highly enough — if you get the chance to visit and attend a mass, take advantage!
Follow us on our adventure online, and feel free to reach out and ask questions or just say Hi. See you next time!
Follow the Penningtons on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook @penelopepennington. In their third column, the couple — who are big live music fans — discuss their new love of European music festivals.
