January 2, 2011.  November kicked off with widely anticipated Papal visits to the pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela and the Spanish city of Barcelona.

True to tradition, Benedict XVI prayed before the crypt of the apostle James and incensed the church with a giant burner called the “botafumeiro,” which is about the size of an adult human being and hangs in front of the main altar.

In Barcelona, the Pope consecrated the temple of the Sagrada Familia, the unfinished masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi. Construction on the basilica is expected to continue until 2025.

A few days later, Benedict XVI published the most important document regarding the Bible since the Second Vatican Council. Entitled “Verbum Domini” ("The Word of the Lord"), the document is a papal reflection on the conclusions of the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God.

The work urges Catholics to recognize the way the Bible responds to the needs of humanity and emphasizes the need to improve Catholics' familiarity with the Bible, as well as the need for families to read and understand it and keep one in the house.

At the end of the month, a book based on an exclusive interview with the Pope was published in which the Pope responded to pressing questions regarding the possibility of his resignation, his papal election and even the economic crisis. The book was written by German journalist Peter Seewald and is called “Light of the World: The Pope, The Church, and the Signs of the Times.”

Peter Seewald