Sister act

I can see the 17th-century Church of St. Andrew the Apostle from my window. For some reason my Airbnb host doesn't mention this at all in his posting, which is a mistake. It's a social hub for this little area. Near its fountain, kids and their parents kick soccer balls around in the golden hour around 6 p.m., and guys who are down on their luck find a haven in its shadows during the day. Its large dome welcomes me home after my walkathons. 

For a long time I thought it was closed, possibly a pandemic victim, until I went around the back today, climbed a bunch of stairs and found an entrance. And there were the Little Sisters of the Lamb (Las Hermanitas del Cordero) making euphonious noises with their own mini-choir for a very small congregation at midday.

There remains an almost oppressive number of seminaries, convents and monasteries ― as well as religious buildings in general ― in Madrid. Aristocratic cloisters where distinguished female members of royal families would live are still around. Probably the most notable here is the Monastery Descalzes Reales, a functioning convent to this day holding Rubens' "Triumph of the Eucharist" tapestry series behind padlocked doors while the Order of the Poor Clares rides out the pandemic. 

I'm happy that you have a hermetically sealed cocoon ― and take all the time you need to reopen tours; your safety is paramount. My point is that it may be time to start a discussion about whether these art treasures belong to the public or not.