Day 40 - Day in Santiago

Had breakfast with Noreen this morning, our last meal together.
We have spent quite a bit of time together in the past couple weeks, and I’m really going to miss her as she leaves today.
After breakfast we both walked to the cathedral and I stood in line hoping to get into the 12 o’clock mass and see the butafumeiro.

Butafumeiro:

“One of the most famous symbols of the cathedral is the Botafumeiro, which may be largest censer in the world.
“The aroma of the incense has a powerful symbolic connection to prayer and spiritual purification: ‘May my prayer be set before you like incense’ (Psalm 141:2).
“The Botafumeiro weighs 53 kilograms and measures 1.5 metres. Using a complex system of pulleys, it is swung from the central cupola of the cathedral, from which it hangs, towards the side aisles. It takes eight men, known as tiraboleiros, to move it. It is suspended from a height of 20 metres and can reach speeds up to 68 km/h.
“The first written reference to this enormous censer appears in a 14th-century margin note to the Codex Calixtinus, where it is called Turibulum magnum.”
(https://www.caminodesantiago.gal/en/discover/or…)

I was lucky enough to see it. Apparently they don’t have it at every mass. Also pictures of the urn that tradition says holds St James’ remains.

“Saint James's body is located in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, in an urn beneath the main altar. According to tradition, his remains were brought to Spain by his disciples after he was martyred in Jerusalem and later discovered in the 9th century, leading to the construction of the cathedral over his tomb”.

After mass and touring of the cathedral, I spent the afternoon shopping and I had a half hour massage which was wonderful!
On the evening, I’m at the remaining friends still in Santiago for dinner.Read more