Santiago at night

We got a lovely surprise during the mass. They swung the botafumeiro! For those who don’t know, here is the Wikipedia definition:

“The Botafumeiro (Galician for 'smoke expeller') is a famous thurible in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. Incense is burned in this swinging metal container, or censer.”

The story is that the incense helped to camouflage the stench of the ancient pilgrims. Unlike us, they did not have access to a daily shower.

The botafumeiro is typically swung once a week. But additional times are added if a sponsor pays 300€. It takes several men to swing it. We were seated a ways back, so not a great view, but you get the idea. It is very dramatic. If you want a better view, watch the movie ‘The Way’ - Emilio Estévez is part of the crew swinging the botafumeiro.

After mass, we wandered a bit, enjoyed some helado, and got some great photos of the Cathedral at night.Read more