Las Rozas de Madrid

The Compostela Cathedral of Santiago. This is the destination of the Camino Frances and all other Caminos that originate in Europe. James, the Great, who was one of the three inner circle apostles of Jesus was beheaded in what is now Jafa, Palestine after returning from Iberia (Spain) where he proclaimed and taught the word of Jesus and is credited with bringing Christianity to this region. There is no evidence that St. James actually travelled to Spain, but most certainly, after his death, St. James', the Great, apostles risked their lives and miraculously survived the trip where they laid to rest the stone crypt of St. James, the Great, on Mount Libredon where the current Cathedral of Compostela was built.

According to legend, his tomb was rediscovered in AD 814 by Pelagius the Hermit, after he witnessed strange lights in the night sky. Bishop Theodomirus of Iria recognized this as a miracle and informed King Alfonso II of Asturias and Galicia (791–842). The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site. Legend has it that the king was the first pilgrim to this shrine. The cathedral was built over 200 years beginning in 1075. The cathedral has both the look of a fortress and a cathedral with an original 8 towers, of which 3 remain. During the 11th century, the compromise between politics and religion were necessary. Where the bell towers are currently were the original height of the towers, and adornments were added for beautification in the later years.

I took a tour of the roof, and so most of my pictures are from the roof. The roof is made of granite. Much of the roof was replaced in renovations in the 21st century, but it is a replica of the original granite roof. Granite was not only waterproof and plentiful but it is a non slippery surface. The church over the centuries has been burned and otherwise destroyed, but the granite roof has remained a constant feature of this particular cathedral.

The cathedral is not as adorned as the one in Burgos or Leon, but it is famous for its botafumeiro. The botafumeiro was originally used to disguise the smell of the pilgrims arriving into the cathedral, and there are only several surviving. One is in the library where it is on display (no pictures allowed), and the other in the church. It weights 53 kg, and is 1.5 meters circumference , and swings at a speed of 60 km an hour. I personally did not witness the swinging of the botafumeiro, but have seen videos where it takes around 10 to 12 monks to leverage the botafumeiro during the mass. When I walked through the cathedral, the scent was still in the air.

In the photo from the roof, there is a picture of St. James, the Great, dressed as a pilgrim of the 12th century. The doors of the church were open to the pilgrims in the 12th century, and to this day and age, the door of the cathedral remain open to pilgrims. In the 12th century, pilgrims would wash themselves in the fountain outside of the church, and then they burned their clothes in the urn (in the picture it is on the roof where it was relocated, but originally it was on the grounds of the church). Pilgrims were provided new clothes before entering the church. In this way, the water cleansed them spiritually and the burning of their clothes cleansed their earthly bodies.

When I suggested to other English speaking participants that I might burn my shoes after my pilgrimage, the guide who understands better English than I thought, was quick to cajole and ask me not too...she was an excellent guide, and had an enthusiasm for her Catholicism, for pilgrims, for her church, for her city. It was a delightful end to my time in Santiago.Read more