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Recent content by Nancita

  1. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    That's rather crass, I'd say...AND disappointing. It used to be all that more special if you could just make it on a special day. I feel special. ;)
  2. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    One more comment about the Botafumeiro, and I think this is important for people to know. Because its origins are in Catholic ceremony, its use was very much tied to the Church calendar. Back in 1979 when I was there, its appearance was only a handful of times a year, especially on special...
  3. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    I do understand, but please be aware that you can't talk about these ancient practices without mentioning the mystical. I don't think anyone is preaching here, either - just sharing their experience. This topic, in particular, touches on that, whether the more secular thinkers here care or not...
  4. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    My experience with the Botafumeiro was totally unexpected. The entire time I was there was a fluke - my itinerary was totally sidetracked. In that sense, I felt that my experience seeing the Botafumeiro was a gift. I hadn't even expected to see it when I went into the Cathedral. It was a totally...
  5. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    Thank you for sharing all this detail. My comment pointed out only one potential origin for the Botafumeiro - that of potentially killing germs in a very crowded space with poorly-bathed, and probably germ-ridden pilgrims. Of course, the notion of raising the smoke to the heavens is a...
  6. N

    Botafumeiro: holy fire or cheap tourist thrill?

    (edited) I was at the Cathedral at a time when there was no "Camino" event taking place. There was, however, a special festival going on for students. I had been a student at the University of Valencia for the entire summer before I made it to Compostela, so I had a bit of familiarity...
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