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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...
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...
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...
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...
(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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