The Botafumeiro and Sailors' Knots

I feel duty-bound to report on the Botafumeiro--almost the culmination of our walk of 110 miles from Cebreiro on the  Camino to Santiago de Compostela.  (I say almost because we had a wonderful meal afterwards at a Parador just around the corner, and then we met Camino friends!)

Here's the shot I took (not during mass).  The Botafumeiro looks a little bit like my samovar, but it's filled with incense and swings, which my samovar does not!   The swinging may fumigate us pilgrims.

There have been accidents.  In 1499 Catherine of Aragon was at a service when it swang/swung (?) out of the window.  But there were no mishaps for us, and I read just today that the ropes are secured with sailor knots--better than my shoe laces!

I don't want to sound too glib.  I'm really glad I took this walk.  I love Spain, and I love to walk.

But I didn't really want to hug St. James even though I once went to an Episcopal Church that bore his name and I wish him well--but maybe not for the deeds this "Matamoros" was "seen" doing during the crusades, when he was slaying Moors.

 I think I'm more inclined towards a pilgrimage a group of pilgrims have made retracing the route of the First Crusade,  asking for forgiveness from the Jews and Muslims and Eastern Christians.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_cru1.htm

I will soon move on to my plate-to-plate pilgrimage.