This is my entry for #monomad challenge by
This is my last post about Camino de Santiago.
Next to the tomb of St. James (San Giacomo), one of apostle of Jesus, I felt like to be near something strong and 'rooted'. Something like a good father who forgives and understands us, in front of which anyone can feel protected.
A pilgrim belongs to another time:
Here a statue with St James (San Giacomo). Around the ninth century, France fought a war against the Moor (islamic people), and legend talked about an apparition of St. James during battlefield. This event is remembered by christian warriors, and this apparition gave them the force to win the battle: so the statue remembers the help given by St. James, so called the 'matamores', that means the person who killed the Moors:
Here the cathedral, outside and inside view:
Famous is the Botafumeiro ('smoke expeller'): a famous thurible used to scented with incense the church, in the past to avoid the smell of pilgrims (many pilgrims didn't wash themselved after the pilgrimage, and they slept also in the church). Nowadays, the tradition to swing Botafumeiro still reamins only some special years.
Eight strong people (called tiraboleiros) pull the ropes, producing an even more large oscillations of the censer. The thurible's swings almost reach the ceiling of the church and can reach the speeds of 70 km/h, spreading a thick clouds of incense inside all cathedral. It was an amazing experience to see this smoking fireball! Here I have tried to take some pictures:
Analogic pictures taken with Nikon FE2 camera. August 2010.
Thanks for reading. You can view the full experience of my Camino of Santiago from the beginning here: @barnabo73/camino-de-santiago-from-larrasoana