Santiago's silver cape

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
Fernando Mayer, a Santiago master silver sculptor, and his aides, removed the
silver cape that had rested on the image of the Apostle for 300 years. The
cape was so worn out and damaged that it had several holes.
After removal of the cape the image of Santiago regained the appearance that
it had in the twelfth century when it was first placed in the main altar.
The cape is going to be repaired and all the precious stones (topazes,
aquamarines, emeralds, rubies and diamonds) that have been lost, or stolen,
throughout the centuries will be replaced. The cape will then be put in exhibition in
the Cathedral Museum.
Meanwhile, a replica will be made to replace it.  The replica will be three
times as thick as the original and its encrusted stones will be synthetic ones
rather than jewels,  although it will have some semiprecious gems like
lapislazuli and amethysts. The new cape will weigh about 45 kilograms (99 pounds)
which will be ten kilograms more than the original.
Master Mayer estimates that it will take about six months for the replica to
be completed and the image of Santiago will  be capeless until then.
Father Alejandro Barral, director of the Cathedral's museum, informed that
plans to cover the image's shoulders with a velvet cape, or something similar,
have been abandoned because the visitors' hugs would wrinkle the fabric and
would make the image appear "undignified"
Surprisingly, (to me), the hugs will continue during the six months that the
image will be capeless.
The cost of the restoration of the old cape, and the creation of the new one,
will be financed entirely by the offerings deposited in the box behind the
image.
That area will be restored as well, and a thick crystal slab will be placed
over the step where the faithful kneel, which itself is made out of silver.
-I, for one, wonder how an eight-hundred-years-old statue will withstand the
direct touch of thousands ad thousands over the next six months.-
Best regards,
Rosina



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