[Gocamino] NO Botafumeiro; pilvgrim fined; "Pillgrims without Faith " new book; Obradoiro encounters

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all.
You might remember that the Botafumeiro rope was replaced in 2004 because it had become frayed. The new, donated, rope was made thicker so that it would be safer, or so it was thought. However, the upper steel ring which sustains the Botafumeiro was meant  for a thinner rope and the new rope became damaged through the constant forcing it through the ring.  The Botafumeiro weighs 80 kilograms (176 pounds) and it flies at a speed of sixty miles an hour, which presents a serious risk unless all the components are in top shape.  Because of this, the Botafumeiro has been taken out of action and will not resume its spectacular demonstrations until a new, secure,  rope has been constructed and tested. This might take a few more weeks.  (Sigh!). The new rope is being made in (beautiful) Valencia.
The Botafumeiro  and the structure that makes it work were first made in 1554 with funds provided by King Louis XI of France. The original one was made of solid silver and it was stolen by French troops in 1809. The replacement botafumeiros have been made of a steel and aluminum alloy.  The original purpose of the Botafumeiro was to mask the odors carried into the Cathedral by pilgrims of yore.
-Those of you who, like me, are fond of the BBC Brother Cadfael programs will remember that in one of them ("Pilgrim of Hate", I think) a similarly large botafumeiro is shown as being in use in the pilgrim-full medieval churches, as was the custom.  Reportedly, those botafumeiros were moved back and forth horizontally accross the churches, and that is how the one in the Cadfael program is shown.
I wonder when, and why, the one in Santiago began following a different path,

A pilgrim from Utreia (province of Sevilla) was spotted (tobacco) cigarrette in hand at the Palas de Rey albergue. When the incident was reported to the authorities he was assessed a fine of 30 Euros; because he had already left at the time of the decision, the imposition of the fine was published in the Diario Oficial de Galicia and the pilgrim was requested to pay the fine forthwith or return to argue whatever arguments he may present in his favor.  The albergue's hospitalero testified, under oath, that all pilgrims who arrive at the albergue are informed of the "Anti Smoking Law" which absolutely prohibits smoking in the albergues.  The Correo Gallego adds, tongue in cheek, that the Anti Smoking Law does not understand such pilgrimage things as indulgences or redemption.

A new novel, entitled "Pilgrims without Faith" (Peregrinos sen Fe), by Sergio Luis de Carvalho, has just been published. It deals with the stories of two pilgrims, five hundred years apart, and it draws heavily on the influences upon pilgrims of historical events, such as wars, the Inquisition, and such.  The point of the book seems to be that while today the overwhelming majority of Santiago pilgrims make the pilgrimage for religious and spiritual reasons this was not so in centuries past. In the middle ages many criminal offenders were sentenced to walk the Camino, in lieu of other punishments, and many walked as proxy for others who were seeking soul purification vicariously.  It would appear that those who read fiction will enjoy the new book. The two pilgrims in the novel walked from Lisbon to Santiago on the Portuguese Camino.  Amazingly, only today I got a message from a  (U.S.?) pilgrim who will commence his Lisbon to Santiago pilgrimage next September.

Two pilgrims who did not carry their backpacks met yesterday at Obradoiro. One of them was accompanied by a donkey (his friend and "pal") who had carried the backpack and things for the 1,200 kms. from Toulouse which the human pilgrim walked.The other pilgrim had built a rickshaw-type contraption to pull his backpack. Both pilgrims, who did not know each other, arrived in front of the Cathedral at the same time and became friends right away.

Lastly, the number of pilgrims arriving at the Pilgrims' Office keeps increasing.
It is a pity that they won't get to see the Botafumeiro, though.  Well, surely  they'll go back, like most of us.

Hugs!

Rosina


  
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