[Gocamino] Botafumeiro rope

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
A spokesperson for the Santiago Cabildo (?), Jose Fernandez Lago, has said that the new Botafumeiro rope will be delivered to the Cathedral next week. There will be a period of testing, however.... so it cannot be known when the Botafumeiro will be in full use again. Mr. Fernandez Lago added that the entire mechanism that sustains the rope and Botafumeiro is being minutely reviewed and will be carefully tested.
It does look like much expediency is being applied in anticipation of the Summer influx of pilgrims.
The new rope is fifty (50) millimeters in diameter (the one replaced was eighty (80)millimeters) and is 65 meters long. Also, some synthetic and acrylic fibers have been added, hoping to make it longer-lasting.
It seems that the pre-1999 ropes that had lasted so long were made from fibers that came from plants no longer available. Also, the increased use of the Botafumeiro because of the Holy Years, and the growth in the number of pilgrims, has put a greater strain on the rope and the mechanism that makes it function.  
At the end of the fifteenth Century, Queen Isabel's daughter Eleanor stopped in Santiago on her way to England to marry Henry VIII's older brother  (later, as we know, she married Henry.... to her misfortune). After attending Mass at  the Cathedral the Botafumeiro was brought out in her honor, and at the height of its flight the rope broke and the Botafumeiro flew out of the church through a window onto Quintana Square. A couple of centuries later the Botafumeiro fell plumb down on the floor of the Cathedral during services.  Fortunately, no one was injured in either mishap.
Some people muse that there is an ominous connection between the Botafumeiro and princesses.  Some months ago Princess Leticia went to Santiago with her husband, Prince Felipe, heir to the crown of Spain; they both attended Mass and saw the Butafumeiro; shortly after returning to Madrid the Princess learned that her sister had committed suicide. A few weeks ago the Princess gave birth to her second daughter, and, reportedly, had a very hard time of it. So much so that the Prince has said that there will probably be no more pregnancies. (The government in Spain has been drafting  changes to their applicable law that would allow females to succeed to the throne ever since Leticia and Felipe's first daughter, Eleanor, was born).

Meanwhile, a U.S. pilgrim has suggested that the replaced Botafumeiro rope be cut in 8" segments that could be offered for sale accompanied by a plaque and a certificate of authenticity.
At the risk of losing the good will of the people that I know at  the Archconfraternity and at the Pilgrims Office I have passed on the suggestion to them..... 
(Frankly, It would be nice to have such a memento)

Oh, well!

Hugs!

Rosina
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