[Gocamino] Botafumeiro news

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
La Voz de Galicia" carries an article today about the work being done to replace the Botafumeiro's cord.
Workers from Forjasa, the company that replaced the rope before, are hard at work and, reportedly, they have completed a thorough review of the mechanism that makes the Botafumeiro fly. 
They expect that the Botafumeiro will soar aloft by the weekend. (Hurrah!)
Canonigo Jose Fernandez Lara is quoted in the article as believing that the increased use of the Botafumeiro has caused some of the problems. During the last Holy Year, 2004, the Botafumeiro flew daily in both Pilgrims' Masses. at noon and at 6:00 p.m., because the Archdiocese did not want to disappoint the very large number of pilgrims that wanted to see it. 
(The practice has also been repeated on Sundays during the Summer months in the years since 2004; also, the Botafumeiro flies on sundry special occasions and holidays at whatever time a ceremony may be held. When I was there for the Thanksgiving weekend last November it was brought out three times for several important Galician religious celebrations).
While the augmented width of the last rope caused increased friction which ended up damaging it, the Botafumeiro had not been sent aloft with such frequency before 2004.
As mentioned, the next Holy year, 2010, is expected to be tremendous, since there will not be another one for eleven years,  and daily Pilgrims' Masses may be increased to three. Let's hope that the Archdiocese  makes preparations for the increased use of the Botafumeiro such as keeping spare ropes on hand, workers on call,  an extra team or two of well-trained  "tiraboleiros", etc.  

By the way, Esther, the owner of the lovely hotel "As Artes" right by the Cathedral, tells me that she is already receiving reservation requests for 2010!

Hugs!

Rosina 


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