[Gocamino] a serious medieval question or three

[Miriam Martinez]

Hi Cathy!
I did hear about the burning of the clothes on the roof and saw the place where this supposedly happened from the tour guide of the Cathedral Roof Tour. He also mentioned that the pilgrims could actually sleep inside the Cathedral. There is a loft on the way to the roof where the pilgrims could bed for the night...

As to the spiritual wishes, I though you made the spiritual request when placing your hand on the Tree of Jesse. I did, but next time placing the hand on my heart will have to do...   

Regards,
Miriam        


-----Original Message-----
From: gocamino-bounces at oakapple.net [mailto:gocamino-bounces at oakapple.net] On Behalf Of Kathy Gower
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 3:27 PM
To: oakapple
Subject: [Gocamino] a serious medieval question or three

I received this request and wonder if anyone out there knows the answers...(this isn't a quiz)  I have sent this to a couple of listserves..."Got a question for you: our tour guide at the cathedral in Santiago assured us that in the middle ages pilgrims would burn their clothes in a large stone tub on the roof (visible when you go out the north exit and look back at the cathedral) and would be given "new" (or at least clean) replacement clothes by the church. I said I'd never heard of that--have you? Also, she said that the botafumiero wasn't used to make the cathedral smell better but was used for some combo of disinfecting and blessing. Again, have you heard this? And third--that when you enter a church for the first time, you put your hand on your heart and make 3 spiritual wishes. That's why she thinks it isn't important that the Tree of Jesse may not be accessible for pilgrims to touch--after all, the tradition (??) is to make 3 spiritual wishes.... no need to touch any!
 thing...."Just wondering. Maybe you can put these questions out there to others who might know something?