[Gocamino] a serious medieval question or three

[Rosina]

What the tour guides say has been quite true, on and off, throughout the centuries. During the plague and cholera scares the Botafumeiro was, indeed,  disinfectant, whereas at other times it was used to mask odors.  Pgrims' old clothing used to be burned on te roof of the Cathedral. For generations there was a caretaker living up there with his family. He even had a plot tha was cultivated as a garden. The endless parade of pilgrims going up to burn their clothing eventually caused marital  and other problems for the caretaker,  and the practice was discontinued. A new "burn" site was located in Azabacherias for a while and then moved farther away. Also,  the ascent to the roof is not easy (as anyone who had gone up well knows) and that precluded the many pilgrims who went to Santiago quite sick to avail themselves of the burn facilities on the roof. 
The praying or kneeling customs of the pilgrims on entering a church were, and are,  as a rule, those which the pilgrims bring with themselves. When Papal Bulls were issued proscribing certain rites, such as crossing oneself or taking holy water  in entering  church, those were incorporated.
There used to be a massive stone choir smack in the center of the Cathedral (it can be seen today, in all its glory, in the Cathedral  Museum) which was carved by the indefatigable Maestro Mateo  (the 12 carved figures around the Holy Door
on Plaza Quintana come from that choir).  To make room for the ever increasing number of parishioners and pilgrims the stone choir was removed and the inside of the church was transformed into pretty much what it is today. While one can see the traces of hands reposed there over the centuries in the portico de Gloria's Tree of Jessee, similar hand indentations can be seen in the marble frame of the Holy Door on the side where one descends a step to go into the church. There the indentations are on either side since those entering used to extend their arms to touch both sides as they prayed when going in. 
Pilgrims did sleep on the upper balconies around the Apse. There s a very small unobtrusive door,next to the big Sacristy door, that leads to a narrow stone stairway. On the balconies one can still see the recesses where pilgrims slept, and where so many died that a group of nuns had sort of a permanent nursing station there.
The small door, and stairway, can only be ascended today by special permission. If the upcoming ceremonies of the opening of the Holy Door are televised and you get to see the telecast you will spot cameramen and light technicians walking around on the balconies. Sometimes choir members sing from there.

Hugs

Rosina