Last evening was awesome! There was a special Mass for pilgrims at the main cathedral in Santiago, where tradition says the Apostle James’ remains are resting — a sacred place.
It was a 7:30 pm Mass, but shortly after 6:00, I was walking around that area, and saw people going in the door, so I thought maybe I should go on in. I was glad I did, because the crowd was already gathering!
There just seemed to be an extra buzz regarding the service. If you attend a church on a regular basis, you know that on certain days, there’s that extra excitement. I know at our church, a couple of the special exciting days are the Easter service and the Christmas candlelight service. There was just that “buzz” among the people anticipating the 7:30 pm Mass.
The official seating capacity of the cathedral is listed at 1,200 people; however, it is designed as a typical Catholic church with large empty areas to the sides. By the time 7:30 rolled around, every seat was full, and people were standing pretty much wherever they could stand.
Now, as I said earlier, being a non-Catholic puts me at a disadvantage — I don’t know when to stand and when to sit. I always lag behind everybody else. And then, when it came to the repetition of liturgy during this service, I was a zero. I haven’t memorized any of that liturgy!
The priest gave about a 10-minute devotional geared towards the pilgrims. And then, near the end of the Mass, they served Communion. They did let it be known that Communion was for only those who considered themselves to be Catholics and were in good standing with the Catholic Church. I do think I’m in good standing with the Church of Jesus Christ; however, I am not a Catholic. So while many others partook of Communion up front, I just communed silently with my Lord at my seat.
The remains of James are supposedly under his statue.
The highlight of the entire evening was something that I’ve been teasing you with for the last couple of days. In the cathedral in Santiago is what is called a Botafumeiro. I hope that you have taken time to look this up, because my editor probably won’t let me give a very long explanation. But the botafumeiro is a famous thurible, which is another word that protestants are not very familiar with, but is a censer that generally hangs and burns incense during a worship service.
The tradition of the botafumeiro is said to have begun in the 11th century. When pilgrims walking the Camino arrived in Santiago during that time, they didn’t have the luxury that we have of hostels with warm showers! So evidently, they would come into the cathedral and their deodorant had quit working. Also, some of them reportedly were sick from the long pilgrimage. So one of the theories is that they would swing this botafumeiro in an effort to fumigate the pilgrims and the room for odor and sickness.
Down through the centuries, the botafumeiro itself was generally donated by a king or someone wealthy, and it would typically be used several hundred years. Something interesting I learned is that in the 1400’s King Louis XI donated a new botafumeiro and it was used until April of 1809 when Napoleon’s troops came in and stole it!
The botafumeiro
The one that is currently used has been there for approximately 175 years, even though it has been refurbished during that time.
Down through the centuries, there have been different ways that the botafumeiro has been swung. Currently, it has a system of pulleys that several monks pull down on, and it reaches speeds of about 40 miles an hour.
The swinging of the botafumeiro has been discontinued at regular Masses because evidently it costs around $400 each time it is used, so this special practice is reserved for only special occasions, and there has to be a special donation to make it happen.
I was grateful that it was made possible while I was there! Honestly, it was so impressive that, looking back on it, I would have personally funded the $400 just to see it.
At the very end of the service, they lowered the botafumeiro down so the priest could light the incense. Then all the priests, or monks (I’m not sure on that detail) who were going to be rope pullers got in place.
Miss Wanda Casey needs this pipe organ!
The gigantic pipe organ started playing, making that mammoth rock cathedral vibrate like it was going to come crashing down like the walls of Jericho in the Bible. And, little by little, the huge botafumeiro got to swinging higher and higher with more and more velocity, and incense was being thrown out of the thurible. Within about a minute, I think every corner of that cathedral had the aroma of the incense.
Now, they had made announcement after announcement before the Mass began that there was to be no photography, no video, no phones — nothing! Well, when that botafumeiro started swinging, I wanted to video it so badly, but wanted to be a rule keeper. But as I looked around there were about 1,000 phones videoing it, so I decided I was going to be a rule breaker as well! My footage wasn’t great because it went out of my line of sight part of the time, but it was incredible! You can watch the video clip that I got, even though the quality is subpar!
After a couple of minutes of swinging, they quit pulling the ropes, and it gradually slowed. At the right time, a monk ran up, grabbed the botafumeiro and stopped it.
The crowd just burst into wild applause! Did I tell you it was awesome? If I didn’t, let me just tell you, it was awesome! As soon as it was over, I texted some leaders in our church and I said, “Okay, guys, we need to find a wealthy donor and incorporate this into our services!”
I realize spiritually and Biblically there is no merit to this. The closest Scripture I could come up with was that verse in which it mentions our praise and our worship to God is like a sweet aroma that rises up to Him.
Really, that’s what I want our services to be like! I want our praise and worship to be like an incense that fills our sanctuary and rises and reaches and pleases God! Again, it was awesome!!!
Well, very quickly, today began the homestretch for me. As I indicated earlier, only 1% of the pilgrims continue on to Finisterre. And I have to say, I felt a little bit sorry for myself this morning because I think everybody else in my room was going back home to be reunited with their families. And there was that slight twinge of thinking maybe I should just stop!
But I got my stuff together, and slipped out the door just a few minutes after 6:00. The first 30 minutes of navigation were tough! The main focus in this country is the Camino de Santiago, which I have completed. And so, there are not nearly as many resources, nor signage, for the continuation of this trail to Finisterre.
Goodbye, Santiago de Compostela
As I was trying to exit out of Santiago, I saw no absolutely no signs. I’m thankful I had downloaded an app that overlays my location over Apple Maps. That’s the only way I got out of town. I kind of felt like a pilot flying in the dark, guided by instruments. Thankfully I had the app that kept me on the right path.
The trail was much less packed than it was over the last month. I think I only saw 6 different pilgrims in the 14 miles I walked today!
I was thinking, “You know, I’m going to the ocean, so it’s going to be a descent down to sea level.” Wrong! A good portion of the day was uphill! The trail took me through groves of oak and eucalyptus trees over 100 years old.
And guess what? I got to see another sunrise. I’m treasuring every sunrise that I get to see here in Spain. But anyway, I’m getting closer! Lord willing, three more tough stages and I will be at the end of the earth!
Let me leave you with this devotional thought. As I was navigating in the dark this morning, I thought of our culture. Our culture can seem so dark at times. There’s confusion over what is right and what is wrong. The terms of tolerance, acceptance, new normal — all of those have made things fuzzy.
But there is Good News! During those times, when things are so dark and confusing, go back to your App. That’s the only safe way to navigate through this confusing world! And God’s App — His Word — will keep you on the right path, guaranteed!
Meet Olaf from Germany. He went to Finisterre a few years ago and a rogue wave swept his pack out to sea. He is a professional life guard and jumped in after it because it contained his Passport and documents. He nearly lost his life while doing so, and his pack was never recovered. He credits God for sparing his life.
Thanks for joining me as I head to the end of the earth.
If these make it, it’s gonna be really close.
Life just got a little bit better!
Home for tonight. 27 roomies!
Updated location
Approximate total miles: 555
Approximate miles walked today: 14
Approximate miles remaining: 48