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The 'Botafumeiro' returns to the Santiago Cathedral

Culture & Traditions of the Camino

The 'Botafumeiro' returns to the Santiago Cathedral

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01-08-2024

The Cathedral of Santiago recovers one of its most iconic rituals: the flight of the Botafumeiro, the huge incense burner used since the Middle Ages to purify the temple, always full of pilgrims.

After several months without his presence in the Cathedral of Santiago due to maintenance work, the botafumeiro returns for the enjoyment of the pilgrims.

Previously, the botafumeiro had been without activity for almost two years due to the works inside the Cathedral. The Xacoboe 21-22 allowed us to see its flight again. The return took place in the ceremony of the Apostle’s “Traslatio” of 2021, which is celebrated every December 30, and the opening of the Holly Door beginning the Holy Year.

Today we get closer to the history and ritual of this impressive object sailing through the skies of the Cathedral for the past 800 years.

A medieval air freshener

The famous Botafumeiro of the Santiago Cathedral is a big silver plated brass incense burner, over 150 centimeters tall and weighing over 50, almost reaching 100 kilos when it is loaded with incense.  

Its origin is uncertain but it already appears in the Codex Calixtinus under the name of Turibulum Magnum, so we know it was already in the Cathedral during the XII century. Its function was no other than purifying the Cathedral of Santiago in light of the amount of pilgrims that arrived from all parts of Europe.

We must remember that in the Middle Ages a great number of churches and cathedrals on the Camino harbored pilgrims, so bad smells concentrated in temples. Here lies why it was necessary to use incense in order to get rid of the smell.

The size of the Botafumeiro at the Santiago Cathedral is due to the large dimensions of the temple, as well as it being the end of the Camino, concentrating a large number of pilgrims that concluded their pilgrimage to Santiago. What we are talking about is some kind of medieval air freshener that, fortunately, made it to our days.

Throughout all these centuries there were several incense burners. Nowadays two are kept on the Cathedral’s Chapter Library. The oldest one is from 1851 and is the one that’s currently being used, and the second one is a silver replica made in 1971.

Ritual in the Cathedral of Santiago

Even more fascinating than the Botafumeiro itself is the ritual of its flight through the Cathedral for the past 800 years, really.

Eight men, the so-called “tiraboleiros”, are in charge of setting it in motion loaded with incense and charcoal. After tying it to a rope with three thick knots in front of the main altar, the “tiraboleiros” pump the incense burner by pulling the ropes with the help of a pulley system. A pendulum movement starts now taking the Botafumeiro from the central dome of the Cathedral to the side naves. 

Originally, the Botafumeiro was hung on some wood beams crossed on the vault of the Compostelan temple. However, since the Rennaisance, Celma the master designed the current mechanism, based on the law of the pendulum.

That is how the Botafumeiro is able to reach in less than a minute and a half the speed of 68 kilometers per hour, forming an 82º angle. The flight of the Botafumeiro takes place after the communion whilst the Apostle’s Anthem plays on the baroque organs of the Cathedral. A total of 17 "see-saw" cycles take place, leaving an unforgettable memory for those who watch it.

When does the Botafumeiro work?

In case anyone has not seen it yet or wants to see it in action again, the Chapter of the Cathedral usually schedules the flight of the incense burner on these dates:

  • Three Kings Day – Epiphany of the Lord (January 6)
  • Easter Sunday
  • Ascension of the Lord
  • Apparition of the Apostle-Clavijo (May 23)
  • Pentecost
  • Day of Santiago Apostle (July 25)
  • Assumption of Mary (August 15)
  • All Saints Day (November 1)
  • Christ the King
  • Immaculate Conception (December 8)
  • Christmas (December 25)
  • Traslatio of Santiago Apostle (December 30)

The Botafumeiro also works upon request in specific pilgrimages. Those who wish to see it flying can contact the Cathedral at the email address botafumeiro@catedraldesantiago.es.

*The picture in this article belongs to Fernando García Riñón.


Comments
Daniele
Boa tarde! Em qual horário de missa dia 06/01/2023 o bafomeiro é utilizado?
02-01-2023

Eugénio Manuel Franco Pinto
Bom dia. Um muito obrigado pela vossa atenção à minha dúvida. Perdoem-me, uma última dúvida. Nos anos que não são Xacobeo, Ano Santo, não funciona de todo? Muito agradecido, recebam os meus melhores cumprimentos, Eugénio Pinto
27-08-2022

El camino con correos
Olá Eugénio, nos anos não santos o botafumeiro continua a trabalhar nas datas listadas neste post. ¡Buen Camino!
29-08-2022

Eugénio Manuel Franco Pinto
Agradeço o vosso esclarecimento pois penso revisitar Santiago de Compostela e os seus magníficos monumentos, entre eles a sua bela Catedral, neste Ano Santo - Xacobeo. Os meus melhores cumprimentos, Eugénio Franco Pinto
23-08-2022

El camino con correos
Muito obrigado pelo seu comentário Eugénio. Saudações e ¡Buen Camino!
29-08-2022

Eugénio Manuel Franco Pinto
Bom dia! O Botafumeiro funciona todos os dias nas missas do Peregrino este ano de 2022 por ser Ano Santo - Xacobeo? Ou só nas datas indicadas e em qualquer dia sendo contratado por alguém ou grupo?
23-08-2022

El camino con correos
Olá Eugénio, só funciona nos dias marcados neste blog ou num grupo ou pessoa que contrata a sua operação. ¡Buen Camino!
24-08-2022

José
Boa tarde. É possível saber se O botafumeiro está programado para 10 ou 11 de Agosto ? Nesses dias estarei em Santiago. Obrigado
09-08-2022

El camino con correos
Olá José, o botafumeiro não estará activo nesses dias, apenas nas datas indicadas neste post. ¡Buen Camino!
10-08-2022

Cristiana Cardoso
Boa tarde, eu gostaria de saber se no dia 19 de Junho, irá haver o botafumeiro? Gostava de presenciar, pois é algo que nunca vi, nem os meus filhos. Obrigada
05-06-2022

El camino con correos
Olá Cristina. A operação do botafumeiro não está prevista para esse dia. mas você pode ter sorte e alguma pessoa ou grupo paga por isso e você pode ver.
06-06-2022

Rosinda Rodrigues
Bom dia! Gostaria de saber se é possível assistir ao voo do Botafumeiro no sábado, dia 16 de Abril. Se sim, a que horas?
12-04-2022

El camino con correos
Olá Rosinda. Não está programado para esse dia. Você pode ver se alguém o contratou. Bom Caminho!
12-04-2022

Maria Natividade Sousa
Boa tarde Meu nome é Maria, sou portuguesa e gostaria muito de participar numa celebração na Catedral de Santiago de Compostela em que o Botafumeiro funcionasse. Num site vi que funciona no dia da Ascensão do Senhor que em 2022 se celebra no dia 26 de Maio , mas também no dia da Aparição do Apóstolo-Clavijo (23 de maio). Gostaria que me confirmassem estas datas e que me informassem sobre o que preciso fazer para participar (p. ex. inscrição..) Aguardo resposta e desde já muito obrigada Maria Sousa
29-03-2022

El camino con correos
Sim, o botafumeiro vai trabalhar nesses dias. Para vê-lo em funcionamento, basta assistir à Missa do Peregrino. Não é possível reservar lugar ou inscrever-se com antecedência. Saudações
29-03-2022

Padre PATRICK McINALLY
Hola, voy a hacer el Camino con un grupo de 34 pelegrinos. Estaremos en Santiago los dias 16 - 18 octubre. Habra Botafumeiro durante las Misas Pelegrinas esos dias?
28-09-2021

El camino con correos
Buenos días. Esos días no está previsto el funcionamiento del botafumeiro. No obstante, puede tener suerte y verlo si algún grupo lo ha contratado. Saludos y Buen Camino!
29-09-2021

ANGEL GONZALEZ
HOLA, POR CAUSA DE LA PANDEMIA ,NO HEMOS PODIDO ELEGIR OTRAS FECHAS, ES LA NEVENA VEZ QUE VOY, EN OTERS OCASIONES CON MI MUJER Y OTROS HIJOS,PERO ESTE ANO ME ACOMPANAN ALEJANDRO Y JUAN Y ESTAREMOS EN SANTIAGO EL JUEVES 23 DE SEPTIEMBRE.PREGUNTO?HABRA FUMEIRO ESE DIA? GRACIAS,ANGEL
06-09-2021

El camino con correos
Hola, Angel! El día 23 de septiembre no está el Botafumeiro en funcionamiento. Buen Camino!
07-09-2021

Wendy
I walked the Camino in May 2019 but the botafumeiro was not in use due to building works. When can I safely visit again to see it swing?
06-05-2021

El camino con correos
Hi Wendy. On the dates that appear at the end of the article. Buen Camino!
12-05-2021

Kevin Egan
Hello...I have the firm intention of doing the Camino in March from Saint Jean to Santiago. Do you think or do you foresee that the Camino and the services will be up and running? Thanks
04-01-2021

El camino con correos
Hi Kevin! We hope so, but everything will depend on the evolution of the pandemic. Buen Camino!
05-01-2021

Theresa Bell
With the COVID vaccine coming, we all hope that Camino pilgrims will increase. Do you think the botafumeiro will swing on Easter Sunday 2021 especially being a Holy Year?
18-12-2020

El camino con correos
Hi Theresa. Easter Sunday 2021 it is one of the days that the botafumeiro is scheduled to work. Buen Camino!
05-01-2021

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