![]() Imagine a strong aroma of incense spreading throughout the cathedral and an almost hypnotic movement of the censor itself. ![]() To give you an idea of what it might feel like, try to imagine an extremely large censor – one of the largest in the world measuring 1,60 meters in height and weighting 80 kilos – being set on fire and in motion by eight men (“the tiraboleiros”) and swinging like a huge pendulum from one side of the nave of the transept to the other above the heads of the assembly at quite a considerable speed. The ceremony of the “Botafumeiro” which occurs during Pilgrim Mass on special occasions and every Friday at 7:30pm is a spectacular and very unusual show. It is traditional to hug or pat his statue in order to thank him for the strength that he has given you along the Camino de Santiago, in spite of the heat or the cold, your tiredness, the blisters and any obstacles you might have encountered. “Hic Est Corpus Davi Jacobi Apostoli Et Ispaniarum Patroni” In his hand he carries a corbel which bears the inscription: The statue of Saint James has been sculpted in a polychromatic stone. Detail of the High Altar of the Cathedral of Santiago with the statue of Saint James in the middle Those people are queuing to see up close and embrace the statue of Saint James. The Current Pilgrim Ritual of Embracing Saint James Statueīehind the high altar you will find a queue going up a staircase. This final gesture is the famous “coscorron” (head bump) that is said to have opened the minds of many future architects and great builders. They would then tap their forehead gently three times on his and ask that he transmit just a little of his great wisdom. ![]() Statue of Santo dos Croques used for the Ritual of the Coscorron They would then get down on their knees and place their arms inside the mouths of the two lions and pray again.įinally, they would go to the opposite side of the column where they would find another head, Master Mateo’s popularly known as the “Santo dos Croques”. Here pilgrims would insert the tips of their fingers and their thumb of their right hand into the grooves of the column and rest their forehead against the statue and say a prayer. This could be Hercules or perhaps even Christ himself. While looking at the “Portico de la Gloria” beneath the statue of Saint James, the column’s surface is lines with five grooves and at its base a titan fights two lions. This is no longer allowed by the Church but used to be a very popular ritual for newly arrived pilgrims in Santiago. The most popular rituals for pilgrims arriving in Santiago over the centuries The Old Pilgrim Ritual of Accomplishing the Coscorron Some of these rituals are still popular among new arrivals and we invite you to join the millions who have performed them before you. It has been their shining beacon, their ray of light after what can be for some a difficult journey, especially during the Medieval Age.įor 11 centuries, pilgrims have dreamed of making it to the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela, to pay their respect to the Apostle and undergo a series of rituals that complete their inner and physical journey before going home. As they walked, cycled or rode the Camino de Santiago on a horse, they have been imagining the moment they would finally see the Cathedral from the Obradoiro Square. A dream they have been carrying for at least 5 days or 100km but sometimes for weeks or even months. ![]() To Santiago’s visitor, the Cathedral has somehow a personal meaning, they all feel deeply linked to it in some way.įor 250,000 pilgrims in 2015, seeing the Cathedral was the accomplishment of a dream. It is the resting place of the Apostle Saint James and its historical and spiritual importance for the building of Spain and Christianity as we know it is huge.īut to most of its visitors, it is not its beauty or historical importance that they seek. It is the support and main attraction to the City of Santiago de Compostela which was built around it. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a masterpiece of Romanesque and Baroque art. For 1000, pilgrims reaching Santiago have accomplished various Rituals, which we would like to detail in this article. Like millions before you over the centuries, you finally accomplished the Camino de Santiago and reached the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
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