Botafumeiro: the most famous censer in the world (8 photos + 1 video)

In the Cathedral of the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, there is a unique bowl. It is so unusual that it has even earned the right to its own name – Botafumeiro.





Pilgrims and tourists come from all over the world to watch it in action.

What is this unique censer?



A thuribulum is a metal incense burner or censer used in some Christian churches during services. It consists of a metal or ceramic crucible in which charcoal is gradually burned with incense added to create a sweet aroma. The crucible is then suspended by metal chains at a high enough place inside the church and gently swung in the air so that the smell of the incense spreads sufficiently over the desired distance.

What is its meaning and purpose?





The botafumeiro is perhaps the largest of all existing bowls of this kind. It is 1.6 meters high and weighs 53 kilograms. When loaded with charcoal, it can weigh more than a hundredweight.

The botafumeiro is lifted 20 meters into the air from the central dome of the cathedral using a special pulley system by eight men in red robes. The attendants are called tiraboleiros (from the Latin turifer, which means "incense bearer"). While the censer is within reach, it is pushed vigorously to speed it up. As it rises, the vibrations become stronger. At the top of its swing, the censer makes a 65-metre-long arc and reaches speeds of up to 68 km/h, throwing out thick clouds of incense.



The sight of the botafumeiro making huge arcs around the cathedral is supposedly so hypnotic that some pilgrims pay 450 euros for a private "performance" using it.

History of Botafumeiro



The tradition of swinging the censer in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela appeared in the 11th century to eliminate the heavy smell of the bodies of pilgrims who appeared in the cathedral after a long, tiring walk. Accordingly, they did not smell like roses. Incense smoke was believed to be a good preventative measure during the plague and other epidemics. Of course, burning incense is an important tradition of many cultures, intended to serve as a symbolic or sacrificial offering to higher powers or as an aid in prayer.



In the 13th century, the pulley mechanism was modified to allow for a larger load, and therefore a larger bowl.

In the 15th century, King Louis XI of France ordered a new bowl made of silver. Unfortunately, this ornate vessel was stolen by Napoleon's troops in April 1809, during the Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814). So in 1851, a new brass bowl was cast and installed. This is the bowl in use today. Its name comes from the Galician word botar, meaning "to throw out, to expel," and the Latin word fume, meaning "smoke."



Isn't it dangerous when 50 kilograms of hot coals swing 20 meters above the heads of visitors? Yes, and in history it has happened more than once that the ropes did not hold up, and the censer either fell into the upper vaults or scattered hot coals on the floor below. Once, in 1499, Princess Catherine of Aragon, who was traveling to marry the heir to the English throne, stopped at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. During the swinging, the Botafumeiro flew out of the cathedral through a window. Fortunately, no one was hurt.



In addition to the botafumeiro, there is another large interesting object of the same kind in the Basilica of the Archcathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It is used during other masses held in the cathedral and is called La Alcachofa (literally "Artichoke") or La Repollo (literally "Cabbage"). This censer was created in our time, in 1971.