The Botafumeiro is a massive silver plated incense burner used in Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in northwestern Spain. It hangs from the cathedral’s dome and is traditionally swung during special religious services, especially on major feast days and when large numbers of pilgrims arrive. The name Botafumeiro comes from the Galician words for smoke and fumigate, reflecting its original purpose of perfuming the air inside the church. The censer weighs about 53 kilograms or roughly 130 pounds w

What a site to behold! Swinging censer at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Spain. This censer is about 1.50 metres in length and weighs 53kg and one of the most striking rituals at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It takes eight men, known as ‘tiraboleiros’, to set the Botafumeiro in motion and make it swing dramatically over the nave of the Cathedral 20 metres high, while releasing its fragrant incense smoke. | Catholic For Life