A friend has been holidaying in Galicia in Spain and visited the pilgrimage church of Santiago de Compostella. here are his pics of the outside and the inside.
The key thing to note is the two separate pulpits from which the Epistle and the Gospel are sung. This is a common feature of Spanish churches from the Middle Ages and the practice of proclaiming the readings from the pulpits extended well into the post-Tridentine period. I noted on my travels that the Basilica de San Lorenzo del Escorial, whihc Phillip II built as a showpiece of Tridentine reform, also has this arrangement.
The other feature of Santigo de Compostella is the famous botafumeiro, the huge thurible which is swung from the ceiling of the basilica, by a crew of 8 thurifers, operating ropes and pulleys. If you are lucky enought to be in Santiago de Compostella on the feast of St James, you could check it out in action. Otherwise you can read about it in the reference.
As you can see Galicia has been getting some welcome rain. Dios Gracias! Spain is currently under a severe drought; the worst for over 100 years
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