Lestedo (Lugo) (0)

Did you know that... Lestedo

Together with the places and houses of Portos, Os Valos, A Brea and O Rosario among others, form the parish of Lestedo belonging to the council of Palas de Rei in the province of Lugo. All of them make beads of the rosary that the Way of Saint James threshes before entering Palas de Rei. The area abounds with archaeological remains that speak of ancient population centres, such as the castro of Sucastro in Lestedo, but the history of the place left its mark when in the Middle Ages the Jacobean Way was sowing its route of Romanesque churches, pilgrim hospitals ... it is known that this stretch of the Way was protected since the twelfth century by the knights of the Order of Santiago. Lestedo had a hospital for pilgrims which was promoted by the Ulloa family.

To discover What to see in Lestedo, Portos, Os Valos, A Brea and O Rosario?

In Lestedo its simple church of popular construction dedicated to Santiago, surrounded by the cemetery, and a beautiful transept accompany the walker for a few metres. The last village before arriving at Palas de Rey is O Rosario, from whose height you can see the silhouette of the Pico Sacro on clear days.

Traditions

Tradition has it that at the high of the Rosary, at the first glimpse of the Sacred Peak, antechamber of the city of Compostela, the pilgrims, as a sign of joy for having been able to arrive here and having the end of their journey so near, prayed this prayer, and hence the name of this place.

The Legend

Legend has it that many, many years ago, when Santiago's disciples brought his martyred body by sea to Galician lands, they went to ask for help from Queen Lupa, a rich pagan widow who at that time was the lady of these places, so that she would leave them a place to bury the Saint. The queen, with the intention of removing them from the middle, sent them to the Sacred Peak, formerly called Illicino Mountain, telling them that there they could take two oxen for the transport of the body, but she knew that they were not oxen but brave bulls. On the way, a huge and dangerous snake came out, and they defeated it with the sign of the cross. Once on the mountain, when they went to catch the bulls, they approached them docilely and let them put the yoke on, then placed them to pull the cart and thus be able to transport the body of the apòstol to Mount Libredón in Compostela where they gave him burial. Faced with these miraculous events, Queen Lupa converted to Christianity.