San Justo de la Vega (León) (0)

Did you know that... San Justo de la Vega

It is located in the centre-south of the province of León and on the banks of the river Tuerto, in a flat area at the foot of the first foothills of the mountains of León. As it is a place of passage of the Roman road that communicated all the north of Spain, it is supposed that in the place, on the edge of the Roman city of Astorga and following the Roman customs, there would be houses and mansions whose dwellers would cultivate the land and exploit the hunting grounds. But the true birth of the village as such is thought to date back to the Visigothic period as the name of the locality, San Justo, is taken from the martyrs Justo and Pastor, who are also its patrons, and the fame and legend of their martyrdom spread during this time, 7th century. It must have originated as a village of farmers who settled here to cultivate the fertile plain of the River Tuerto, and hence also the name of his surname, de la Vega.

A little more history

It is not ruled out that from the ninth and tenth centuries, when the Roman route became the pilgrimage way to Santiago, San Justo de la Vega saw its population grown and settled with pilgrims who saw the opportunity to stay in these fruitful and fertile places.

To discover What to see in San Justo de la Vega?

In the village, the name of one of its streets reminds us of the pilgrims' hospital that used to be here. Of the building of the primitive church, built in the sixteenth century, only the tower with its belfry is preserved. The church dedicated to the patron saints of the locality, the Saints Justo and Pastor, keeps inside a carving of San Justo attributed to Gregorio Español and dating from the 16th century and the altar from the 17th century. On the outskirts of the village, in the direction of Astorga, the Roman bridge of La Moldería Real, also known as La Molinería, crosses the river Tuerto. In the Middle Ages a Sarcophagus was discovered in San Justo de la Vega, which experts date from the 4th century of the Christian Era. It was transferred to Astorga Cathedral until 1869, when it was taken to the National Archaeological Museum.

Festivities

San Justo de la Vega celebrates its festivities in honour of its patron saints the Saints Justo and Pastor on the first Sunday in August.

Traditions

In San Justo de la Vega, the first weekend after Easter Sunday and in honour of San Toribio, a pilgrimage is held every year to the mound El Crucero carrying in procession the images of the Saint and the Virgin of the Rosary accompanied by banners. There and fulfilling the tradition, the neighbors deposit a stone with a wish.

Curiosities

During the Holy Week of San Juan de la Vega, the announcements for the different religious acts that take place on Friday and Holy Saturday are made to the ringing of rattles since, according to the liturgy, during these days and until the Resurrection of the Lord the bells cannot be rung.

The Legend

Legend has it that being Toribio bishop of Tui suffered the attacks, like all Christians of the northwest of the peninsula, of the armies that the Visigoth king Theodorico sent against that area in 465, making many of them seek refuge elsewhere. Toribio sought him in Astorga, from where he had been bishop before and from which he had to leave because of disagreements with the clergy and the people when trying to fight against the rise of the doctrine of Prisciliano, considered heresy. Not being well received, he left and at the top of the hill from where Astorga can be seen he shook his sandals while pronouncing the phrase: " of this land, not even the dust". After a short time the people of the place realized their mistake and as a sign of repentance, it was decided to raise this cruise in stone.