San Xiao do Camiño (Lugo) (0)

Did you know that... San Xiao do Camiño

This village, located on the edge of the French Way, forms, with other houses and places, the parish of the same name. And between Palas de Rei and San Xiao do Camiño is located Carballal, belonging to the parish of San Sebastián de Carballal, both forming part, along with many others, of the municipality of Palas de Rei. The history of this small village goes back to Roman times and its temple dedicated to San Julián or San Xiao, as it is said in Galician, seems to bear witness to this. Many of these chapels, with the same dedication to San Julián, coincide with many of the places where epigraphic remains belonging to the Lares Viales have been found, temples that were built at the crossroads of the Roman roads as protectors of the roads and that in the province of Lugo above all have become chapels, being a magnificent example of the Christianization of these remains of Roman culture. Even the river that waters the place seems to want to add to the devotion for this saint taking his name, river Ruxian or what is the same, river Julián.

To discover What to see in San Xiao do Camiño?

In the small village of San Xulián do Camiño, the cobblestones of its main area, where there is a transept, and the church of San Julián, built in Romanesque style in the 12th century although much reformed in the 18th century, maintain the head of the apse a curious Romanesque window with a semicircular arch. Around it is the atrium cemetery typical of the culture and customs of the place.

Traditions

There is a long tradition in the veneration of patron saints of the Way. In this area there are many sanctuaries located at the crossroads that offer their protection to the walker. San Julián, the hospitaler, also called the poor, has become the patron saint of innkeepers, and his name has been taken for him by numerous churches, hospitals and asylums.

Curiosities

It is worth noting how from the window of the apse of the church of San Xiao do Camiño, San Julián, with its clothes of an intense red color, watches expectantly, blesses and protects the passage of pilgrims on their way to the city of the Apostle.

The Legend

Legend has it that while Julian was hunting, the animal feeling harassed predicted that he would kill his own parents. Frightened and afraid that this would become a reality, he went away and entered the service of a king who, as a reward for the exploits achieved in his orders, gave him a castle and married him to a beautiful noblewoman. One day Julian's anguished parents, who knew nothing about him, in their pilgrimage looking for him, came to the castle. Relating the owner of the castle to her husband with these visitors, she wanted to entertain them and offered them her bedroom to rest. When Julian arrived, he believed that what he was seeing was his wife in flagrant adultery and he killed with his sword the two occupants of the bed. When he realized what had been done, leaving everything and as a sign of penance, he retired with his wife to the banks of a river where he built a hospital to care for walkers and helpless pilgrims. After a long time a poor leper came to the hospital who was about to die, and when Julian was taking care of him, suddenly the man rose shining with light and beauty, and announced to him that God had forgiven him.