Located in one corner of the world, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in Death CoastIt is a maritime city Moxia. Always surrounded by mist and mist, it is famous as a modern destination for the Camino de Santiago … Never in the Middle Ages was it such a pocket treasure mixed with history and legend: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Barcelona.
Tradition says that when the Apostle Santiago was preaching to the peninsula in the first century, the Virgin appeared to him twice to give him strength in his mission. First in ZaragozaWhere he left his mark in the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The second was in Muxia, where, according to legend, the Virgin appeared on the waters in a boat before the “Son of Thunder” so that he would not be discouraged by the limited success of his mission.
These are the legendary origins of the current temple, to which there are references from the 12th century when it was a chapel in the Romanesque style that was later enlarged in the 15th century due to the numerous evidences that took place here, and later, in the 17th century, thanks to the donations of the Dukes of Maceda, lords of the Serixo towers, whose remains were preserved in one of the sarcophagi of the sanctuary.
A place of miracles
As soon as you enter the church with a Latin, single cross and Baroque style, you are surprised by the silence that always prevails inside. It is also overwhelming for A large number of votive offerings from boats and sailboats appear on its walls or are hung The large lamps, all left by sailors and sailors in gratitude to the Virgin for saving their lives in shipwrecks or storms.
After walking through the central nave, you reach the main altar and the Virgin’s dressing room. 19th century walnut sculpture, Gothic style, polychrome, representing The Virgin is standing with the child Jesus in her arms. The image granted privileges by Pope Pius XII and whose hero is every Sunday after September 8 One of the oldest and most important pilgrimages in SpainAnnounce National Tourism Authority Festival In 1989.
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A hundred meters from the entrance to the sanctuary is the sacred origin of the place: the “Holy Stones” which, according to legend, are the fossilized remains of the boat in which the Virgin Mary appeared to the Apostle Santiago.
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How to get there. By bus from Santiago or La Coruña, which has an airport and good train connections.
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Places of interest. The city includes other important enclaves, such as the Pilgrims’ Fountain – where pilgrims clean themselves before entering the sanctuary – the Church of Santa Maria, the Muxia Lighthouse and the eel drying chambers, the only ones that have been preserved and are still in use in an artisanal way.
Muxía was an inspiration to famous writers such as Federico Garcia Lorca (as captured in “Six Galician Poems”) or Rosalia de Castro. Today it is a modern goal of the Camino de Santiago. It is not for nothing that it is one of the jubilee temples Roman Holy Year 2025Which will continue until January 6, a place of forgiveness under the slogan “Pilgrims of Hope” for all Catholics seeking conversion, repentance and spiritual renewal.
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