There are 19km from Lugo to San Romao da Retorta. But if the pilgrim is interested in mystery, he should go to Santalla de Bóveda and try to get to its meaning, hidden throughout the centuries. The Way the pilgrim steps on is a way with over twenty centuries of history. A milestone showed that the Way goes along the 19th route of Antonino´s itinerary, the main road of the Western Roman network. After leaving the cathedral at Bo Xesús Street, pilgrims went down the Rúa do Miño, going through the Fonte da Pinguela. Pilgrims from the diversion of the French Way would also follow this route.
They would go along the placed occupied by the Carmen Chapel (19th century) that substituted a hermitage of the Virgen del Camino, image preserved in an altarpiece of this temple. They would go down the Regueiro dos Hortos, down the Roman road or the Medieval Road and, after crossing the Roman Bridge, they would get to St Lazaro district, where there was an important pilgrim’s hospital. In the surrounding area, we find the Roman baths, mentioned by Plinio and sung by the Licenciado Molina.
Prógalo has a Romanesque church with an image of pilgrim St James. We pass along O Francés and Hospital de Mera, these toponyms are a reference in the Way. In Guntín, you find San Romao da Retorta Romanesque church from the 12th century with posterior alterations. A milestone found here proves that the Way we follow coincides with the 19th Roman Way of Antonino’s Itinerary. Santa Cruz da Retorta is also a Romanesque Church from the 12th century. The church has a Trinitarian Christogram carved in the tympanum of the North door, typical of the areas on the ways to Compostela. In the main facade there is a relief of Christ blessing, between the sun and the moon. Throughout history, the Primitive Way always go straight on from Lugo to Melide, crossing O Careón along Hospital das Seixas, Santiago de Vilouriz, Vilamor and Compostela. The diversion from Augas Santas to Palas de Rei is a modern invention without any historical rigour. |
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