Galicia, the Switzerland of SpainMeakin, Annette M. B.
History
Galicia, the Switzerland of Spain
Meakin, Annette M. B.
Galicia (Spain : Region)
The modern altar in the centre of the transept is dedicated to the
Virgin Mary; it has her statue and those of the four evangelists. Here
also are kept the relics of St. Heliodorus, which were the gifts of Pope
Pius VIII. in 1839. There is another altar placed on a level with the
dormitories (in 1828) in order that the sick might be able to hear the
voice of the priest. Another altar in the Churrigueresque style, erected
in the eastern arm of the transept at the beginning of the eighteenth
century, has behind it some bad examples of the painting of that period.
On the northern wall are some better paintings, representing St. Gregory
the Great, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Jerome, whose translation of the
Bible is still the only one authorised by the Catholic Church, and St.
Augustine of Hippo. Above the door of the sacristy is a painting that
represents the Father Eternal.
The sacristy, though its walls and vaulting are still disfigured by
whitewash, is worthy of a visit, for it, too, is a good example of the
later Gothic style. Happily, during the year 1507 some of the whitewash
which covered its stone work was removed at the earnest request of a
local archæologist. It is left in an undeservedly neglected condition,
and contains much rubbish, out of which a very old stone statue of St.
James has recently been extracted; the rescued figure now stands in a
niche in the wall. This sacristy also has a curious painted glass window
on which St. James is represented with very good colouring; he wears a
green tunic, a pink robe, and there is a rich blue background; his hair
and beard are white, and in his hand he carries his pilgrim’s staff; the
face is very good work. The sacristan brought forth some interesting and
historical chasubles, and unfolded them that we might examine their
designs. They were of rich velvet embroidered with silver and gold
thread, and dated, some from the beginning of the sixteenth, and some
from the seventeenth century. On one of them was St. James with pilgrim
garb, hat, shells, and staff. The soft green and delicate turquoise
blues of the velvets were very beautiful. The various kinds of
architecture introduced into the embroidery gave us a clue to the period
of each. The walnut chests in which these priestly garments and other
valuables are kept are both old; one bears the date 1606, the other
1680.
Above the roof of the transept rises the low belfry decorated with four
chaste Gothic pinnacles and a handsome cornice. The bells hang beneath
them, and are reached by a spiral stone stairway.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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