Identification of a Cross Along the Road between Javier and Sanguesa

Sparrow in Texas

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #1

Is anyone able to identify what this cross is about. There are several similar of these along the roadway between Javier and Sanguesa. This one has the inscription, Los Mozos navarros a javier,
seminario concilar IV centenaoli.

 

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Rick of Rick and Peg

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #2

My (somewhat) educated guess is that it is commemorating the 400th anniversary of young Navarrese men (mozos) being called to follow Saint Francis Xavier (7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552), a Navarrese Catholic missionary and saint who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus.

 

Last edited: Jan 20, 2022

rappahannock_rev

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #3

Hi Sparrow! I saw different crosses with the same inscription when I did the Aragones from Javier to Sanguesa in 2018, and I remember wondering about it.... Thanks for asking the question! (BTW, the man in the pic is not me.)

 

Last edited: Jan 20, 2022

Rick of Rick and Peg

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Looks like they erected at least a dozen along the way. Rev is at II and Sparrow was at XII.

I can't remember even one.

 

Last edited: Jan 20, 2022

Rick of Rick and Peg

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #5

They mark the way of an annual pilgrimage.
La Javierada

A quote from the webpage:

Along the last 8 km that lead to the Castle of Javier from Sangüesa (road NA-5410), the pilgrim will see on his way the stone crosses erected by the young men of Navarra that accompany the prayer of theWay of the Cross.

Click to expand...

 

Last edited: Jan 20, 2022

rappahannock_rev

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #6

As I recall, the numbers began outside Sanguesa and went up the closer one got to Javier. I assumed at the time that they might perhaps have reflected Stations of the Cross for some 1950s Navarrese youth pilgrimage to the shrine of the Saint.... . Father Elias' 1985 Camino guidebook reported [p. 18] that "Las 'Javieradas' concentran a muchos miles de jovenes en le mes de Marzo."

 

Rick of Rick and Peg

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #7

I see a few people have read this thread while I was adding a quote from the referred webpage to my post #5 above.

 

Sparrow in Texas

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #8

Thank you Rick for sorting this out! I walked the Aragones for the second time this past September-October, this time with a walking companion who was in total awe at everything he saw. I absolutely would walk the Aragones again but our plan is to walk Finisterre-Muxia later this year, if possible.

 

rappahannock_rev

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #9

Sparrow in Texas said:

Thank you Rick for sorting this out! I walked the Aragones for the second time this past September-October, this time with a walking companion who was in total awe at everything he saw. I absolutely would walk the Aragones again but our plan is to walk Finisterre-Muxia later this year, if possible.

Click to expand...

Like you, I'd do that walk again in a heartbeat.

 

Sparrow in Texas

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #10

Fr. Jeff, you were in my thoughts along the way. This time I found the dolmen and the entrance to the witches cave near Villanua. A highlight was to see the progress on the Canfranc train station!

 

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• Jan 20, 2022

• #11

Uh, so I walked Sanguesa to Javier in 2019 and didn’t see a single one of these crosses! What route was I on?!?!?! BTW, love the Aragon Camino, especially the new albergue is Canfranc Puebla!