Mystery of Obanos: English Saint Names?

[KyleJ]

Hi all,

I'm almost two weeks back from the Camino (yikes!) and I'm trying to fill in some blanks in my journal. Does anyone know the English names of Saints Guillen and Felicia who are depicted in the Mystery of Obanos? I can't find them anywhere except in connection to the play. Were they real saints or just fictional characters?

 

[mspath]

Hi all,

I'm almost two weeks back from the Camino (yikes!) and I'm trying to fill in some blanks in my journal. Does anyone know the English names of Saints Guillen and Felicia who are depicted in the Mystery of Obanos? I can't find them anywhere except in connection to the play. Were they real saints or just fictional characters?

Kyle,

They may have been more than fictional characters and are identified as the Duke of Acquitaine's children in a 14th century legend. Here is their story as cited in www.spanishsteps.eu.

"Of Santa Felicia’s martyrdom and San Guillén’s penance, gives name to a legend of the 14th century. It’s the story of the Duke of Aquitanie’s children. After going on pilgrimage on the way to St. James, the princess Felicia felt religious vocation and decided to abandon the comforts of the court and live the life of a hermit in Navarra. Her brother Guillén found her and killed her, after her refusal to assume her class responsibilities. Santa Felicia’s grave is in Labiano (Aranguren Valley).

Guillén obtained sanctity after going on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and spent the rest of his life in the close to Obanos Arnotegui Hermitage, consoling the pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago and helping the poor, where his relics are still worshiped."

Margaret

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I think Guillen translates to William. What´s even wilder is the church in Obanos has his head (his body is buried at the monastery up on the hill). The head is inside a very fancy, head-size reliquary carved with his supposed features. There´s an opening on the top, and a little tap at the bottom. A local guy told me the confraternity dedicated to the saint used to celebrate his feast day by pouring a jug of wine in the top, and sharing out the drinks poured from the bottom! :shock:

Yum!
Reb.

 

[KyleJ]

Thanks for the references so far. These are facts that I've been able to find online, but I'm actually trying to dig deeper for more information on the characters themselves. There was a William X, Duke of Aquitaine, nicknamed "the Saint," but he is recorded as having a sister who outlived him. There was another William from Aquitaine who was a saint in the sixth century, long before our characters were born. I searched the Catholic Encyclopedia of Saints, but I can't seem to find any record of a William/Guillermo/Guillaume/Guillen of Aquitaine or a Felicia/Felicity of Aquitaine. The legend dates to the 14th century, but the last documented noble of Aquitaine (that I can find) was Eleanor, who died in 1204, over a hundred years before the legend started.

 

[thomryng]

Duke William X (the Saint) went on the Camino in 1137, where he died of food poisoning :roll:

He had several children, some of which are only poorly attested to, including a bastard son named William.

It's entirely possible that some of his children accompanied him on the Camino.