oldest Peregrino statue ?

[Deise]

is the oldest known statue of a pilgrim at Santa Marta ?
It is located on upper part of back door at church.
Some members can perhaps confirm or correct my understanding please.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Deise,

This is what is reputed to be the oldest known statue of Santiago peregrino (St. James as a pilgrim). If you check out the online sources, you will see that the popular press and less academic sites always state that it is the oldest Santiago pilgrim statue, but the more erudite places say something less absolute, like "ONE OF the oldest..." Whatever the reality, the church is from the Tenth Century, so that statue has been around for a very long time.

I have been there twice now, and both times some of the people with whom I was visiting the church kept insisting that this had to be a modern replacement because it is in such perfect condition, but I don't know if there's any dispute about that. Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. A little off topic, but I stayed both times in the private albergue just over the river, Casa Anita I think it is, and was always surprised at how few of the pilgrims had any interest in walking for five minutes to see this amazing church and all its statuary. Not even the "you get to see the oldest statue of Santiago" was motivation enough.

 

[alansykes]

It's a lovely lovely thing whether it is the oldest or not. Can't believe anybody wouldn't make the tiny effort to detour and see it, even if the cemetery it looks out on is pretty grim.

I've heard good things about the Casa Anita, but I think it shuts for the winter, as I've always stayed at the municipal albergue in Calzadilla de Tera, almost exactly half way between Tábara and Mombuey, with a decent restaurant just across the Tera.

 

[Deise]

Thanks . It is a lovely church. I stayed in the albergue (new or extensively renovated).
Very nice but no cafe in village for evening meal, managed very well thanks to Rosa from Seoul.

 

[Harington]

Hi, Deise,

This is what is reputed to be the oldest known statue of Santiago peregrino (St. James as a pilgrim). If you check out the online sources, you will see that the popular press and less academic sites always state that it is the oldest Santiago pilgrim statue, but the more erudite places say something less absolute, like "ONE OF the oldest..." Whatever the reality, the church is from the Tenth Century, so that statue has been around for a very long time.

I have been there twice now, and both times some of the people with whom I was visiting the church kept insisting that this had to be a modern replacement because it is in such perfect condition, but I don't know if there's any dispute about that. Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. A little off topic, but I stayed both times in the private albergue just over the river, Casa Anita I think it is, and was always surprised at how few of the pilgrims had any interest in walking for five minutes to see this amazing church and all its statuary. Not even the "you get to see the oldest statue of Santiago" was motivation enough.

But the sculpture is right next door to the beautifully-designed and equipped albergue at Santa Marta. When I was there the parish priest, responsible for the albergue, was really...um ..dishy.