The great outdoors is an open cathedral. – Ronald Reagan

Today was a bit shorter. I walked 7 hours with two stops along the way. I left Najera for Azofra,  then on to Ciruena, and finally to the destination of Santo Domingo. There is a folklore story about this town. It goes as follows:

A devout German couple was making the pilgrimage to Santiago with their eighteen-year-old son. When they reached Santo Domingo, a local girl took a liking to the young German, who, being a good Christian, did not respond to her advances.

Hurt and angry, she put a silver cup into his bag and accused him of theft. The town believed her and hung the innocent boy. His parents, although they were sad, went on to Santiago, where they prayed for their son. On their return trip, they again stopped in Santo Domingo, this time to visit their son’s body. To their surprise, he was still alive and still hanging from his rope. In some versions of the story, the boy spoke to them and told them that Saint James himself was keeping him alive. The parents rushed to the town’s sheriff and demanded that he release their son.

The good sheriff was just sitting down to a hearty poultry dinner, and laughed in their faces. “That boy is no more alive than these chickens on my plate,” he said.

Yep, the roasted birds sprouted back their feathers and beaks, got up, and started walking around the dinner table. Properly chastened, the sheriff rushed to the gallows and released the young German, who was pardoned and allowed to go home.

The story spread, lending credibility (of sorts) to the Santiago pilgrimage and drawing spiritual tourists to Santo Domingo itself, which petitioned the Pope to allow them to display two birds, a hen and a rooster, inside the church as a symbol of the miracle.

 

Leaving Najera

On to Santiago

Entering Azofra

On to Ciruena

Golf course in Ciruena

Rest stop: Rob from the Netherlands, Duane from Canada, Ellen and Kathy from San Francisco, Tamara from Austria, Hans Martin from Berlin, and Thomas from Canada

Kathy, Ellen, and Tamara headed to Santa Domingo

Beautiful fields

Santa Domingo