Echoes from past |
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Cruz de Ferro (at 1504 m). The pile of stone may result from
a variety of ancient customs from pre-Roman and Roman times. The hermit Gaucelmo,
who built a church and a hospice for pilgrims in a nearby village of Foncebadón
in 12th century, topped the pile with a cross Christianizing a pagan monument.
Pilgrims still follow the tradition and bring a stone from home and
throw it to the cairn. Modern pilgrims have extended the practise: I saw several
pictures, diaries and even a long plait cut from somebody's hair pinned to
the cross. No to mention all kind of rubbish starting from odd shoes and
old underwear scattered on top of the pile.
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