Exploring Padrón
September 30 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
My albergue wasn’t far from the estación de autobús. Once again, I was lucky enough to have a top bunk, although the bottom bunks were the thickness of a mattress above the floor, so it wasn’t quite as high as often is the case.
After the usual routine, I went down to the bar below the albergue for a Radler or two (or “una cerveza con limón”). In this bar, they had it on tap. I then got chatting with 2 Australian teachers from Melbourne, an American from Michigan and an Austrian. The latter were repeat pilgrims and the Australians were enjoying their first Camino.
After sharing about our Camino experiences for a while, I went to get an extra layer and then went off to explore.
Padrón is probably most well today for the eponymous “pimentos de Padrón” (Padrón peppers) which were first introduced to Spain at the Franciscan Convento de Hebrón just outside the town. If you’ve not enjoyed this delicacy, these are small green peppers which are usually served fried in olive oil and coarse salt. Most Padrón peppers are sweet and mild but occasionally are hot and spicy. The local saying (in local dialect Galego) is “Os pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non" ("Padrón peppers, some are hot and some are not")!
Almost directly opposite the bar and albergue was Padrón’s main church, the Igrexa de Santiago (Church of St James). This 19th century church was built over at least 2 predecessors and, like the whole town, holds a special place in the legends surrounding St James.
A nearby hilltop is said to be where St James first preached in Spain.
But most of the legends surround the bringing of James’s head and body (back) to Spain after his decapitation in Jerusalem in AD 44. The process of James’s return by boat is known as the “Translatio”.
The stories are slightly conflicting, but generally involve some of James’s disciples sailing with the body from Haifa, Israel up the rivers Ulla and Sar to arrive at the port of what was then Iria Flavia, now a parish within Padrón. Some legends say the boat was miraculously made of stone or guided by an angel.
Another key part of the legend is that, on arrival at Iria Flavia, the boat bearing James’ remains was tied to a stone altar, or pedrón (or padrón). A Roman stone altar dedicated to Neptune has traditionally been identified as the particular Pedrón, and which is now under the altar in the Igrexa de Santiago. Other legends hold that the first church on this site was built over the Pedrón.
After exploring the church and the replica of the Pedrón on the opposite bank of the Rio Sar, it was time to meet 2 of my Canadian friends for dinner.Read more