Trancoso (Santa Maria)

Laurie Reynolds  The shrine with the cross on top is the place where I saw all those feet votives (that is probably not the right name). I added a picture that’s a close-up of some of them so you can get a better look . The etched stone, if you look at it carefully, has hands and a weapon and a face. It is apparently the gravestone of someone who fought in the crusades against the “infidels.”

Traveler  I can make out face & hands and not the weapon. To me, it is so reminiscent of Meso-American stone carvings & faces.

Traveler  The name is ALMINHAS.

Traveler  ALMINHAS:The little souls in Portugal, known in Galicia as petos de animas, are oratories of worship to the souls of purgatory, today considered artistic-religious heritage. They are small altars where you stop for a moment to leave a prayer and, sometimes, an alms for souls. It is also common to find lit candles and lamps, left by people passing by, or even other offerings such as oil or flowers. There are no known written records of these memorials before the 19th century, however, copies of alminhas can be found that date back to at least the 18th century. Formally, these panels always represent the souls in purgatory in agony, and may include angels, the Virgin, Christ, Saints, or the Archangel Michael rescuing souls. Phrases related to the need to pray for souls and the fleetingness of life and the human condition are also commonly inscribed in these representations. Generally, the little souls are erected on rural paths, and places of passage, between paths, such as in the middle of crossroads, at the entrance of bridges, high points, next to national roads or even on doorsteps. Its topographic location is related not only to the cult of the dead, but also to the protection of travelers on the paths and places of passage. It is thought that the alminhas probably came to replace older niches and altars, which existed in the same place, with the same purpose of protection. These niches and altars housed saints whose devotions lost strength and were overtaken by the great devotion to souls in purgatory in the modern era. The little souls can be free altars, or be embedded in old walls or on the front of houses being built in different materials.

Laurie Reynolds  Aurelio, do you know why there were all those wooden feet?

Traveler  Love los petos de ánimas galegos. Alminhas, what a wonderful new word. Wanted to insert photo from one of my favorites from the Invierno, but this won’t allow me to digress. 😆

Traveler  I think there must be some holy protector of the feet in the alminha. Maybe it's Santo Amaro, who is the holy protector of bones.