Issue date: 14 Oct, 2016
TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS. SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA MIRACLE
There is no shortage of stories and legends related to Saint James' Way. Some of these have even become cherished traditions.
One of these is the story that is set in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. As the legend goes, a German family (a married couple and their son Hugonell) were on a Saint James' Way pilgrimage. When they arrived in Santo Domingo, they stayed in an inn where the daughter of the innkeeper feel in love with the young German man. As her love was not reciprocated, she plotted revenge by planting a silver cup in the young man's bag and then reported the theft. The next day when the family was about to continue on their pilgrimage, the authorities arrested the son and had him hanged. After his sentence was carried out, the parents ran up to where their sons body was hanging from the rope and, to their surprise, they noticed that he was still alive and that they owed the miracle to the Saint of the city: “The blessed Saint Domingo de la Calzada has saved my life from the harsh rope… open your eyes to this prodigy”, he said to them. The surprised parents went looking for the city's mayor to tell him what had happened, but he, in disbelief, told them that the young man was as alive as the roasted cock and hen that he was about to eat. Just then, the birds re-grew their feathers and came back to life, attesting to the miracle.
There is a saying that comes from this story: “Santo Domingo de la Calzada, donde cantó la gallina después de asada” [“Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where the hen crowed after it was roasted”].
This miracle is not the only one that is connected to the Saint. There is another one that tells of how a French man who was said to be possessed by the devil was cured; and another that tells of the recovery of another German pilgrim in the 15th century who was cured of an eye infection after visiting the saint's tomb.
The stamp that is issued to pay homage to this legend features part of the stained glass window created by the artist Miguel Ángel Sáinz, called “The miracle of the cock and the hen”, that can be found inside the Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral, just above the henhouse and the block of wood from the pilgrim's hanging.
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.