Left the village of Sant Cruz de la Serós, I went to a next destination Javier village, Navarre.
Going west highway N-240, a big dam comes into view on the left before long. It’s called “Embalse de Yesa (Dam of Yesa)”.
Passing thrugh the lake side I decided to stop by the old monastery of Leire.
Embalse de Yesa (Dam of Yesa)
The Monastery of San Salvador of Leyre is located on the hill (Sierra de Leire) near the lake (Embaise de Yesa).
Narrow mountain path to the Monasterio de Leire.
Monasterio de San Salvador de Leyre
Monasterio de Leyre was dedicated to St. Salvador.
St. Salvador of Horta
Saint Salvador of Horta;
St. Salvador (Santa Coloma de Farnes, December of 1520 – Cagliari, March 18 of 1567) was a Franciscan lay brother from the region of Catalonia, who was celebrated as a miracle worker during his lifetime. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church.
His Feast day is March 18th.
The Monastery of San Salvador of Leyre is a religious complex in the south of the Sierra of Leyre, in northern Navarre, representing one of the most important historical monasteries of Spain.
Monastery of San Salvador of Leyre
The Monastery of San Salvador of Leyre is one of the most important Romanesque monasteries in Spain for its historical and architectural significance.
Façade of the Monasterio de San Salvador de Leyre
It is unknown when this monastery was built, but according to the record it was present already in the 9th century.
The church interior of the monastery.
The church interior of the monastery; the nave, altar and image of the Virgin and Child.
Monasterio de Leyre, the altarpiece of santas Nunilo and Alodia.
Saints Nunilo and Alodia (died c. 842/51) were a pair of child martyrs from Huesca.
Leyre Monastery, gateway to the crypt.
Cript of Monasterio de Leire, Navarra
Behind of the crypt, there is a tunnel to be out to the outside through the bottom of the church.
The opening of Monasterio de Leire.
There is an image of St. Virila in the depths of the tunnel.
The statue of old abbot, St. Virila, Leire monastery
St. Virila was an abbot of Monastery de Leire in the 9th century. Abbot Virila was the miracle saint.
According to the legend; One day, Abbot Virila went for a ramble through the woods to meditate on eternal life and happiness after death. Attracted to singing of a nightingale he went into deep forest.
When he got to a clean fountain, he said “Have some cool water and take a break”. He drank the water and was lying down near the fountain, and then he fell asleep well.
San Virila, St. Virila
Woke out of sleep, he went back to the monastery. Arrived at the monastery, he was surprised. The building of the monastery was much bigger than he knows. And he cried “There is not even one monk I know”!
All the monks of the monastery had been gathered there. They were also surprised about the happening.
Sleeping St. Virila, beside the fountain.
An oldest monk stepped forward and said “I have been in this monastery for over 40 years and when I was young I heard that an abbot of the monastery was lost in the woods.
Anothe old monk also said “I just examined the old records of the monastery, the record says that Abbot Virila disappeared in the woods 300 years ago.
All monks were really surprised and they made him as the abbot of the monastery again.
But a few years later,
Abbot Virila had gone again. Most of monks got into woods and looked around him for months, some of monks thought he ascended into the Heaven, but that oldest monk believed that St. Virila will appear again 300 years later.
Even now, a few of pious villagers believe St. Virila will appear again someday.
Backyard of the monastery.
Monastery of San Salvador of Leyre
View from the monastery.
Left Leire Monastery for Javier Village.
Wild flowers of Pyrenees
weepingredorger 