Santo Toribio de Liébana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Status | Monastery |
| Location | |
| Location | Camaleño (Cantabria), Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Monastery |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Completed | 12th century |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv, vi |
| Designated | 2015 (32nd session) |
| Parent listing | Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain |
| Reference no. | 669bis-020 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| 11 August 1953 | |
| RI-51-0001242 | |
| Website | |
| Official Website: http://www.santotoribiodeliebana.org | |
The Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana is a historic monastery in Cantabria, Spain. It is found in the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. This monastery is very special for Roman Catholic Christians. It is one of only five places in the world that can grant special spiritual benefits forever. The other places are Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela, and Caravaca de la Cruz.
This monastery was built a very long time ago, even before the 6th century. It holds a piece of the True Cross. This is believed to be the largest piece of the cross that Jesus Christ was crucified on. Saint Helena of Constantinople found this cross in Jerusalem. Later, Saint Turibius of Astorga brought a part of it here. This piece is kept in a beautiful silver box. The monastery was first named after St. Martin of Tours. But in the 12th century, its name was changed. In 1961, Franciscan monks became the guardians of this holy relic.
History of the Monastery
The exact start of the monastery is not fully known. It likely began around the 8th century. This was when King Alfonso I of Asturias was helping people move back to the Liébana area. The first mention of the monastery was in 1125. It was linked to a bishop from the 6th century named Turibius of Liébana. He came to live here with friends.
The monastery was first called Saint Martin of Tours. Over time, its name changed to Saint Turibius of Liébana. Around the 8th century, the body of another bishop, Turibius of Astorga, was moved here. He also brought important holy items from the Holy Land.
The most important item is a piece of the True Cross. Many Roman Catholics believe this is the largest part of the cross where Jesus Christ died. Because of this, the monastery became a very important place for pilgrimage. It is one of the most sacred Christian sites in Europe. Other important places include Rome and Santiago de Compostela.
A monk named Beatus of Liébana lived here in the 8th century. He wrote and drew many works, like his famous book about the Apocalypse. The monastery used to belong to the king. Later, it was given to a count and countess. They then gave it to another monastery. The monks left in 1837. But in 1961, a small group of Friars Minor came to live there again.
The Church Building
The main building at the monastery is a beautiful Gothic church. Its construction started in 1256. However, it has been changed and fixed many times since then. It was built where older churches once stood. These older churches were from the pre-Romanesque and Romanesque periods.
The church has a clear and simple design. It has a rectangular shape with three long sections called aisles. There is a tower at the front. It also has three rounded ends called apses. The front of the church looks similar to the cathedral of Santander. The doors on the south wall are in the Romanesque style. They might be older than the church itself.
The most famous door is the Puerta del Perdón (Door of Forgiveness). This door only opens during a special "Jubilee Year." This happens when Saint Turibius's feast day falls on a Sunday. The cloister, which is an open courtyard with covered walkways, was finished in the 17th century.
The True Cross Relic
People believe this holy relic is part of the True Cross. Empress Saint Helena of Constantinople found it in Jerusalem. From there, Saint Turibius of Astorga brought it to his hometown cathedral in Astorga. He later became a bishop there. When the Moors came to Spain in 711, the relic was hidden. It was kept safe in the Liebana Valley.
Later, both the relic and Saint Turibius's body were moved to the monastery. This made the monastery a very important stop for pilgrimages. Many people visited on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Records from 1507 say that a special Jubilee is held whenever the saint's feast day is on a Sunday.
A historian named Fr. Sandoval wrote about the relic. He said it is the "left arm of the Holy Cross." It was cut and shaped like a cross. It still has the hole where Christ's hand was nailed. The long part of the cross is about 63.5 centimeters (25 inches) long. The crossbar is about 39.3 centimeters (15.5 inches) long. The wood is about 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) thick. It is the biggest piece of the True Cross that still exists.
The wood is placed inside a beautiful silver-gilt cross. This silver cross was made in 1679. The relic is kept in a special chapel inside the church. This chapel has a golden wooden casing. It was built in the early 1700s. The chapel honors Francisco de Cosío y Otero. He was a very important religious leader who was born nearby.
In 1958, scientists studied the relic. They were from Madrid's Forestry Research Institute. They found that the wood is from a Mediterranean Cypress tree. This type of tree is common in Israel. They also said the wood could be more than 2,000 years old.
Images for kids
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Santo Toribio de Liébana, Cantabria (Spain)
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The largest surviving piece of the True Cross.
See also
In Spanish: Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana para niños
