Church of Santa Lucia di Labacolla: at km. 759 of the trip)
Beautiful Hermitage of Santa Lucía, in the town of San Paio, belonging to the Parish of Labacolla, originally called Sabugueira. It is probably the first parish church of Labacolla, prior to the construction of the current one. The cult is dedicated to Saint Lucia, whose feast day is celebrated on May 1, but the hamlet is dedicated to San Paio because the entire hamlet, in ancient times, was the monastery of the 'Sanctus Pelagium de Circitellum'. Saint Pelagius - called Paio in Galician - is a martyr from the 10th century of the Christian era, highly venerated in Spain because he was an example of youthful virtue and purity, barbarously murdered and torn to pieces.
A ridiculous statue presides over the main altar, with the modern image of a saint dressed in nineteenth-century style... who knows why!
This is an evocative place because traditionally here the Pilgrims would take off their sweaty, dirty and threadbare clothes, wash themselves completely and change their clothes to arrive in Santiago with more dignity.
In this hermitage during the months of pilgrimage, from March to November, the Guanellians offer the Confessions service, also to remember the ancient rite of 'Washing' that was performed at this stop.