The Lebaniego Way

Did you know that in our country you will find one of the greatest pieces of the Cross of Christ? This fact is not known by many Spaniards, but it is indeed, true. The Lignum Crucis (wood of the cross) can be found at the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana in Cantabria. The relic arrived in the hands of Toribio de Astorga, in the Middle Ages, from Jerusalem. Because of this, on September 23, 1512, July II granted to the city a papal bull which stated that each year in which the 16th of April, the Day of Santo Toribio, fell on a Sunday, they would celebrate a jubilee year, making the monastery a pilgrimage center. This is how the Camino Lebaniego was born.

However, success of this path is not only due to this factor. First, it is a striking destination because it houses part of the cross; Second, because the monastery houses the remains of the Saint, which is said to have healing powers. Third, because of its link to two of the routes leading to Santiago de Compostela: The Camino of the Norte and Camino de Francés, making Cantabria the only place in the world with two pilgrimage paths.

Apart from the religious and historical elements, we cannot forget that, without a doubt, the landscape and nature make this road a magical route, full of lush forests, paths between trees and lots of fresh air. Some of those who have had the luck to do this journey have described it as a quiet route, with only the sound of nature, a place where you can find real peace.

The Lebaniego Road has its own accreditation, the Lebaniega. It is collected in the Parish of Christ, in Santander, and can also be requested by email. As in the Camino de Santiago, the notebook must have a stamp of each of the stages; At least three of them have to be completed. Accreditation can be done both in roadside churches, in shelters or in tourist offices.

The route to the monastery consists of three stages:

Text: Fátima González-Besada