Labruja
Encyclopedia
Labruja is a civil parish
in the municipality
of Ponte de Lima in northern Portugal
. In 2001 the scattered population of this parish included 478 inhabitants, dispersed within a narrow valley of 14.56 km².
The ancient settlement dates back to the primordial history of Portugal which, although may not have existed during the Roman era, was a village during the Goth civilization.
Historically, the settlement grew from the 9th century village, that became a centre of a Benedictine monastery, founded by Hermóigio, bishop of Tui. Labruja was a vicarage of the Sé of Braga
, and also, at one time, the archdeaconship of the Sé of Tui. The Benedictine
monastery of São Cristóvão de Labruja, was founded by the Bishop of Tui, Hermoígio, who ordered its construction on local lands (Bandeira) under the reign of the monarch Ordoño II of León
. This king later donated the monastery to the Sé in Lugo, in 915. In 1125, Teresa transferred this title to the Sé in Tui. During the division of ecclesiastical lands on 1 December 1156, the churches of Cepões, Rendufe and half of Romarigães was transferred to the administration of Tui. In 1242, Lucas, Bishop of Tui, created the archdeaconship of Labruja, with its seat in the Sé and administration at São Cristóvão de Labruja.
During the Inquirições (inventory/inqueries) of 1258, the monastery became part of the Royal Padroado
. The Sanctuary of Our Lord of Help/Aid , was the centre of religious pilgrimages during the 13th century, and was remodelled in 1773, in addition to further renovations in successive years. Lubrija was on the road to Santiago de Compostela
, along the famous Saint James's Way, crossed by the faithful.
The monastery was closed in 1460, and by 1520, the local census (written by Diogo de Sousa) identified that the monastery was reduced to merely a parochial church.
It was founded after the foral
of São Martinho, bestowed by King Manuel I of Portugal
on 2 June 1515. In 1546, Archbishop Manuel de Sousa, evaluated the monastery and annex in 70,000 réis
. Friar Baltasar Limpo, in 1580, identified Labruja as a ecclesiastical parish, and annexed the community of São Tiago de Romarigães.
and Romarigães to the north (in the municipality of Paredes de Coura); Arcozelo to the south; Rendufe, Bárrio and Cepões to the east; and Cabração to the west.
Municipal services are limited in the region: by 2011, canalized water distribution was not yet universal; sewage treatment was non-existent; and the collection of waste only served 80% of the community (twice weekly). Educational services are limited to two primary-level schools ( and EB1 de Soutinho), only one with refectory
, while there are no local medical services (healthcare is handled in the municipal seat). Cultural services include a sports complex, an open library and a local community hall (used by local cultural groups for annual events).
The parish is served by primarily by local roads, as the E1-IP1 (A3 Auto-Estrada Porto-Valença) motorway bypasses the village, and the secondary N201 (while meandering through the parish) is also some distance from the rural community. Public transport is limited to bus service and local taxis.
Also along the route to Santiago do Compostela, there are still vestiges of the rock ovens used by pilgrims to cook goat on the journey.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Ponte de Lima in northern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. In 2001 the scattered population of this parish included 478 inhabitants, dispersed within a narrow valley of 14.56 km².
History
The name Labruja came from the Portuguese word laboriosa, after the name of the mountain range where it is located; laboriosa means laborious in English.The ancient settlement dates back to the primordial history of Portugal which, although may not have existed during the Roman era, was a village during the Goth civilization.
Historically, the settlement grew from the 9th century village, that became a centre of a Benedictine monastery, founded by Hermóigio, bishop of Tui. Labruja was a vicarage of the Sé of Braga
Braga Municipality
-Parishes:...
, and also, at one time, the archdeaconship of the Sé of Tui. The Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery of São Cristóvão de Labruja, was founded by the Bishop of Tui, Hermoígio, who ordered its construction on local lands (Bandeira) under the reign of the monarch Ordoño II of León
Ordoño II of León
Ordoño II was king of Galicia from 910, and king of Galicia and León from 914 until his death. He was the second son of King Alfonso III the Great and his wife, Jimena of Pamplona....
. This king later donated the monastery to the Sé in Lugo, in 915. In 1125, Teresa transferred this title to the Sé in Tui. During the division of ecclesiastical lands on 1 December 1156, the churches of Cepões, Rendufe and half of Romarigães was transferred to the administration of Tui. In 1242, Lucas, Bishop of Tui, created the archdeaconship of Labruja, with its seat in the Sé and administration at São Cristóvão de Labruja.
During the Inquirições (inventory/inqueries) of 1258, the monastery became part of the Royal Padroado
Padroado
The Padroado , was an arrangement between the Holy See and the kingdom of Portugal, affirmed by a series of treaties, by which the Vatican delegated to the kings of Spain and Portugal the administration of the local Churches...
. The Sanctuary of Our Lord of Help/Aid , was the centre of religious pilgrimages during the 13th century, and was remodelled in 1773, in addition to further renovations in successive years. Lubrija was on the road to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, along the famous Saint James's Way, crossed by the faithful.
The monastery was closed in 1460, and by 1520, the local census (written by Diogo de Sousa) identified that the monastery was reduced to merely a parochial church.
It was founded after the foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
of São Martinho, bestowed by King Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
on 2 June 1515. In 1546, Archbishop Manuel de Sousa, evaluated the monastery and annex in 70,000 réis
Portuguese real
The real was the unit of currency of Portugal from around 1430 until 1911. It replaced the dinheiro at the rate of 1 real = 840 dinheiros and was itself replaced by the escudo at a rate of 1 escudo = 1000 réis...
. Friar Baltasar Limpo, in 1580, identified Labruja as a ecclesiastical parish, and annexed the community of São Tiago de Romarigães.
Geography
The civil parish is located in the Serra de Labruja, nine kilometres from the municipal seat of Ponte de Lima, occupying one of the largest tracts in the municipality. But regardless, the parish has less than 750 inhabitants intersperesed within several localities (with dozens of homes in each), including: Antas, Arco, Bacelos, Balada, Bandeira, Bargo, Bouça, Camboa, Carvalho, Casa Branca, Codeçal, Devesa, Espinheiro, Fijô, Gávia, Igreja, Mota, Outeiro, Pessegueiros, Pedrelo, Pinheiro, Pombinha, Ponte Nova, Quinta, Revolta, Rua, Santana, Soutinho, Torre, Valinhos, Vinhó de Baixo and Vinhó de Cima. Its neighbours include CunhaCunha (Paredes de Coura)
Cunha is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Paredes de Coura. It has a population of 542 inhabitants, it has a total area of 11.75 km² and the density was 46.1/km²....
and Romarigães to the north (in the municipality of Paredes de Coura); Arcozelo to the south; Rendufe, Bárrio and Cepões to the east; and Cabração to the west.
Municipal services are limited in the region: by 2011, canalized water distribution was not yet universal; sewage treatment was non-existent; and the collection of waste only served 80% of the community (twice weekly). Educational services are limited to two primary-level schools ( and EB1 de Soutinho), only one with refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, while there are no local medical services (healthcare is handled in the municipal seat). Cultural services include a sports complex, an open library and a local community hall (used by local cultural groups for annual events).
Economy
The primary economic activities in this area are subsistence agriculture, farming and bee-keeping, in addition to saw-milling and nascent commercial businesses. There are also artisanl industries such as textiles and embroidery, in addition to woolen quilts, that hark back to the traditional communities that occupied the valley. Other sectors are limited by the municipal plan, a lack of industrial zones, and limited access.The parish is served by primarily by local roads, as the E1-IP1 (A3 Auto-Estrada Porto-Valença) motorway bypasses the village, and the secondary N201 (while meandering through the parish) is also some distance from the rural community. Public transport is limited to bus service and local taxis.
Architecture
Although limited, the parish attempts to promote a tourist economy, through the preservation of many of its architectural treasures:Civic
- Ponte do Arquinho (Arquinho Bridge) - dating to the 13th-14th century, this Romanesque single-arch bridge crosses the Labruga River.
- PilloryPilloryThe pillory was a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse, sometimes lethal...
of Ponte de Lima
Religious
- Sanctuary of Senhor do SocorroChurch of Our Lord of SocorroThe Church of Our Lady of Socorro is a magnificent 18th century baroque style temple located in Labruja, Ponte de Lima.Big festivals are held in honour of Our Lady of Socorro on the first Saturday and Sunday of July, attracting many people from portuguese diaspora ....
(Our Lord of Help/Aid), which celebrated an annual festival on first Sunday and Saturdays in July; The ample temple and front court, is surrounded by a wall, and accessible from a staircase flanked by angels blowing trumpets. The verandas of balusters are decorated with stone flames, while the staircase is enhanced by allegorical statues of stone, intermingled with vases and flames. The façade of the church is flanked by two bell-towers designed in the RococoRococoRococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
-style. On the cornices are royal arms, while below them and above the main doorway is a window flanked by niches with the statues of Saint Peter, and presumably Pope Clement XIV. Apart from its ornate 18th century chapel, choir and pulpits in the NeoclassicalNeoclassical architectureNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
-style, the interior is simple. Behind the temple is a building used to house pilgrims on their visits to Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
. - Chapel of São João da Grova (Saint John)
- Chapel of Santa Catarina (Saint Catherine)
- Chapel of Sant'ana (Saint AnneSaint AnneSaint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
) - Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Neves (Our Lady of Snow)
- Chapel of Poça
- Chapel of São Dominhos (Saint Dominic Savio
Also along the route to Santiago do Compostela, there are still vestiges of the rock ovens used by pilgrims to cook goat on the journey.