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Queen Lupa

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Portrait of Queen Lupa from the Museum of the Astorga Cathedral

Queen Lupa (also known as Raíña Lupa, Raíña Lopa, Raíña Luparia, Raíña Luca and Raíña Loba) is a character from Galician mythology. She is mentioned in both the Codex Calixtinus and the Golden Legend involving the translation of the body of the Apostle James by his disciples. Her name alludes to her cunning, and she is written as being a roadblock to the disciples of the Apostle James, Theodore and Athanasius as they search for a place to entomb his body. She eventually sees her error and converts to Christianity.

Her story is well-known throughout Galicia and she still influences the culture of that portion of Spain. Her story is integral to the translation of the relics of the apostle james, and her home is along the route of the Portuguese Way to Santiago de Compostela.

Legend[edit]

Galician tradition holds that Lupa, a widowed noblewoman,[1] lived in Castro Lupario[2], along what is now called the Portuguese Way.[3] She appears in Book III (Liber de translatione corporis sancti Jacobi ad Compostellam) of the 12th-century Codex Calixtinus, which contains a story regarding what was done with the body of the Apostle James after his martyrdom. According to the story, after their arrival in in Iria Flavia, James' disciples Theodore and Athanasius [4] approached the queen about giving them a place to bury James's body.[5] Lupa chose to trick the disciples and sent them to the King of Duio with the intent of having them killed. The king imprisons them, but they are freed by an angel and return to the queen.[6]

Then according to the Golden Legend, Lupa tried deceiving them and sent them to Mount Ilicino (now known as "Pico Sacro") to collect some of her oxen to carry the necessary material to build the tomb.[4] She did not tell them that a cave in the mountain was the entrance to hell and was guarded by a dragon.[4] However, the presence of the holy cross protected the disciples from harm and tamed the bulls.[7][8] Upon witnessing the miraculous events, Lupa converted to Christianity and helps build the apostle's tomb in Libredon.[7]

Her name, "Lupa," recalls the Spanish word "lupino" (meaning "characteristic of or relating to wolves"), which in turn is derived from Latin lupus. The folklore of Galicia holds many tales of "Lobishome." Her name may be an allusion to her she-wolf-like nature.[9] Lupa's legacy is subject to multiple interpretations. While her myth is popular among Catholics, others think that Lupa could be the representation of a pre-Christian goddess, perhaps the female version of Lugh.[10] Galician Academic Manuel Gago Mariño has written about Lupa and notes that in the Middle Ages, portions of the Galician aristocracy claimed to descend from her.[11] Lupa is said to be buried at the Castle of Saint George, on Mount Pindo.[12]

In popular culture[edit]

A number of pieces of art feature her, among them the Traslado del cuerpo de Santiago el Mayor ante el palacio de la reina Lupa by Martín Bernat is on display in the Museo del Prado.[13] Lupa still holds the imagination of many people, with Castle Lupario being a tourist site.[3] On 2 July 2016, the opera A Raíña Lupa [gl], with music by the Galician composer Fernando Vázquez Arias [gl; es] and a libretto by Xoán Pérez [gl], premiered at the Teatro Colón [gl; ca] in A Coruña.[14]

The Sierra Raíña Loba is named after Lupa.[15] The Raíña Lupa Award is given for Galician works of children's literature.[16]

Gallery[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • Balboa Salgado, Antonio (2005). A raíña Lupa : as orixes pagás de Santiago (in Spanish). Santiago: Edicións Lóstrego. ISBN 9788493424039. OCLC 123755215.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Howes, H.W. (30 June 1925). "The Cult of Sant-Iago at Compostela". Folklore. 36 (2). Taylor & Francis, Ltd.: 132–150.
  2. ^ Castellá Ferrer, Mauro (1610). Historia del Apostol de Iesus Christo Sanctiago Zebedeo. pp. 117, 130.
  3. ^ a b Anderson, Megan (17 November 2023). "Visit Castro Lupario the Mythical Fortress of Queen Lupa". Packing up the Pieces. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b c de Voragine, Jacobus (1265). "St. James the Greater". The Golden Legend.
  5. ^ Regional Government of Galicia. "Legends of the Camino de Santiago". Google Arts and Culture.
  6. ^ Pazos, Antón M. (2016). Translating the Relics of St James: From Jerusalem to Compostela. Routledge. ISBN 9781317007173.
  7. ^ a b Senén, Felipe [in Galician] (5 June 2016). "O "Bosque de Galicia": os bosques animados, Libredón, Ilicino..." La Opinión de A Coruña (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  8. ^ Rodríguez, Eladio (2001), "Boi", Diccionario enciclopédico gallego-castellano, p. 368, ISBN 9788482884288, Rodríguez attributes to this legend the origin of the popular saying "Boi bravo, vente ó carro, que o manda o Señor Santiago" (English Brave ox, come to the cart, sent by Lord Santiago)
  9. ^ The Golden Legend of Saint James (PDF). alumniacademy.yale.edu.
  10. ^ Cuba, Xoán Ramiro [in Galician]; Reigosa, Antonio [in Galician]; Ruíz, Xosé Miranda [in Galician] (1999). Diccionario dos seres míticos galegos. Xerais de Galicia. ISBN 978-84-8302-363-1. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  11. ^ Gago Mariño, Manuel [in Galician]. "Hai unha muller no corazón mítico de Galicia (Raíña Lupa)". Retrieved 9 March 2023 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Stanton, Edward F. (1994). The Road of Stars to Santiago. The University of Kentucky Press. p. 192. ISBN 9780813118710.
  13. ^ "The Transfer of the Body of Saint James the Greater at the Palace of Queen Lupa". Museo Nacional del Prado.
  14. ^ ""A Raíña Lupa" de Fernando Arias". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 2 July 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  15. ^ Caamaño Rivas, Víctor M.; Leiro, Adela; Daporta, Mon; Núñez Pérez, Manuel; Pontanilla Pérez, Isaac (2006). As montañas de Galiza (in Galician). A Nosa Terra. ISBN 84-8341-126-1.
  16. ^ "Premio de Literatura Infantil e Xuvenil "Raíña Lupa"". Deputación da Coruña (in Galician). Retrieved 23 November 2017.

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

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