As you know, Galicia is a land full of superstitions , ranging from witches, evil eye, fairies, ghosts, until a myriad of beliefs and myths that have survived until today, through oral transmission from parent to children. All of these beliefs, make Galicia a magical place full of mysteries .
One of the many beliefs that stand in the popular mythology is Galician The Holy Company. The Holy Company, also known as "The Guestier" , Is a procession of dead or souls in pain that evening walk the roads of a town. The intentions with doing this course are varied, being the most common include:
- To claim the soul of someone who will die soon. (It is said that those who see the Holy Company, will die within a year)
- to reproach the living who have committed some sins. (If sin is especially grave, the mortal who has committed could be visited by the campaign to the head of, and sentenced to wander until another mortal to replace him.)
- To announce the death of an acquaintance of witnessing the procession.
- To serve a sentence imposed by any authority beyond.
- To order masses for his salvation to surviving relatives.
Although the appearance of the Holy Company varies by tradition different areas, the most widespread is formed by a retinue of lost souls, dressed in black robes Hooded, wandering at night. This procession is formed by two rows, going barefoot, carrying candles and leaving behind a smell of wax.
But although there are witnesses who claim to have seen this procession, not all mortals are privileged to view it because Elisardo Becoña Churches in work "The Holy Company, The Urco and the Dead" explains that according to tradition, only certain "gifted" are free to view it: the children that the priest, by mistake, baptize using the oil the deceased, shall have, as adults, the ability to see the apparition. Others, no less believers in the legend, will have to settle for feel or intuit.
Fortunately for all those who see it, popular culture has left us a series of strategies that will get rid of that conviction , if encontrarno face to face with the Holy Company. And here I leave the most popular:
Generally procession is headed by a deadly (male or female, depending on whether the pattern of their parish is a saint or a saint), who wears a cross and a bucket of holy water, the that follow the spirits with candles. This mortal, will not remember during the day, what happened in the course of the night, recognizing those punished with the punishment, by its thinness and pallor, as they are not allowed to rest a night, until they die or else be surprised at that which he leads the procession will pass the cross he bears.
But although there are witnesses who claim to have seen this procession, not all mortals are privileged to view it because Elisardo Becoña Churches in work "The Holy Company, The Urco and the Dead" explains that according to tradition, only certain "gifted" are free to view it: the children that the priest, by mistake, baptize using the oil the deceased, shall have, as adults, the ability to see the apparition. Others, no less believers in the legend, will have to settle for feel or intuit.
Fortunately for all those who see it, popular culture has left us a series of strategies that will get rid of that conviction , if encontrarno face to face with the Holy Company. And here I leave the most popular:
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out of the way, not looking at them, and pretend not to see them.
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accompanied by a black cat to throw the procession and run away (remember that the black cat is an animal very symbolic in many cultures)
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Plot Circle of Solomon on the floor and get in until the Holy Company has ceased.
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Make certain magical gestures as "fig figa or" or "horns."
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Pray and do not hear your voice.
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carry scapulars, sacred objects, garlic or horse chestnut.
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Ultimately one can lie on the floor face down and wait for Santa Compaña The above does not happen.
