Puntos de Interés
Culture
Chapel of San Amade
The Chapel of Santa Olaya is situated on a small plateau, which is surrounded by vineyards, to the northeast of the town of Gamones.
The veneration and adulation of the local populace for Santa Eulalia de Mérida, an archaic variant of the name Olaya, gave rise to the erection of this temple in honour of the martyr who defied the Romans at Augusta Emerita centuries ago.
It is possible that a cult to the saint existed previously, although the inscription on a stone on the northern façade of the sanctuary itself indicates that the Chapel of Santa Olaya was constructed in 1674.
The promontory is flanked by a cross of granite, a rock that is plentiful in the region, situated on a pedestal of the same material. At the top stands the modest Chapel of Santa Olaya. Its distinctive portico, the whitewashing of the main entrance between the roof and the belfry, which serves to make the chapel visible from a distance, is a notable feature.
The typical Sayago masonry, based on irregular stone slabs, is evident throughout the structure of the building, from its foundations to the upper arch. This arch is decorated with a fine stone statue of the saint, which is missing its right hand. However, in her left hand, she still holds a copy of the Bible.
Even though the saints' calendar marks 10 December as the day of Santa Eulalia, or Olaya, the practice of going up to the chapel in pilgrimage on that date has long since ceased. On 25 April, the hill is the site of a ceremony at which the local community comes together to bless all the fields and crops in the municipality.
Nevertheless, the commemoration of the martyr of Mérida has not ceased, although the manner of its observance has undergone a transformation. During the offertory on the third Sunday of September, the local population expresses gratitude to the Virgin for the bountiful harvest by offering a portion of the fruits and vegetables harvested during the summer.