Speaking of Macieira one has to mention mount São Macário, since this village is the location which is closer to the top of this hill, in its southern slope.
“From the top of the mountain S. Macarius the sunrise is beautiful, the colors that dazzle, the landscapes are a feast for the views, all say they are of divine creation. Of 1054 m. Hill may be the mountains of sight Montemuro da Estrela and Serra do Caramulo, you see all the green valley of Lafões days and more clearly sees himself in Porto, the Tower of the Clergy. “[in the site Municipality of São Pedro do Sul]
In the “Monte magaio” as it was called in pre-Roman times pre-Roman, there is a very old temple with excellent view, the imperatives of progress unfortunately fill with a profusion of unsightly buildings and aerial relays. However, this drawback does not mean that we continue to have the Hill are Macarius as one of the places to visit almost mandatory.
What gave name to this place was the cult of St. Macarius, which has been the century. XIII and in honor of which is held there every year a competitive festival, last weekend of July weekend. It is not known exactly who was this saint and traditions show you two sources:
According to legend, it was that of a donkey-driver, the return of one of his trips, he killed a guy he found in his bed. He came to know that was his own father, terrified, fled to the mountain that now bears his name, then leading a life of penance that you deserved the honor of the altars.
According to another legend, Makarios was the son of a Castilian nobleman who, by merely calling an ascetic, settled there, taking the life of a hermit that earned him fame of a saint, after canonically recognized.
Anyway, today there are two chapels in St. Macarius. The first and oldest, is the top of St. Macarius, sheltered from high winds that often plagues the mountain by a high wall on all around the chapel. St. Macarius The underside is a smaller chapel, built following the decision in favor of the parish of St. Martin Moitas, the question of ownership of the main chapel.
In 1769, the abbot of South S.to Adrião obtained leave from the chapter of the Cathedral to build a chapel “near the grotto where ancient traditions, they watched the glorious penitent St. Macarius.”
The chapel is there from the cave: a set of simple beauty, perhaps more pleasing to the eye that the chapel above, hidden by the wall. Hill St. Macarius has 1052m of altitude. ”
Are held the last weekend of July weekend of major pilgrimages to S. Macarius, with hundreds of people spending the night on the mountain to see an unforgettable sunrise.
Macieira is considered the oldest village in the county of Sul. The earliest reference to this place is from 1096, there already being a domen Vessadas of the site, known as Fraga da Moira.
Macieira hosts every year the Feast of the Autumn, Chestnut and Honey, an event that is a meeting of farmers and artisans from the villages around the Gralheira Mountains and that each year attracts more and more visitors.
Is still in Macieira which is the increasingly recognized cafe and restaurant Saves Souls. Directly in front lies a magnificent and impressive forest of chestnut trees.
[excerpts from "The Mass Gralheira" Mário de Araújo Ribeiro Magalhães issue with the City of Arouca]
Geographic Coordinate:
40° 52′ 7.56″ N, 8° 3′ 17.55 W
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