The legend

When the body of Saint James the Apostle was being brought to Galicia "...once past Portugal, already on the coasts of Galicia, in a place called Bouzas that is in front of the Baiona Islands, a wedding was being celebrated between a beautiful lady and a gentleman. Young and of very important and well knowns families.

The groom's family came from Amaia, in the Kingdom of Galicia. He was the son of Queen Claudia Lupa, daughter of Cayo Julio César and his first wife Cornelia, whom he left in Spain at his second coming.

His father was Lobo Lobesio, Lord of Castle Lupario next to Padrón, and to which the Emperor Augustus appointed Regulus of Galicia.

The son of both, Lobesio Rivano, was celebrating his wedding with Caya Valeria, daughter of Caya Lobia and Puctonio Marcelo in the beautiful place called Bouzas, located in the middle of the estuary of Vigo, just in front of the Baiona Islands, which was the chosen place to celebrate the wedding.

One of the entertainments of the wedding, besides music, dances and jousting, was competing to diverse games like "abofardar", a game in which the lords, on horseback, threw into the air their canes, “bofardas” or lances, collecting them at full gallop before they fell to the ground.

When the groom´s turn came, he threw his bofarda and, while waiting for it to fall, he watched as the wind suddenly diverted its trajectory towards the estuary. The Knight urged his horse to not lose the spear in the sea and, in his desperate attempt, he finally sank into the water with his horse and disappeared.

As time passed and everyone's despair increased, they saw a luminous boat approaching the point where the groom and his horse had disappeared.

When everyone considered him dead, the great miracle happened! At the passing of the luminous boat, the Knight miraculously emerged from the waters with his clothes and horse covered with scallop shells.

Astonished and confused by the events that occurred, the Knight turned his gaze to the crew of the ship who, excited, raised their eyes to the sky exclaiming:

"Truly, Jesus wants to show his power in front of you and of those who are in land, for the good and honor of this, his vassal, who we carry on this ship to give him a Christian burial. Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to show through you, to the present and the future, that whoever wants to love and serve his vassal, should visit him wherever he was buried wearing shells like those of which you are covered, as a seal of privilege. He, in return, will offer that the Day of Judgment they will be recognized by God as his vassals, and for the honor they did to his vassal and friend James to visit him and revere him, he will resurrect them in his Holy Glory and Paradise.

After listening to the disciples, the Knight asked to be baptized and returned to the beach where he met the bride and told those present what happened.

The Scallop Shell had been instituted as a symbol of the Pilgrim and Seal of Salvation.