Santo Toribio de Liébana

Santo Toribio de Liébana is a monastery located in the district of Liébana, near Potes in Cantabria, Spain. It is now occupied by Franciscan friars.

Overview

Its origins are obscure, but it was during the reign of Alfonso I of Asturias, who was repopulating the area around Liébana during the early part of the reconquest of Spain in the mid-eighth century. The first reference to the monastery of Turieno with the protection of Santo Toribio was made in 1125. Its foundation is attributed to a 6th century Bishop of Palencia called Torobio, who retired with some companions to Liébana to live according to the Benedictine rule. When it was founded, the monastery was first dedicated to Saint Martín de Turieno, which over time was changed to Saint Toribio de Liébana. Probably during the 8th century, the body of another 6th century bishop, Toribio of Astorga was moved to the monastery, along with relics which he was believed to have brought from the Holy Land for safekeeping. The most important of these is the Lignum Crucis, believed by some Roman Catholics to be the biggest surviving piece of the Holy Cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Because of this, the monastery is an important pilgrimage centre, and is one of the important holy sites of Roman Catholicism in Europe, alongside other notable places such as Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Caravaca de la Cruz and Assisi. The monastery was also where the 8th century monk Beatus of Liébana wrote and illustrated his works, such as his Commentary on the Apocalypse. The monastery was originally a royal possession, but it was given by Alfonso VIII of Castile to Count Don Gómez y Doña Emilia, who then passed it on to the monastery of Oña (Burgos), along with other properties in Liébana and neighbouring provinces. The monastic community ceased to exist after the forced sale of religious land in Spain in 1837, but was refounded in 1961.

The most important building is the gothic church, whose construction began in 1256, though it has been remodelled several times since. It is built on the site of a pre-romantic and a romantic building (perhaps Asturian or Mozarabic in style). It has the clarity of line and space, and the surrounding decoration that characterises the architecture of San Bernardo. the church is rectangular in plan with three aisles, a tower at the foot of the central, widest aisle, and three polygonal apses. Its facade is similar to that of the Abbey of the Holy Bodies, the cathedral of Santander. Its doors in the southern wall are romantic in style and possibly predate the building inside. The prinipal door, the Puerta del Perdón (Door of Forgiveness) is only ever opened during each Jubilee Year when Saint Toribio's day coincides with a Sunday. The Lignum Crucis is housed in housing of golden wood in a baroque, domed, early 18th century chapel in the north wall of the church, looked over by an effigy of the chapel's founder, Francisco Gómez de Otero y Cossío (1640-1714), inquisitor of Madrid and archbishop of Santa Fé de Bogotá, who was born locally. The cloister was completed in the 17th century.