Samos Monastery on the French Way
Samos Monastery on the French Way
12 km from Sarria, lies Samos, a municipality in Lugo, situated between Monte de Meda and the Oribio mountain range. In this small town, you will find the Samos Monastery, located in a secluded and picturesque spot along the Sarria River, surrounded by nature. It is one of the jewels of the Camino de Santiago.
For centuries, the Samos Monastery has been the centerpiece of a section of the Camino de Santiago that runs between Triacastela and Sarria, following the route through Samos.
Its origin dates back to the 6th century, with the first written reference known from the year 655. It was founded by Martín Dumiense as a school of Theology and Philosophy.
The monastery has experienced various expansions, abandonments, reconstructions, and fires throughout its history, such as the one that devastated it in 1558 and the most recent and destructive one in 1951. However, let us recall its connection with the Camino de Santiago.
In the 9th century, after the discovery of the Apostle’s remains, pilgrims visiting his tomb were hosted by monks who provided them with a hostel where they could rest and enjoy their hospitality.
In addition to lodging, the monastery also served as a hospital, offering pilgrims a pharmacy or nursing service that provided the most essential medicines for both the monks and the pilgrims seeking help. These medicines were prepared using herbs from its garden and medicinal plants.
Today, the complex consists of a Baroque church built in the 18th century, two cloisters: the Great Cloister or Father Feijoo’s Cloister (17th-century classical and Herrerian style), the Small Cloister or "Cloister of the Nereids" (16th-century late Gothic style), a library with more than 25,000 volumes of great historical value, and the so-called Cypress Chapel (a pre-Romanesque construction from the late 9th century), with over a thousand years of history.
If you wish to visit the Samos Monastery, guided tours are available and last 40 minutes.
Winter schedule (from October 26, 2024):
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 10:00h, 11:00h, 12:00h, 16:30h, 17:30h and 18:30h.
• Sundays and public holidays: 12:45h, 16:30h, 17:30h and 18:30h.
• HOLY EUCHARIST: Monday to Saturday at 19:30h in the oratory of closure. Sundays at 12:00h in the Abbey Church.
At the reception, you can also find the monastery shop where products made by the monks themselves are available, including handmade pastries, liqueurs, books, Saint Benedict medals, credentials, and more.
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