Identification of a Cross Along the Road between Javier and Sanguesa

[Sparrow in Texas]

Is anyone able to identify what this cross is about. There are several similar of these along the roadway between Javier and Sanguesa. This one has the inscription, Los Mozos navarros a javier,
seminario concilar IV centenaoli.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My (somewhat) educated guess is that it is commemorating the 400th anniversary of young Navarrese men (mozos) being called to follow Saint Francis Xavier (7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552), a Navarrese Catholic missionary and saint who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Hi Sparrow! I saw different crosses with the same inscription when I did the Aragones from Javier to Sanguesa in 2018, and I remember wondering about it.... Thanks for asking the question! (BTW, the man in the pic is not me.)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Looks like they erected at least a dozen along the way. Rev is at II and Sparrow was at XII.

I can't remember even one.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

They mark the way of an annual pilgrimage.
La Javierada

A quote from the webpage:

Along the last 8 km that lead to the Castle of Javier from Sangüesa (road NA-5410), the pilgrim will see on his way the stone crosses erected by the young men of Navarra that accompany the prayer of theWay of the Cross.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

As I recall, the numbers began outside Sanguesa and went up the closer one got to Javier. I assumed at the time that they might perhaps have reflected Stations of the Cross for some 1950s Navarrese youth pilgrimage to the shrine of the Saint.... . Father Elias' 1985 Camino guidebook reported [p. 18] that "Las 'Javieradas' concentran a muchos miles de jovenes en le mes de Marzo."

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I see a few people have read this thread while I was adding a quote from the referred webpage to my post #5 above.

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

Thank you Rick for sorting this out! I walked the Aragones for the second time this past September-October, this time with a walking companion who was in total awe at everything he saw. I absolutely would walk the Aragones again but our plan is to walk Finisterre-Muxia later this year, if possible.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Thank you Rick for sorting this out! I walked the Aragones for the second time this past September-October, this time with a walking companion who was in total awe at everything he saw. I absolutely would walk the Aragones again but our plan is to walk Finisterre-Muxia later this year, if possible.

Like you, I'd do that walk again in a heartbeat.

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

Fr. Jeff, you were in my thoughts along the way. This time I found the dolmen and the entrance to the witches cave near Villanua. A highlight was to see the progress on the Canfranc train station!

 

[Vacajoe]

Uh, so I walked Sanguesa to Javier in 2019 and didn’t see a single one of these crosses! What route was I on?!?!?! BTW, love the Aragon Camino, especially the new albergue is Canfranc Puebla!