Saint Saint Amaro

According to Catholic tradition, Saint Amaro or Amarus the Pilgrim (Spanish: San Amaro, Portuguese: Santo Amaro, Galician: Santo Amaro) was an abbot and sailor who it was claimed sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to an earthly paradise. There are two historical figures who may have provided the basis for this legend. The first was a French penitent of the same name who went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in the thirteenth century. On his return journey, he established himself at Burgos, where he founded a hospital for lepers. Saint Amaro has also been identified with Saint Maurus, disciple of Saint Benedict, who founded the first Benedictine monastery in France. Around the historical character of Saint Amaro converged many pagan traditions present in Asturias and Galicia related with Gaelic immrama and echtrai, like The Voyage of Máel Dúin, The Voyage of the Uí Chorra, The Voyage of Snedgus and Mac Riagla or The Voyage of Bran. Many features of the Celtic Otherworld are present in the Periplus of Saint Amaro. Like Saint Brendan, Amaro is said to have travelled on a journey that echoes that of the Irish immram – the voyages to the paradisiacal islands of the West. An edition of the Life of Saint Amaro was published at Burgos in 1552. His legend holds that Amaro was a noble Catholic from Asia who was obsessed with the idea of visiting the earthly paradise. With this goal in mind, he would inquire for more information from his guests. Amaro was not successful in receiving information from them and was quite desperate and anguished about this until one night, God appeared to him and revealed how to reach his objective. Amaro would have to build a boat and follow the path of the sun across the Atlantic Ocean. Amaro took to the sea with some companions and sailed for six days and seven nights until he reached an island. This was an extremely fertile land that held five cities inhabited by uncouth men – though the women were quite beautiful.