Honor
It was July 10, 1434 when noble knight Don Suero took up the challenge to defend his honor in the ancient town of Hospital de Òrbigo. After being rejected by a fair maiden, he challenged to joust any knight daring to pass him across the famed arched bridge, now a 13th century Roman artifact that crosses the River Òrbigo. To restore his honor to the fair maiden, Don Suero needed to defeat every knight’s attempt to cross the river for a month, as well as win at least three hundred lances. Knights all across Europe took up the challenge. Knight after knight met their doom under Suero’s brave determination and jousting expertise. He collected the quota of lances and was celebrated for regaining his honor.
One legend claims that during one of his final contests, Don Suero was wounded. Yet, he was still determined to complete his defense of his honor until the end. Even still, collecting the three hundred lances was only part of his mission. He had committed to walking the rest of the Camino pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago. Another legend claims that as he traveled, the wounded knight carried for inspiration a blue ribbon from the lady of whom he fought to demonstrate his honor. The legend further claims that a message of the love he and the lady held for each other was inscribed on the ribbon.
This ancient love story is credited as Cervantes’ inspiration for his book, Don Quixote. Of course, the bridge still stands today, as well as the undisturbed setting where the medieval jousting tournament took place. A pilgrim needs only a moment’s pause to bring to imagination the gallantry displayed there in order to win a love’s hand. It is no wonder that the bridge has been renamed, “Paso Honroso,” that is, “Passage of Honor.”
To read about the Passage of Honor was fascinating. To walk across the bridge and see where the battle occurred was the ultimate inspiration. The bridge has been refurbished in its historical integrity. Peering over the floodplain alongside the river leaves room for the imagination for the knight’s battle. The bravery and determination that occurred there was easy to conjure up. The bravery and intense love that fueled Don Suero’s perseverance filled my heart as I looked down from the bridge to my imagined gallantry of battle.
I was but a pilgrim clad with a backpack and an imagination on a Paso Honroso, a Passage of Honor. The imagination of the event gave me goosebumps.
Buen Camino!
