Description
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piedade of Merceana (Lady of Piety of Merceana) is localated at the old parish of Aldeia-Galega. Its legends goes back to 1305.
A shepherd noticed that every afternoon an ox named "Marciano" would step away from his herd, coming back after a while. Perplexed with the situation, the shepherd followed the animal and found him kneeling next to a tree, whose branches had a small image of Our Lady of Piedade. The
O Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Piedade da Merceana está situada na antiga freguesia de Aldeia-Galega, e a sua lenda remonta ao ano de 1305. The village priest and the population of Aldeia-Galega decided to built a chapel to keep the image.
Around the hermitage the village grew, till Merceana became a palce of pilgrimage and worship, and, also, the headquarters of a big brotherhood.