Santa Cueva de Covadonga

The Santa Cueva de Covadonga (English: Holy Cave of Covadonga) is a Catholic sanctuary located in Asturias, northern Spain. It is a cave in the Picos de Europa mountains, which gives its name to the parish of Covadonga in the municipality of Cangas de Onís. The meaning of the name "Covadonga" likely derives from the Visigothic/Old Germanic "Cofa Weorðunga", meaning "Cave of Worship", and refers to its shrine dedicated to the worship of the Virgin of Covadonga.

The origin of the cave as place of cult is controversial. It seems to have been originally another place of confluence of Pagan Cult (in this case a fountain and cave together, seen as holy sites) as the Wilweorthunga, meaning "well of worship" had been in Prehistorical times and still during the Roman Empire occupation. The Christian tradition has it that Pelagius, chasing a criminal, who had taken refuge in the cave, meets a hermit who was venerating the Virgin Mary. The hermit asked Pelagius to forgive the criminal, since the criminal had resorted to the protection of the Virgin, and says that one day that he too would need to seek shelter in the Cave. Some historians say the most plausible is that Pelagius and the Christians refugees in the Cave of the Muslims, they will bring them an image of the Virgin and leave her there after his victory at the Battle of Covadonga, the origin of the Reconquista.

Muslim chronicles about the Battle of Covadonga say that in this cave fled Pelagius forces, feeding on honey bees left in the crevices of the rock. Christian chronicles claim that the miraculous intervention of the Virgin Mary was crucial in the victory, repelling attacks against the cave.

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