Madonna of Poyo

At the top of a steep hill, we struggle past a small church, closed, but with a quaint painting to remind us this is El Poyo. the painting is of a statue that resides in the church, a statue known as Our Lady of Poyo, with Jesus sitting on her knee holding the Book of Life, carved in the 14th century. What makes it well known is the fact that three times this statue was stolen was citizens of Viana who claimed it belonged there, but three times it mysteriously turned up in El Poyo. At that point, the citizens of Viana conceded defeat and the church was built for the statue. As we cannot go inside we cannot prove the statue is inside, but we have the painting to contemplate while we catch our breath.