Sacromonte Abbey in Granada was founded in 1600. The church is on the hill of Valparaiso outside the old city and is built over catacombs (originally mine workings of Roman date). The slopes of the hill form the traditional gypsy quarter of the city; and on 1st February each year, are the location of the fiesta of San Cecilio, when large crowds gather to celebrate the city's first bishop and Granada's patron saint. The fiesta and Abbey act as key instruments for the preservation, propogation and dissemination of the the pious legend of San Cecilio; by which the city of Granada in the 17th Century sought to redefined its historic identity, replacing its Moorish past with fabricated (or re-discovered) accounts of Christian origins. Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the community of Andalusia, Spain. ... // Events January January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1st as being New Years Day February February 17 - Giordano Bruno burned at the stake for heresy in Rome July July 2 - Battle of Nieuwpoort: Dutch forces under Maurice of Nassau defeat Spanish forces under Archduke Albert in a battle on the... The word catacomb comes from Greek kata kumbas (L. ad catacumbas), near the low place and originally it meant a certain burial district in Rome. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Fiesta can mean: A festival or holiday. ... Morisco (Spanish Moor-like) or mourisco (Portuguese) is a term referring to a kind of New Christian in Spain and Portugal. ... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ...

The legend states that the catacombs are the site of San Cecilio's martyrdom , and the Abbey preserves the claimed relics of Cecilio and eleven other saints - bones, ashes and the oven in which they were believed to have been burned; and also holds the inscribed lead plaques and books that were found with the supposed relics, but which were subsequently officially dismissed as forgeries. Relics can be: Relics: the remains of saints (usually bones), honored in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. ...

The "Lead Books" (Los Plomos del Sacromonte)

The legend of San Cecilio originated with the discovery in the caves between 1594 and 1606 of 22 volumes of "lead books" - each consisting of a number of inscribed circular lead leaves, laced together with lead wire, and bound within folded lead covers; together with burned human remains, identified by lead plaques as being those of Cecilio and eleven followers, supposedly martyred under the Emperor Nero. References in the "books" claim that they were inscribed by Arabic-speaking Christians during the Roman period, and deposited with the martyrs' remains. Events February 27 - Henry IV is crowned King of France at Rheims. ... Events January 27 - The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins ending in their execution on January 31 May 17 - Supporters of Vasili Shusky invade the Kremlin and kill Premier Dmitri December 26 - Shakespeares King Lear performed in court Storm buries a village of St Ismails near... Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ...

The "lead books" are written in a combination of Arabic and [[Latin], in chracters that Morisco scholars claimed to recognise as 'Salomonic' - and which they stated as having been used for pre-Islamic Arabic. The books claim to represent prophetic and liturgical teachings of the Blessed Virgin Mary (apparently given by her in Latin, but translated and interpreted into Arabic by Cecilio); recording her love for the Arabic peoples and language, and promising her particular guardianship over the city of Granada. The texts include an explicit reference to the Counter-reformation doctrine of the Immaculate Conception: Mariam non comprehendit peccatum originale; but also employ terminology otherwise closer to Islamic formulations: God is One. There is no God but God, and Jesus is the Word of God. A consistent theme is to emphasise Arabic as an ancient language of Spain, Arabs in Granada as the first Christians in Spain, and Christianity as the true religion of the Arabs. The form of Christianity presented is such as to be highly acceptable to Catholics in Granada - emphasising the veneration of relics, the cult of the Virgin, and the priority of Granada as a Christian bishopric; but also downplaying some aspects of Christianity that were most repugnant to Muslims, the cult of images, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the worship of Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Morisco (Spanish Moor-like) or mourisco (Portuguese) is a term referring to a kind of New Christian in Spain and Portugal. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Blessed Virgin Mary A traditional Catholic picture sometimes displayed in homes. ... Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the community of Andalusia, Spain. ... The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ... Mary Immaculate This article refers to the doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary, Mother of Jesus. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... â–¶ (help· info) (Arabic: الإسلام; al- islām, the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... The Savior Not Made By Hands (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) An icon (from Greek εικων, eikon, image) is an artistic visual representation or symbol of anything considered holy and divine, such as God, saints or deities. ... Within Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity states that God is a single Being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three persons (personae, prosoponoi): Father (the Source, the Eternal Majesty); the Son (the eternal Logos or Word, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth); and the Holy Spirit. ... Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus the Nazarene, is the central figure of Christianity, in which context he is known as Jesus Christ (from Greek Ιησούς Χριστός) with Christ being a title meaning Anointed One or Messiah. According to those who support the Nicene Creed, Jesus is both the... Look up Incarnation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Incarnation, which literally means enfleshment, refers to the conception, and live birth of a sentient creature (generally human) who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial. ...

The discovery of the texts, and the associated relics, proved to be the occasion of numerous miracles - which confirmed their authenticity in the sight of the local population and of the church authorities in Granada, and attracted royal support from both Philip II and Philip III. The Vatican remained highly skeptical of the texts, however, and in 1642 succeeded in having the "lead books" sent to Rome; together with an associated ancient parchment which had been discovered in 1588 in a lead box in the tower of a former mosque. A prolonged investigation by the Holy Office in Rome concluded, in 1682, that both the parchment and the "lead books" were heretical forgeries, probably perpetrated by the Christian Moriscos Alonso de Castillo and Miguel de Luna (the same Morisco Arabists who had been called in to interpret the Arabic texts); who by fortunate chance had lived very close to the caves, and who had indeed had been instrumental in the rediscovery of some of the books. Some Spanish scholars, however, continued to maintain the authenticity of the texts through till the 19th century. The lead-books were kept in the Vatican, but eventually returned to Granada in the year 2000. For the U.S. hockey teams victory in the 1980 Winter Olympics, see Miracle on Ice, or Miracle (movie) According to many religions, a miracle is an intervention by God in the universe. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philip III of Spain Philip III (Spanish: Felipe III) (April 14, 1578 – March 31, 1621) was the king of Spain and Portugal (as Philip II Portuguese: Filipe II), from 1598 until his death. ... Events January 4 - Charles I attempts to arrest five leading members of the Long Parliament, but they escape. ... 1588 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Artistic (i. ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ... Morisco (Spanish Moor-like) or mourisco (Portuguese) is a term referring to a kind of New Christian in Spain and Portugal. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Almost all scholars now concur with the official verdict - and believe that the books are a falsification intended to promote toleration of the language, dress and customs of Christian Moriscos in the face of increasing hostility from the Spanish Inquisition and the Castilian state. If so, this exercise was unsuccessful in its general objective, as between 1609 and 1614 the entire Christian Morisco population of Andalucia - estimated as 250,000 persons - was deported to Morocco, where almost all subsequently converted to Islam. Both de Castillo and de Luna escaped this fate however; as the Archbishop of Granada, Pedro de Castro, ever grateful for the immense increase in the prestige of his see arising from the discovery of the relics of St Cecilio, extended his personal protection to them and their families. Falsification is the act of disproving a theory. ... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ... Morisco (Spanish Moor-like) or mourisco (Portuguese) is a term referring to a kind of New Christian in Spain and Portugal. ... The Spanish Inquisition was the Inquisition acting in Spain under the control of the Kings of Spain. ... Castilian is a noun and adjective that refers to the region and former kingdom of Spain; in particular, it refers to the language of this region, and is therefore considered by many to be a synonym of Spanish, though with different nuances. ... // Events April 4 – King of Spain signs an edit of expulsion of all moriscos from Spain April 9 – Spain recognizes Dutch independence May 23 - Official ratification of the Second Charter of Virginia. ... Events April 5 - In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe. ... Motto: Dominator Hercules Fundator Andaluc a por s , para Espa a y la humanidad (Andalusia for herself, for Spain, and for humanity) Capital Seville Area  - total  - % of Spain Ranked 2nd 87 268 km 17,2% Population  - Total (2003)  - % of Spain  - Density Ranked 1st 7 478 432 17,9% 85,70... â–¶ (help· info) (Arabic: الإسلام; al- islām, the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

The authenticity of the relics (i.e. the bones and ashes of the 12 martyrs) was never challenged, and they continue to be venerated in the Abbey that de Castro built on the spot. Hence he legend has acquired a moral function directly contrary to the intention of its original propogators; far from validating the authentically Spanish identity of Granada's Morisco traditions, the legend has served to sanction and celebrate the supercession of those traditions.

References:

• T. Kendrick St James in Spain 1960.

External links

(in Spanish)

• http://www.madrimasd.org/informacionIDI/entrevistas/quienesquien/detalleGrupo.asp?id=23