El culto a San Millán en Valderredible Cantabria: Las Iglesias rupestres y la formación del Camino de Santiago (review)

Research by Gregory Kaplan challenges the conventional narrative of the Camino de Santiago's origins, suggesting that pilgrimage to northern Spain predates the 9th-century discovery of Saint James's remains. The study links the cult of San Millán in Valderredible, Cantabria, to the formation of early pilgrimage routes, supported by evidence from the region's extensive network of cave churches—over fifty documented sites. Kaplan employs architectural analysis, focusing on Visigothic-era horseshoe arches and apse dimensions, to approximate construction dates, drawing parallels with other Visigothic churches. The research also compares two versions of San Millán's life, highlighting discrepancies that reveal later falsifications aimed at enhancing the monastery's prestige.

(Ed.). (2011). El culto a San Millán en Valderredible Cantabria: Las Iglesias rupestres y la formación del Camino de Santiago (review). La Corónica: A Journal of Medieval Hispanic Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, 39(2), 247–249. https://doi.org/10.1353/cor.2011.0002