Santuario da Virxe da Escravitude, Catholic pilgrimage church in A Escravitude, Padrón, Spain
Santuario da Virxe da Escravitude is a Marian church in the village of A Escravitude, in the parish of Santa María de Cruces, Padrón. The Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago passes beside it. Its two symmetrical towers date from 1743 and 1885, and the Fuente Santa spring stands next to the temple.
Construction of the sanctuary began following a miraculous healing in 1732 when a man from Salnés recovered from dropsy near the Sacred Fountain. This event sparked the establishment of the site as a place of religious devotion.
The name comes from the words the healed man is said to have shouted, thanking the Virgin for freeing him from the "slavery" of his illness. The image of the Virgin and Child carved after 1582 stands above the Fuente Santa, and pilgrims on the Portuguese Way still stop at this fountain.
The sanctuary welcomes visitors year-round and provides access to the Sacred Fountain, which continues to attract those seeking its waters. The location sits along the Camino de Santiago route, making it convenient for pilgrims traveling on foot.
The church already had one tower from 1743; the matching second tower came in 1885, paid for by a Galician who had made his fortune in the Americas. The two towers have framed the facade identically ever since.
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