Alfonso X El Sabio: Remedios Curativos

The legends told in the Cantigas are culled from repertories and songbooks that circulated throughout Europe, from oral tradition in Marian sanctuaries, or from the personal experiences of King Alfonso and his entourage. The most varied experiences to be had by men are recounted to us, but the ones that concern us in this instance are those that deal with illnesses and how to heal them. Apart from the beauty of the songs, they are interesting in that they reveal to us how medicines were made and given at that time. Faith in miracles nourishes hope, and when one believes, everything is possible, even the impossible. This explains that different peoples all over repeat, in different versions, the narratives of miracles and miraculous healings. Whatever happened before may well happen again! The Cantigas that tell of miraculous healings exude hope and give way to spiritual healing, since, as the ancients say, they encourage 'erectio animi'.