Galicia is a land of myths and fantastic stories. One of the most famous and terrifying legends is that of the so-called Santa Compaña, a group of lost souls that roam the community’ s forests and are a symbol of bad omen, death and tragedy.

The origin of this legend is not known for certain. There are many similar tales throughout Europe, such as that of the wild hunt of the Norse god Odin, the Breton processions of the dead, or the tale of the annwn dogs, a breed of spectral dogs that go hunting with the dead. Mentions of the Santa Compaña can be found in writings from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Also known as ‘Huespeda’, ‘Estadea’, ‘Campaña’ or ‘Genti de muerti’, the story goes that the Santa Compaña is a parade of grieving souls dressed in black robes that travel the roads and villages during the night, raising a dense fog in their wake.

Each specter carries a lighted candle that glows in the dark and impregnates a strong aroma of wax in the atmosphere. Their appearance warns that someone is going to die.

This group is led by a living person carrying a cross who has no memory of this route. This individual is usually pale and in poor health due to the fact that Santa Compaña does not let him rest at night. For this reason, he is said to be cursed, since he is condemned to walk until he dies of exhaustion. The only way to free himself from this work and save himself is to deliver the cross to a poor incautious person who crosses his path.

There are different forms of protection. The most common is to draw a circle on the ground with chalk or salt, lie face down, pray or run away.

Another method is to go to one of the many Cruceiros (crossroads) that exist throughout Galicia and that any pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago encounters along the way. One of its meanings is to safeguard travelers who have the misfortune of crossing this procession of souls on their way.

Santa Compaña is said to appear more frequently on specific dates, such as St. John’s Eve or All Saints’ Day.

Beyond Galicia

This legend is present in other territories of Spain. Without going any further, in Asturias there is a tradition called ‘La güestia’ very similar to the Santa Compaña. This one is about a group of hooded people who come to the house of a dying man and, after circling around him three times, cause his death.

In Zamora they have ‘La estadea’, a faceless woman who wanders through cemeteries and roads. And in Extremadura there is the ‘Corteju de genti de muerti’, two ghost riders that cause panic at dawn, because whoever sees them will die.

Santa Compaña is deeply rooted in the popular culture of Galicia and is feared and respected by many of its inhabitants. Believe in it or not, if you’re ever walking through the woods at night, never leave home without a piece of chalk. You never know, you might need it to draw a circle and protect yourself from a certain ghostly procession.