The Legend of Pósito's Cross

It is said that a captain, probably from the Thirds of Flanders, came to Jaén. He was a rich gentleman named Diego de Osorio. He always used to wear his uniform, he had a penetrating glance, a weathered face and he was very courageous. 

The whole city talked about that man. Most of the women of the city were in love with him, but he fell deeply in love with a young lady named Beatriz de Uceda. She was a very beautiful and virtuous woman. But unfortunately, Beatriz was in love with another man. Due to financial circumstances, Beatriz finally married the Captain Diego de Osorio, trying to forget about the man she really loved.

After the wedding she tried extremely hard to be happy with the captain but she had great sorrow and constant anguish in her heart as she could not forget the other man who was the subject of her desires when she was younger. She had to cope with her husband who had changed; he had been very nice and gallant but had since turned into a different man: he became a depraved man, with several vices. He became indebted as the times passed by, and he lost his money because he was addicted to gambling. He finally ran out of money. No one in the city could lend him money and he felt the pressure of his debts. One day, while he was playing, he felt very desperate and he ordered his servant to go to his house and take the wedding jewel that he had given Beatriz as a symbol of his love. Beatriz was so surprised when she heard about this from the servant that she gave him a message to give to her husband. If Diego wanted to have this jewel he had to ask her personally, without an intermediary. So, the servant went to tell the message to Diego de Osorio. When he got the message he became extremely furious because his wife usually always did whatever he wanted her to do. He went to Pósito Square, the meeting point where he was to meet Beatriz to take the jewel. He saw her there, at the cross which was in the middle of the square. She opened her hand in order to give him the jewel, when he, with his extreme fury, killed her with a dagger.

After this cruel situation, he received a message from a nobleman named Lope de Haro who witnessed the murder of Beatriz. He challenged him to a duel in the same place where Beatriz had died, at the cross of Pósito Square. Lope de Haro was the boyhood love of Beatriz, who also loved her from a distance. The gentlemen met at the scene of the murder and fought until finally, the gentleman Lope de Haro stabbed the captain with his sword, up to the hilt, into the body of the unfortunate captain as payment for murder. Lope de Haro, visibly affected by the situation, pronounced the words “Pater Noster” in the moment Diego de Osorio passed away. According to the legend, the disconsolate ghost of Lope de Haro returns to the cross of Pósito Square every anniversary of this tragic day in order to pray to Our Father.