Oral History Interview - José Elias González

This interview documents the lived religious experience, personal memory, and community engagement of José Elias González, a lifelong resident connected to Santa Mariña de Augas Santas. Through autobiographical narrative, the interview explores childhood religiosity, family transmission of faith, devotion to Santa Mariña, and the embodied relationship between sacred sites (the church, the ovens, springs, and the “Santa de Pedra”) and local identity. Particular attention is given to ritual continuity, the role of collective theatre reenactments of the saint’s martyrdom, intergenerational memory, healing narratives associated with water, and the emotional impact of loss and community change. The testimony provides valuable insight into how ancient cultic traditions are sustained, reinterpreted, and lived in contemporary rural Galicia.