Vitorino dos Piães
Distrito de Viana do CasteloPortugal
Parish dedicated to Saint Victorinus (from the Latin Victorinus 'the victorious') + geographical qualifier dos Piães, probably derived from the Latin palumbarius 'dovecote' (via pião 'young pigeon'), alluding to the medieval presence of seigneurial dovecotes.
The pattern patron saint's name + geographical qualifier distinguishes homonymous parishes within the same district. There are several Vitorino in the Minho —Vitorino das Donas, Vitorino dos Piães—, all dedicated to the martyr Victorinus of Sabaria (4th century). The second element, dos Piães, presents the typical ambiguity of rural toponyms: pião in medieval Portuguese meant 'dovecote' or 'squab', but also 'spinning top' or 'game piece'. The dovecote interpretation is reinforced by documentation: the cartulary of the Monastery of Refoios do Lima mentions palumbaria when delimiting the lord's holdings in the 12th century.
Evolution of the name
- Sancti Victorini de Palumbariis medieval Latin 11th — 12th century
- São Vitorino dos Piães Portuguese from the 13th century
Sources
- Machado, J.P. — Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa
- Mattoso, J. — A Nobreza Medieval Portuguesa
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Camino Portugués