"The appearance of Pentedattilo is perfectly magical, and pays you made any sacrifice to attain it. Wild summit ' stone sticking in the air, arid and clearly defined in the form of a giant hand against the sky, and cracks in crevices of this frighteningly wild pyramid, the houses are wedged in, while darkness and terror lurking over the abyss around them The strangest human habitation. " So Edward Lear, in his "Diary of a journey on foot" (25 July - September 5, 1847) described Pentedattilo, an ancient village clinging to the red rock, the original form of five fingers, whose name seems to derive from the expression dáctili Greek penta-, although some goes back to the source domain Byzantine Empire. The analysis of Pentedattilo name has given rise to different interpretations, the more correct it seems that the one made by Joseph Pensabene, analyzing the present-day name says -: What are your fingers with a little 'fantasy we can imagine but that does not seem to be just five. The name seems to have nothing to do with five fingers. Several clues suggest Aquila, teaches and location of the Roman legions, even the local surnames are largely Latino and Greek Pentedattilo not as if he had originated from the Greeks. "
looking again today, Pentedattilo continued to surprise. His condition of abandoned village, not exploited by prospects of building valuations, we can still enjoy what 'was the structure a Calabrian town a few hundred years ago: the narrow, steep, often crossed by arches that connect the two buildings, the fountains at the intersections, low houses with one or two floors, with the stable and the oven floor, modest homes of those who live with the meager income of the soil, the churches, now crumbling and looted, still smelling of wallflowers and broom. Castle poor and almost deserted at the end of the sixteenth century, gradually abandoned by the farmers who prefer to move towards the more fertile coastal plains of Melito, rendered impassable by the floods of the past decades, today Pentedattilo has the charm of old things. Being far away from the tourist routes, it is not so far been of no use, but it was not even marred by arbitrary reconstructions. Yet this tiny village, made up of dilapidated houses and poor roads, has made its contribution to the history of Calabria, sometimes very considerable fortification of the border to protect valuable coastal Calabria, in the tenth and eleventh centuries was a Byzantine fortress against incursions of the Arabs of Sicily and held the same role during the ninety years of the war of the Vespers.
homeland of Peter Vitali, a humanist of the fifteenth century, in the West was one of the propagators of Greek culture, enriched over centuries of works of art of great value, which today preserves some rare but significant relic was a center where until a few years ago is continuing 'to practice the Byzantine rite and speak the Greek language and today its districts are called Placa and Cremameno, Scifi and aconite, Caridi ; and Scirudiaci . We try to the extent that the documents that we have allow us to give us some idea, try to imagine what life was like in those poor houses and narrow streets between those three centuries ago.
Pentedattilo's economy was then very poor, based on agriculture and small scale farming and to the immediate use of products from both. The steep and not very fertile territory did not allow a rational use of land: the only wealth was perhaps the mulberry trees, which were used for rearing silkworm, and thus for the production of silk, and were counted and recorded with great meticulousness, rights for which we also find a mulberry tree, or even only on a branch. He also cultivated the vine, the olive, the almond, walnuts, fruit trees, but in small measure, to the extent that afford the steep cliffs that overlook the broad stream. The gardens, however, were implanted around the waterways and in the flatter areas of the coast, while sheep and goats were brought to graze in the most rugged and mountainous. What was being produced by such an economy that could not be used to meet the immediate esigenne population, which in the seventeenth century amounted to about 700 residents. Legumes, vegetables, fruits and animals were bartered and consumed in the country and if there was business, this only covered the raw silk and agricultural tools are indispensable. The documents from which we get this news, in fact, we often talk about buying and selling small plots of land, wealth, various rights, but never show us a business transaction or business enterprises in a big way.
One of these documents also allows us to get an idea supply was then followed and many other aspects of daily life, for us perhaps marginal, but certainly not useless pieces to reconstruct the mosaic of our past. On 6 May 1653, when it was closed the Dominican convent of S. Our Lady of Candlemas, which was founded in 1554, had played a valuable role in education and the creation of social and religious identity of the inhabitants and to whom we have left the beautiful statue of Our Lady of mmarmorea Domenico Mazzola, the last vicar of it , fr. Thomas Rijtano, was drawn up by the notary Giuseppe Foti Motta St. John the inventory of all goods leaving the premises convent, to be delivered, according to the bubble suppression of it and many other small Italian convents issued by Pope Innocent X on October 15 last year, the parish priest of S . Peter for some years now archpriest Latin. The Good Father Pijtano did not just make a concise overview of the premises and their furnishings, but left us with the detailed list of everything that was in every room including the kitchen, pantry and cellar.
The Dominican convent of Pentedattilo, if it was one of the poorest of the numerous monasteries which then stood in Calabria, in relation to economic and social situation of the country covered some importance, he derived from the possession of certain parcels of land and a flock. With the annual pension of 50 ducats were to live by the five friars who housed and had to take care of the upkeep of the premises and the church, worship and pay the cost of financing the many social events and charity that the brothers undertook. If their incomes were therefore much higher than the income of a family of average condition, the standard of living of Dominicans, because their income rise to many charges that he had a normal family, was not unlike that of other villagers and their power could only be based on the same raw materials and follow the same criteria followed the rest of the population. In reconstructing this aspect of their lives and that of their contemporaries pentidattilesi our document shows more than a useful way.
Diet that about three hundred years ago it was keeping a Pentedattilo was based on carbohydrates and fats, in practice, the Mediterranean diet which is so much talk today. The wheat, legumes, vegetables and olive oil were the key components and served as raw material for the manufacture of almost all foods. The bread was made almost quotidiananiente and fresh or toasted, accompanied almost all the other dishes. Probably, as is still used today in many towns in Calabria, endeavor, whole wheat flour, as in our paper we describe the barn with his sacks and his Quattrone to store grain, is inventoried the majilla for bread and all the tools needed to bake it, but no mention of sieves of any kind. Other food legumes were preferred, especially the beans, which, along with vegetables cooked in copper caldarello and seasoned with olive oil, were the hot soup daily. Olive oil was entering all the dishes: it is spiced with hot bread, soups, salads. Was kept in jars of clay and Giarretta and measured cafizzi , while you were using to store wine and throw Carratelli and flasks of clay. The olives produced in the area in a certain amount, were placed in giarrotte with brine and then consumed salted. The foods of plant origin that are described only these, because obviously vegetables, fruits and vegetables were not stored for a long time and were not in storage in the pantry. All these raw materials were provided by the property, in fact very limited, that the convent had: terre plows, three small vineyards, olive losers walk.
A flock of one hundred and ten sheep and goats, rented producing milk and cheese, which was stored in pieces, and some animals to be consumed during holidays. Meat, sheep or goats, was a luxury. Craticola was roasted on an iron, keeping the pieces assienie by spiti , or was cooked in or tigani Pignatti and if the latter was extracted with a hook of small iron to tear out the flesh from pot. Sometimes, perhaps along with vegetables, it was fried in a pan iron and seasoned with sajme , which, after the annual killing of the pig was saved and used in small Giarette then during the year, together with other products from pigs, which were bagged and hung from the rafters of the roof with a hook of iron . Nearly absent from the table of pentidattilesi fish products, either because they were never a seafarer, either because the fish could not be eaten fresh, then that lacked any refrigeration system and that to reach the nearest port in several hours were necessary walk. We ate anchovies placed in Cogne, easily transportable and long life.
The meals were consumed over a dining table, covered with a tablecloth. We sat around it with seats and Banquet. The tools were minimized: Cocchiara iron and wooden Cocchiara, a knife, and was used for all and for all uses, dishes, small and large glasses of vitro, a Bocale , a Salera and canrratella to pour the wine. As you may have noticed a kind of life estremameute park, a far cry from our diet finatezze, but perhaps more healthy and complete as view diet. The lack of objective documentation does not allow us to generalize: a Pentedattilo were also poor, who lacked the necessary to survive and had to apply to the convent the pot of soup daily. But there were the barons, who in their castle or palace they could afford luxuries banned to the general population. Search these glimpses of daily life in our past, often considered marginal, can be not only fascinating but also helpful, because expression of a culture that has affected our past and affects many aspects of our present.
Regarding the structural and architectural foundation dates back Pentedattilo High Middle Ages and is attributable to the vast phenomenon of reorganization of the territory and defensive structures and settlements, from the seventh century and in a systematic way between the ninth and twelfth centuries, consolidates the spontaneous tendency to abandon coastal areas, and become insaubri insecure because of the mire caused by wild deforestation, and piracy and the Saracens.
Alongside this internal migration, slope, along the valleys in search of healthy and defensible sites for orographic, begins the process of Hellenization medieval monastic settlement due to the so-called East which will have a decisive role in the reorganization of the territory through labor Agricultural and craft and, more generally, in the revival and encouragement of the process of economic and cultural development of southern populations.
the monastic organization of unity, which soon will become centers of aggregation for the lay communities (Zinzi) will join the political-administrative organization of the land, punctuated by castra (major cities), castles (fortifications), cair (deepest rural settlements with tower).
Reggio, Pentedattilo, rigging and Le Saline (Melicucco, Sinopoli, Seminara, S. Tauriana and Cristina) were indicated by A. Guillou which early monastic settlements in the territory of Reggio Calabria-Greek, or rather as "centers of reference for the Eastern monastic habitat concentration areas" since the initial penetration of the monastic hermit character who will, during the height of its development (IX-XII century ), organizational structure affect productive agricultural-through units (monasteries, Orange ...) in the facies of the southern regions.
belongs to the legend of the foundation of the theory to work Pentedattilo Aschenez or Ausoni given by Fiore (Calabria illustrated , 1, 161) and by D'Amato ( Pantopologia , 307) likely however, the presence of a inhabited Roman (Station or taberna) or Greek, since the site of Melito, which gave birth to migrate inward after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The historical events are common to the subsequent history of Calabria, the Byzantine ecclesiastical organization strengthens the foundation of numerous religious buildings and Pentedattilo is mentioned as one of the locations protopapali Reggina with Motta SG, Montebello, S. S. Lorenzo and destroyed Agata (Russian).
Pentedattilo In the period of Angevin rule, while the bottom has a garrison church ("castrum Pentedactili custoditur for castellanum scutiferum et servientes IV .." in Russian), while during the period between the Angevin Aragon is documented and that it belongs to the monastery of SS archimandritale Salvatore Messina. Conquered by the Normans, belonged to the Monastery of S. Pancrazio of Scylla and then the Table of archimandritale SSSalvatore Messina. During the war of the Vespers was occupied by the almugaveris and in 1323 granted temporarily to Pope John XXII, for the direct administration of Roberto d'Angio '. From the political point of view, the fief of the Mensa archimandritale SSSalvatore step 'to Letizia, and in 1476 to John Michael Francoperta. In 1489 John Francoperta, Baron Pentidattilo, which was covered with debts saw confiscate the estate, which sold at auction, was awarded to Simonello degli Alberti di Messina.
Even in the sixteenth century Pentedattilo belongs to the so-called Hellenistic Diocese, but in previous centuries, deeply marked by the feudal and dynastic struggles, were centuries of decline, poverty and neglect. A major reorganization of ecclesiastical work, which will be reflected in the social area, is promoted by the Catholic bishops after the Reformation reggini Gonzaga (1537), from the ditch (1564-1592) and D'Afflitto (1594-1638). A Gaspar Del Fosso we owe the foundation of the monastery of Candlemas in Pentidattilo, entrusted to the Dominicans, the monastery was attached to the existing church to the Virgin of devoting likely Byzantine foundation. E 'dated 1564 the valuable statue of the title given to GD Mazzolo, a follower of Montorsoli operating in Sicily in the climate of the second manner (Di Dario Guida), the work commissioned by Baron GD Francoperta, fits into this complex phenomenon of import of works of art, intended mostly to adorn places of worship, from Messina Palermo and Calabria to the South, from North Naples to Calabria.
are documented in the "Views Pastoral" by Annibale D'Afflitto religious and moral conditions of the Diocese of Reggio Calabria: the Report of 1603 are 11 churches in Pentedattilo with 5 priests, a deacon, sub-deacons, 2, 3 clerics, and also 100 fires and 400 souls. At the time of D'Afflitto is attributable to the reorganization of parishes 's entire diocese. So, 'you have to Pentidattilo: the church dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, protopapale, of ancient foundation, to which are added the titles and possessions of the suppressed church of S. Maria della Scala and S. Sebastian, as well as the Dominican monastery and then deleted in 1652 for the reform of religious orders implemented by Pope Innocent X, the church dedicated to St. Dittereale Constantine, the Byzantine-Norman foundation, which he joined the title and property of the suppressed church of S. Nicola (1605).
epigraph placed in the church dated 1655, documents the transition from the greek to the Latin rite and substantial renovation and beautification of the church, the rite greek survive, next to the Latin rite, until 1740.
The seventeenth century was marked by fierce battles in feudal Pentedattilo between Alberti and Abenavoli Montebello and adverse natural events - plagues, earthquakes ...- which exacerbate the already miserable conditions of the people of Calabria.
First lay lords of the barony of Pentedattilo, were Francoperta Reggio from the end of the fifteenth century, in 1589, they succeeded to the Alberti of Messina, which bought 15,180 ducats for the barony and held it until 1686.
are attributable to that period the work of widening and strengthening of the castle which was equipped with ramparts and a drawbridge, which are but a few ruins.
E Alberti is attributed to the Marquis just the increase at the expense of Melito Pentedattilo. Already in the middle of the '500 appears to acts of Notary Calvari, un'enfitesi Melito of land to various settlers Pentedattilo. So even before the Albert Marquis there the ground was growing. Indeed as it was everywhere, even before the land was then in culture. Since Pentedattilo is the inhabitants had to descend to the deep sea floor in order to procure the necessary supplies for the cultivation of the fields, and given the distance from the place where houses had to have shelter from rain and weather gear and keep the farm and where to sleep at night, especially during harvest season. And what begins to be lowered the importance of Pentedattilo and began the rise of Melito.
In 1760, Donna L. Bonelli, Brienza Marquise with her husband's attorney, Pentidattilo sold with the land and houses of Melito and Chorio, the Marquis of St. Luke D. Lorenzo Clemente, on condition that remained extinguished the title of Marquis of Pentidattilo. Finally in 1823 the estate of Pentidattilo Chorio with Melito and was sold to D. Vincent Ramirez of Reggio, whose heirs to a large extent they possess the property.
The earthquake of 1783 greatly damaged the village which was indicated by Vivenzio between the centers to be reconstructed in another place.
are well-known events that followed the catastrophe (Mandalari, Prince): the inhabitants of Pentidattilo, I decided to move to the coast, find it extremely difficult for the opposition of the feudal lord and the extreme poverty besetting.
A significant correspondence, preserved in the American case of Catanzaro published by M. Mandalari, allows you to follow the vicissitudes of a transfer, planned but never implemented: the project of the new settlement and supporting technical reports were written by Ing. GB Mori, after several visits, and are due to Peter Rivera de Man, the three surveys, for many types of buildings to be erected at the Marina.
La Cassa Sacra would advance the money necessary to build and people would help with the materials recovered from their old homes (tables, fixtures, tiles ...), and also paying an annual fee until the extinction of the debt.
These conditions proved to be unacceptable, so after a few years from the date of completion of projects, has asked the government grants for the repair of the parish church.
Although most of the inhabitants of Pentedattilo, continued to live in small houses under the cliff, the slow exodus of residents to the Navy was increasing by other disastrous phenomena such as landslides and floods, and finally the effects of the earthquake of 1908, but already in 1786 he moved to the archpriesthood Melito. In 1820, Monsignor Tommasini archpriesthood to preserving the Pentedattilo, transfers Melito in the dittereale. In 1852 he returned to the dittereale Pentedattilo and archpriesthood to Melito. What is decreed by the end of Pentedattilo. From 1024 to Pentedattilo fires were only 106 and the others are dispersed throughout the territory, forming two villages: Melito and Chorio.
Pentedattilo All this has made an impressive but uninhabitable place, only a serious and immediate intervention order could still be saved by a slow but inexorable destruction of the surviving structures, reinventing ways of revitalizing and matching compatible with its unique physical connotations, historical and anthropogenic.
the Dominican convent IN Pentedattilo
The first foundations of the Dominican place in Calabria very late compared to neighboring regions. In fact, if Messina in the early decades of the thirteenth century was a convent of Dominicans, after the short-lived attempt to open a house in Cosenza (1240-1268), one must wait for the first years of the fifteenth century to find a community in the region stable. The first convent was to Catanzaro in Calabria, founded by Count Nicholas Ruffo 19 September 1401. The following century saw the proliferation of convents of different sizes in towns large and small in the region. The spread of the order was almost homogeneous in the whole territory, except the extreme south, where despite the presence of city of significant economic, political and religious, as Reggio, it was not managed to establish themselves, and the reason is discernible in the strong presence of monasticism greek which was the soul of the people. This situation began to change during the fifteenth century. When, for the state of disrepair in which they poured the Greek monasteries left to themselves, and for action exerted by the oligarchies of Latin disintegration of the capital.
Now there arose in Reggio some Latin convent, but the countries of the diocese and the surrounding areas were related to their worship. The convent of St. Mary Candlemas in Pentedattilo may have arisen after the Latin monasticism was expanding throughout the country, and assuming you do not leave the diocese of Reggio control of the friars of the province of Sicily. The report of 1650 tells us that it "was founded et erected the year 1554". It seems that the date reported by the report, based on records that the brothers had then in the convent, could be accepted. However, it does not tell us who left the initiative to call the Dominicans in this country, even if tacitly says that it was the archbishop of Reggio. Certainly was not either by the clergy nor by the local population, which was all greek language and ritual. He could only come from the feudal lords that the barons of Francoperta, which reggini of foreign origin, could have a vested interest in promoting Latin infiltration into their territory, then in full demographic and economic crisis. The work of the brothers would could be an incentive to overcome or at least to limit the crisis. They, in fact, although few in number would hold at least one teacher available to local youth and education would help the population, putting it in the broader culture of the region out of its isolation and the complex inferiority that the linguistic and religious diversity created.
the Dominicans were entrusted with the church of S. Our Lady of Candlemas, located "outside the walls of that land, a stone's throw away, but in the public road." It was most likely a pre-existing Byzantine church, as its focus, its title, which is nothing but the Ypapanti of the Greeks, and the fact that forty years after the founding of the monastery was in ruins suggest. The first thought of the brothers was istallativisi necessarily the construction of premises for their property, which were built alongside the church and very small. The report
already 'mentioned there describes them as consisting of ten rooms, including workshops, that is commonly used sites and deposits. Five rooms are accessed by a corridor the length of the church, illuminated by a large window, they were upstairs and had reserved the house of the Friars, while the ground floor were the dining hall, kitchen, wine cellar , granary and larder. Unlike the houses of the village, in the garden adjoining the convent had a cistern for rainwater collection, but, despite the presence of such exceptional service, there seems to be inferred from the descriptions that it was not built in a manner dissimilar from the homes of local farmers. The monastery was suppressed following the Bull "Instaurandae of Pope Innocent Xemanata October 15, 1962 in ordering the closure of the smaller monasteries. Deleted, the monastery was forever abandoned, but the churches, restored several times, still exists today.
CHURCH Candlemas Candlemas
The church was probably founded by the family Francoperta with the convent of the PP. Dominicans. The smile that Francoperta worship 1509 to 1589, have always been distinguished works of generosity 'in favor of the Catholic Church.
scholar Nicholas Ferrante, during his first visit to Pentedattilo in 1956, describes the Church of Candlemas: "I could not distinguish it from other houses, except inside, where it opened a long rectangular room, with on background a rude altar, on which stood, gentle and majestic movements of a sovereign in Eastern Europe, the white marble statue of the Madonna and Child in her arms. That Lady I rest in the landscape 'in the heart and throughout these years I returned other times.
I Francopetta, as promoters of the foundation of the monastery, he also assumed the burden of contributing to its allocation, since it was unthinkable that it should receive adequate support from the local population, and could be considered strange that Latinos, and the adaptation of the heart of the church entrusted to the Dominican friars to the needs of the liturgy. Indeed poured over the church of Candlemas their patronage, leaving a work, now and 'one of the few surviving relics of the monastery and its introduction in the country I represent' certainly exceptional.
Archbishop D'Afflitto July 31, 1595 in his first pastoral visit to Pentedattilo find 'the Church of Candlemas in poor condition and no priest-rector. The reasons for the abandonment would take information from the priest and archpriest Cardea Danieli who on oath deposed that about two years, the Dominicans had left both the church and the convent. Perhaps as a result of the authoritative intervention of the Archbishop returned to the Dominican Fathers and the church was reopened for worship. The first concern of the Fathers was evidently to restore the church. Rebuilt the roof, they left the altar marble statue of the Madonna and built three altars, one located "in cornu Epistolae," in which an image is venerated in fresco with a statue of the Crucified One, and two located " in cornu Evangelist ", dedicated respectively to St. Anthony Abbot and Our Lady of the Rosary. The work probably lasted for many years and in 1632 was still built a portal to one of the doors access, which still remains. In aggregate, the monastery was nearby church of S. Sebastian as "granary" placed at the pleasure of the monks, who paid the cost to ensure its maintenance and worship. The monastery was suppressed after the bubble Instaurandae of Pope Innocent X in 1652, which ordered the closure of the smaller monasteries. Deleted, the monastery was abandoned for ever, the church renovated rather more 'times, stand to this day. When in April of 1682 the Archbishop Martino admired the altar on which was placed the marble statue of the Madonna, in addition to the great altar of the Crucifix and there was admired, ruined by moisture on the walls, a beautiful fresco of Christ crucified. The church was completely restored in 1632, reads as carved on the door, was later embellished interanente Domenico Zema archpriest in 1881 who purchase 'of even the fine vestments.
When in 185o he came to miss the celebration of Mass, the faithful turned to the Archbishop of time, at least for the festive mass. Under the floor of the same church were buried the dead, this was the reason for requesting the liturgical celebration more insistently: "... the more 'established that this church is found on cemetery and the faithful would like to have the satisfaction that there the same, to pro of the dead, from Sacertoti offers himself to the Eternal Father, the Lamb Immaculate. " (January 1, 1850).
Around 1920 it was restored on the initiative of Father Gaetano Catanoso with offers of American emigrants. In 1979, with the connibuto the Ministry of Culture and by the parish priest of Anna sac. Plutino Sebastian, the Art chapel was reopened to the cult and returned to the dignity of an ancient sacred site. The renovation work was continued by the then parish priest Father Pentedattilo Peter Silvestro Morabito of the Capuchin Fathers of the Hermitage of Reggio Calabria, appointed by the Bishop SE Sorrentino in September 1985. Lest you were lost spiritual values \u200b\u200band artistic Pentedattilo, began the work of the church. Father Sylvester said: "The Superintendent of Fine Arts had restored half ' Church of Candlemas, leaving the other half 'the crumbling walls and no roof, the grievance of the citizens, the engineer member of the work is said cosi'avesse replied: "... I had to make a hole where to put the marble statue of Our Lady of Candlemas, a hole where the guard this national monument, the hole I did, the rest does not interest me. " But as pointed out by Father Sylvester shocked, the other half 'of the church was not a cultural asset in 1500? Did not even save quetso? And you leave the crumbling walls not being interested for the safety 'of the faithful and visitors?
Father Sylvester begin 'to restore the church: "The door of the sacristy was urgent and that the window was now stuck wrought iron. It replaced an altar adapted to the chest. Several appeals were the authorities to restore the ancient Candlemas its length is again the danger of falling walls already.. "In 1990 we could finally begin work, satisfying the desire of the parish priest and the faithful, who saw revive the splendor of the small church. After collecting approximately 8,000,000 pounds between pentidattiloti and with the addition of 6,000,000 by Father Sylvester, work began in November. It consolidated the ancient walls welding with iron grates you saved the old windows and cornices, none of what was old has been lost or destroyed, but everything restored or consolidated. Join enthusiasm and joy of the parishioners for the rebirth of the Church of Candlemas, Archbishop Sorrentino went on to bless the artistic Pentedattilo Via Crucis, the work of the Domus Dei in Rome. Currently the church is a rectangular room covered with wooden beams. In one of the smaller walls, wrought iron two windows open on the valley let in light that creates a striking and hardly illuminates the altar, down the dim light, shows off the beautiful statue of the Madonna and Child. Next to the altar against the wall, two old wooden benches painted and worked with precious stately bearing, a coat of arms painted on the back: on a gold background is a white pelican in the act of to feed his three children with his own blood also in black, silver side in the background, a blue cross loaded from a lambello three drops of red. The first section covers the Clement, the second the Filangieri. The Clemente, still existing in Naples, in a branch, were the Marquis of St. Luke since 1639. In 1760, bought the land Pentedattilo, with the consuls of Melito and Chorio, Letterio by Don Caracciolo, Marquis of Brianza and Pentedattilo (the latter coming by Alberti), with the condition that the title should be extinguished by the marquis, by anyone In fact most used. Alexander Don Clemente, son of Lorenzo II and a Filangieri (Iabella), last of Filangieri, patricians of Trani, where they lived, said that part of the coat of arms with the cross. The lambello red, the coat of arms, means that it is a secondary detached from the main branch. If so, the branch of Isabella Filangieri began 1406. Near the altar there are two painted wooden structures: a crucifix and a painting of Christ and brilliant colors, donated in 1939 by Giordano Bruno.
THE STATUE OF THE MADONNA WITH CHILD
The Greeks of Calabria, like all Orthodox, had always venerated images from very spiritualized forms, in two dimensions: the lion. At some time in their history when, for the known events, it weakens their ties with the Eastern church and their theology, also indulged in the worship of statues of pure Latin brand. This' was towards the end of the fifteenth century. when many countries invaded marble images of greek rite in the area of \u200b\u200bReggio Calabria. Our Lady of the Presentation of Montebello, Our Lady of the Snows of San Lorenzo and the wing Pietrapennata were the first examples of a new kind of iconography, which in the course of the next century would supplant ancient Greek models in all countries, reaching to Pentedattilo. These works came from nearby Sicily and especially from Messina, where several workshops of sculptors, which recalled that the great lesson of the finest fifteenth-century artists who had worked on the island, such as Francesco Laurana and Antonello Gagini, and comparing with the new achievements of sculpture contemporary works produced not devoid of beauty and dignity. Among these were the Mazzolo, Carrara home but working in the cities of the Straits since the beginning of 1500. John the Baptist in the first half-century had produced many works, while his son Domenico know very little except that he carved and signs' in 1564 the Madonna and Child Pentedattilo of Candlemas. The statue is about two meters Nicola Ferrante explains, is based on a hexagonal carved only in the three front sides.
In the middle of the Virgin is portrayed in feet with your right hand supports the child and place the left leg of his son. The Boy with the hand that takes something from the basket on his head is crowned with an angel kneeling right next to another angel standing, carrying a load like he always crowned on the head. Three characters are kneeling on the other side confident attitude: an old man and two women and the great mystery of the "Presentation" of Jesus to the temple and the purification of Our Lady. That old kneeling at the feet of the Virgin is Simone. The angels with their cargo remember many of our women who, until a few years ago they used to carrying baskets on their heads and various loads, adjusted by a crown of poor soft cloth was put under.
Historically, the sculpture seems to invoke Our Lady of Providence, to which the feudal lords of Pentedattilo erected an altar to nell'arcipretale Pentedattilo, equipping of the pension of a thousand ducats, as were two or three Masses celebrated daily. Such devotion reached its greatest manifestation in the course of 1600. On the right side of the base is carved the coat of arms Francoperta: blue background with three gold bands on six trees, placed three on the first level, two on the second, the third one. Above and below the coat of arms is engraved with the name of Young Demetrius Francoperta, partly shortened. Instead there is left of the base coat of arms of Domenico Mazzola, which are carved the initials.
MARIA SS OF PORTO SALVO
In April you can enjoy in the Church of Candlemas Pentedattilo, a painting of Holy Mary of Porto Salvo that as popular tradition is brought and left in the church as a tribute to the Marquis Alberti. Unknown is the author of the picture. Do not know the origin or how it got to the Shrine of Porto Salvo, along the Ionian coast, where it is jealously preserved for the rest of the year. You do not even know the time of start of the cult known to the effigy. A vague news about the miraculous origin of the picture we have from the popular tradition, which allegedly was brought from Turkey on a ship. What is the old image, which is venerated under the title of Mary of Porto Salvo, we deduce from the cult that since 1682, it lent itself to the Shrine. But before that time there was the picture of Mary of Porto Salvo, to which the Marquis Domenico Alberti, had a special devotion. "According to the stories of the people - Don Ercole says the revered Lacava-picture would be on the beach of Melito came from Turkey in ancient times. In a popular chant that was sung during the festival, says:" Turkey's partiu. And landing in exposures across Melito Maria Pia. "Some scholars trace this discovery in 1500 in the area of \u200b\u200bMelito called" Maiorana. "We must not forget that in this period occurred the continuing attacks by the Turks who looted and confiscated goods and people." It is said that during an expedition to Turkey in the midst of the merchandise of every kind and probably wonderful icons that once adorned the splendid churches of that land, was charged and abandoned "... a magnificent painting of the figure of the Madonna seated between a choir of angels, having at his feet, under his watchful eye, a ship in the waves of the sea treacherous. The inhabitants at first do not predict well the painting, but almost with contempt, refused the offer of the infidels threw the painting into the sea. The picture was floating instead of sinking and landed in the same place. When the locals realized that the continual return of the sacred image was on the beach sign from God and decided to build a church that was built then inexplicably perhaps beyond the point where today stands un'edicoletta. It is said that there is beginning to build the sanctuary - continues Don Ercole Lacava - because they wrongly believed it was to the point where it had landed the part, but as the work carried out during the day were in ruins at night, it was decided to build the place where the shrine now stands. The painting was restored in the last century painter from Reggio Annunziato Vitriol. Gold crowns, engraved by the School of Beato Angelico, Milan, resting on the head of the Virgin and Child, struck gold with the merger of the objects offered by the faithful how to vote. April 23, 1958 The Rev. John Ferro, archbishop of Reggio, crowned the sacred image in the presence of a multitude of people. Another restoration was carried out by prof. Demetrius Vakalis on July 8, 1975. The original painting is kept in place to prevent confidential possible theft and the Shrine will remain exposed to the public a copy of the painting done Vakalis. On 25 March each year, for the ancient vow of the Alberti family framework is accompanied in a procession to Pentedattilo, where it stays a month near the altar of the Church of Candlemas.
You would like to thank Don Ercole Lacava, Reggio Modena parish priest, and Don Plutino, pastor of the parish of St. Joseph Melito Porto Salvo.
