The vast Convent of Santa Maria Annunziata, better known as Eremita di Cesi or Eremo di Portaria rises along the ancient road that in the past connected Carsulae to Spoleto through the Martani mountains, on Mount Torre Maggiore at about 800 meters above sea level. gorges of the mountain there was a hermitage where, probably, in the 4th century the Syriac bishops Proculus and Volusiano had retired and next to which the Benedictines erected a chapel that was to serve as a refuge for a small community of monks and as a place of worship for the shepherds who moved seasonally in the territory.
The convent was founded in 1213 by St. Francis of Assisi, who lived for a certain period in a cave near a church that the bishop of Spoleto had given him, probably the chapel of St. Catherine then decorated with frescoes from the school of Benozzo Gozzoli.
The small church, dedicated to the Annunziata, had the same dimensions as the Porziuncola of Assisi and gradually the convent body grew in size and importance. The presence of friars thus became more numerous over time until reaching even thirty presences and it was necessary to enlarge the conventual body in subsequent phases. In 1420, San Bernardino of Siena also arrived here, whose current appearance is due to his work. Conventual life continued to be intense and fruitful, and a center of high and rigorous Franciscan spirituality.
Tradition has it that the Franciscan Crown, still recited by the minority families, originated here in the 15th century. Tradition also speaks of prodigious things that took place here: it tells of the Blessed Francesco di Pavia who tamed a wolf, of the Blessed Giovanni Spagnolo to whom Jesus appeared next to what is now called Leccio Santo.
Given the very isolated position, in the 18th century the convent was not affected by the Napoleonic suppression but, after the unification of Italy, it was definitively hit by the Pepoli decree of 1860, with which the convent became state property. The friars were allowed to live there until January 17, 1867, the day on which the arrival of the gendarmes and their threats made them escape. Since then they have never returned.
Since 1956, after being used for various uses, mainly colonies, it has remained in a state of complete abandonment. Friar Bernardino, the current very kind landlord, began its restoration in the 90s, with the help of many volunteers. And today the restoration of the Hermit is completely completed, although unfortunately the pictorial decoration is lost forever.
La Romita Franciscan Hermitage Convent
Address: Vocabolo Eremita, 05100 Terni
Phone: 0744 283006 - 3464107908
Site:
http://www.la-romita.net/Location inserted by
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