Rocc2

ROCCAMORICE

(Pg. 2)

La Rocca Pg. 1 (history/photos)
La Rocca Pg. 2 (Santo Spirito)
La Rocca Pg. 3 (San Bartolomeo)
La Rocca Pg. 4 (photos)
La Rocca Pg. 5 (photos)
La Rocca Pg. 6 (photos)
La Rocca Pg. 7 (festa)
La Rocca Pg. 8 (the old ways)
La Rocca Pg. 9 (the old ways)
La Rocca Pg. 10 (lu Sand'Andune)
La Rocca Pg. 11 (La Rocca's Sand'Andune)
La Rocca Pg. 12 (Don Donato Bianco)

La Rocca Pg. 13 (San Donato Church)
La Rocca Pg. 14 (people / places)
La Rocca Pg. 15 (people / places)
La Rocca Pg. 16 (people / places)
La Rocca Pg. 17 (places to stay / eat)
La Rocca Pg. 18 (Asphalt Mines)
La Rocca Pg. 19 (Asphalt Mines)
La Rocca Pg. 20 (Churches)
La Rocca Pg. 21 (Churches)
La Rocca Pg. 22 (people / places)
La Rocca Pg. 23 (people / places)
La Rocca Pg. 24 (people / places)

SANTO SPIRITO A MAIELLA

Santo Spirito is perhaps one of the most famous churches in the Maiella. One of over 100 hermitages in the mountains of Abruzzo it is situated 8.5 km. from Roccamorice in the Vallone di Santo Spirito.

In early times men who chose to live in solitude in the desert and contemplate God were called Hermits (men of the desert) or Eremi. Similar choices were made by men in the mountains of Abruzzo. These retreats were for men who renounced material items and welcomed the dicomforts of unhospitable places in order to be closer to God and remove themselves from the rest of the world.
Brother Pietro Angeleri , a Benedectine monk, was one of these eremi and his love of solitude led him to Monte Morrone and later to the wilder areas of Monte Maiella where he and his helpers restored remains of an ancient altar and built the church dedicated to the Holy Spirit in 1246. He stayed there over 40 years.

In 1293 it became Santo Spirito, the mother house of the Celestine Order named Fratelli dello Spirito Santo.

In 1294 brother Pietro Angeleri or Pietro da Morrone as he was also called, became Pope Celestino V but abdicated 5 months later because he did not think he was capable of the job.
After Pietro da Morrone left, the site was abandoned for almost three hundred years.

In 1586 it was restored by the monk Celestino Pietro Santucci of Manfredonia who is buried there.
At the end of the 17th century Prince Caracciolo di San Buono added a crypt for his family and a 3 storey building which is now used as a guest house.
In 1807 Napoleon ordered many monasteries closed down .
During this time it fell into ruins and was used as a sheep fold but people still continued to come because of the sanctity of the place.

Lovely tree-lined roadway leading downward from Santo Spirito.

Far view of Santo Spirito. Road near bottom left can barely be seen.

First view of Santo Spirito from old postcard.

The original doors which were stolen a few years ago.

Fountain outside the front of the church.

Santo Spirito was most recently restored in 1894 and work continues to this day.
At this time the Church is divided into 3 parts- the church and sacristy and living quarters on 2 floors
- 6 rooms of the old monastery where the monks worked are still unrestored.
- guest rooms of the Prince ( recently restored), the holy staircase and the Maddalena Prayer Chapel.

Under the church lies the entramce to the original hermitage, which was hollowed out from the rocks.

Inside Chapel of Santo Spirito