The granting of favors from him throughout the centuries are so numerous that it is impossible to summarize even in guessing. We only have to remember the marvelous grants given to his citizens of Diano as visible signs of his protection.

It was a festive day in 1300 and the church bell of Saint Mary Maggiore invited the faithfuls to Mass. All of a sudden the towering bell leaned to one side, squeaked and all of a sudden began to fall. The Dianesi people present in the piazza were caught in the immensity of the danger. Between screams of pain and panic, they pleaded for Saint Cono’s help. It was only for an instant that the visible Saint appeared and was seen holding the towering bell which he slowly set straight and placed in the original position.

In 1497, Antonello Sanseverino, Prince of Salerno and Lord of Diano retreated to a terrible siege by Federico of Aragona who headed 20 thousand soldiers. They camped out at the borders of the cliff in San Miehele, in the zone of “Poggio reale.” The Dianesi people, despite everything, were opposed to the resistance; Federico was forced to retire himself and call the celebrated Captain Consalvo of Cordova in Sicily to
 
 

command the troop. The people, finding themselves in bad hands, asked for help and protection from their Patron Saint. Saint Cono appeared at the top of the castle walls and was seen catching the fire balls from the cannons that were being thrown at the city of Diano and throwing them back.

Consalvo di Cordova suspended the siege knowing that the Monk who appeared on the walls of Diano was the Protector of the town. After eight months of heroic resistance in opposing the besieged an act of peace was stipulated.

It was the year of 1616 when a grave disaster afflicted Diano: a terrible plague caused tears and destruction throughout the town. On the streets was the accumulation of numerous corpses in decompositon. This was the representation of a grave and immediate dangerous epidemic. The town’s people appealed to Saint Cono as their last hope for salvation. They went to church and knelt in the urn where the Saint’s relics were located and with tears and prayers they asked to be liberated from so much misfortune. The Saint intervened with his protection and the epidemic ceased. The fathers of the town restored their tired limbs and the children slept in innocent dreams next to their parents dreaming of golden curls and angels of paradise.

All of a sudden a rumble was heard. The citizens witnessed a frightful tremor and the houses shook as if they were under attack by a mysterious force. The silence of the night was roughly interrupted: an earthquake. There were screams of pain and desperate appeals “save us, Saint Cono!”. The houses became abandoned, the inhabitants, scantly dressed ran for the town square in search of an open area. There was an altar there placed on top of Saint Cono’s statue. There they stood
 
 

in fervent and devout prayer. All of a sudden the prayers ceased, the parents surrounded by their children, the inhabitants remained unharmed while the neighboring towns were full of ruins and victims. Diano was saved. The Dianesi inhabitants, joined by a common danger, ran to church, fell to their knees in front of the Saint with a vow and promise; to erect in the town square, an obelisk as a testimony for the centuries to come. This was to represent their undying faith to their celestial Patron.

The Dianesi citizens, in 1857 were faithful to their vow. They kept their promise and inaugurated the obelisk in June 1, 1887 which stood out majestically in the blue skies. The obelisk will stand in testimony for centuries to come. They sang hymn of love to their new generation for the acknowledgment of Teggiano and to Saint Cono who was and always will be their protector and shining glory.

This devotion, love and acknowledgment never underwent change and will never perish even if the sublime and majestic obelisk should be ruined from injuries of time or in the event of a fatal disaster.