COMM/Stage01 La Beata Francesca-Serrapetrona

"La Beata Francesca," an ancient variety of Orbetana about 700 years old, represents a living heritage of typical agricultural biodiversity of the Marche region, known for its cold tolerance, longevity, and strong connection to the territory. This centuries-old Orbetana was studied by AMAP for the monumental olive trees project: genetic analyses confirmed the identity of the plant both in the shoots and in the crown, partly grafted with the more productive Piantone di Mogliano variety. Around this tree, stories of faith and resilience intertwine, such as that of the young Francesca, who in the sixteenth century found refuge and spirituality at its feet. (https://aziendaagricolaanibaldi.com/).

Inside the farm, "La Colombaia" stands out, an architecture that tells of ancient traditions and structures typical of the Marche landscape. A historic uniqueness is the presence of a tower typical of structures generally dating back to the 1500-1600s, which had a military function because the tower rose above the tall vegetation and allowed a view of the nearby hills. After the 1600s, the tower house was transformed into the dovecote house or palombara, becoming covered and used as a refuge for pigeons.

Leaving the farm, you come to the village of Serrone, where it is possible to visit the house where the venerable Servant of God Francesca Trigli, called "del Serrone," was born on July 22, 1557. Orphaned early of both parents, from age 14 until death, on Fridays, she experienced the pain of the Passion from a wound in her chest corresponding to that of the side of the Crucifix. Animated by a great spirit of charity, she worked for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of abandoned children. For about seven years, the Eucharist was her only sustenance, and throughout her life, she was comforted by an intimate familiarity with the Blessed Virgin Mary. She died on April 7, 1601, and, at her request, she was buried in the Sanctuary of Madonna dei Lumi, near the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom she was particularly devoted. (https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90690?utm_source=chatgpt.com).

Before San Severino, you encounter the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Glorioso (second half of the 6th century). The construction of the suburban temple, built during the 1500s, followed the miraculous event of the weeping Virgin, which occurred on Good Friday in 1519 near a chapel housing a revered painted terracotta Pietà. Designed by the architect-sculptor Rocco da Vicenza, the execution was entrusted to the San Severino native Antonio di Pierjacopo just six months after the miracle and was completed by 1522, making modifications to the original transept design. The complex, consisting of the three-nave church and the cloistered convent, was run by the Dominican friars until 1860 and became an important pilgrimage site throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The Madonna was solemnly crowned on September 15, 1731.

https://www.iluoghidelsilenzio.it/santuario-di-s-maria-del-glorioso-san-severino-marche-mc/ . 

The route continues through the historic center of San Severino, where it is possible to visit the architectural historical features encountered, and always heading south, before climbing to the Old Cathedral, you can visit the Sanctuary of Madonna dei Lumi where near the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the venerable Servant of God Francesca Trigli, called "del Serrone," is buried. Built in the 16th century following a miraculous event in 1584, of a great and repeated sparkling of lights in the place where, on a pillar, was painted the image of the Madonna. The building owes its current form to the Barnabites, who took custody of the Sanctuary in 1657, now entrusted to the Cistercians.

 http://turismo.comune.sanseverinomarche.mc.it/monumenti-cms/santuario-della-madonna-dei-lumi/

From here, you climb to the Old Cathedral. According to tradition, the church stands on the place where the relics of Severino, the holy bishop of the city of Septempeda, were transported. The first evidence documenting the existence of a church dedicated to him dates back to 944. Elevated to cathedral by Pope Sixtus V in 1586, it has undergone modifications and expansions over time.

Bell Tower and Facade (14th century)

The facade, 17 meters high and 15 meters wide, has the typical cusp shape of the Gothic style. Built with white and red alternating rectangular stones arranged in horizontal zones up to the height of 8 meters, it ends with a crowning of brick trilobed arches.

The entrance portal, finely squared hornbeam stones, is round-arched, decorated on the jambs with white and pink marble spiral columns. Along the central aisle of the facade are aligned a small shrine, also in hornbeam stone with three trilobed arches on columns with Corinthian capitals, and higher up, a rose window adorned with brick dentils. The 28-meter-high tower is characterized at the top by a bell chamber on which there are four biforas decorated externally with dentils with circular columns and trilobed arches. Under the windows, a frieze of trilobed arches, identical to the one on the facade, crowns the tower.

https://www.iluoghidelsilenzio.it/duomo-vecchio-san-severino-marche-mc/

The Sanctuary of San Pacifico, located on the top of the hill overlooking San Severino Marche, was a hermitage in the 13th century, where some Augustinian canonesses lived until 1436, the year the convent was entrusted to the Friars Minor Franciscans, and it is today the place of worship of San Pacifico Divini, whose tomb is located in the church.

The 12th-century church has undergone various restorations. It is characterized by a staircase and a majestic neoclassical portico. The pointed arch portal is still the original one executed by Comacine masters in the mid-fifteenth century. The interior has three naves with the chapel of San Pacifico on the right containing the saint’s ark. Behind the monastic complex, the large San Pacifico guest house was built in the 1960s, dominating with its modern structures. The San Pacifico guest house is open to everyone, including for holiday stays, and has 30 rooms with services, restaurant, bar, and conference hall.

The primitive church of S. Maria sub monte (“under Mount Aria”) (12th century), with an attached convent run by the Augustinians, passed in the 15th century to the Observant Friars Minor, taking the title of S. Maria delle Grazie. Also enlarged and restored multiple times, the ancient facade still preserves the Gothic brick portal made of eight columns supporting as many arches wrapped in leaf and flower sculptures among which various animals are crouched. Its current form is due to the restorations promoted by Count Severino Servanzi Collio, who following the canonization of Pacifico Divini (17th century), financed the work on the church in 1842, which kept the remains of the city’s co-patron saint and for which the Franciscan church was destined to become the sanctuary.

https://letsmarche.it/-/chiesa-e-convento-s.-maria-delle-grazie-santuario-di-s.-pacifico-2

The "Buca del Terremoto" opened by the 1799 earthquake between Monte di Colleluce (861 m) and Monte San Pacifico (760 m) in the mountainous area between San Severino Marche, Serrapetrona, and Camerino is an almost circular pit about 50 meters wide and 20 meters deep, probably formed by the collapse of the vault of a cave underground.

http://www.1000giornisibillini.it/2020/12/26/la-buca-del-terremoto-di-monte-daria/?print=print

Serrapetrona is a small village in the province of Macerata, located 500 m above sea level. The term 'Serra,' of Lombard origin, indicates a fortified settlement with barrier functions to defend the start of a valley. Petrona means stone.

To visit in the village: the Church and convent of San Francesco, which houses the magnificent polyptych painted at the end of the 15th century by the San Severino painter Lorenzo D'Alessandro; the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, frescoed by D'Alessandro; the 15th-century Church of Santa Maria in Piazza; the Museum of Man, with tools and materials used by the ancient peasant tradition housed in some spaces of the restored Lombard-age castle; the Oil Museum; the Museum of Gold and Silver of the Church of San Francesco, where about 20 pieces are exhibited including monstrances, chalices, chasubles, stoles, crucifixes made between the 16th and 18th centuries belonging to the parish of San Clemente; the National Gallery of Contemporary Sacred Art, ranging from the classical image to the expressionist. The exhibition reunites works of painting, graphics, and sculpture using various techniques and materials, from oil on canvas to watercolor on paper, lithography to engraving, bronze to plexiglass.https://letsmarche.it/-/serrapetrona-2