San Marco in Lamis
Discover the Franciscan Convents of San Matteo and Santa Maria di Stignano
If you are looking for a place of worship and prayer, you cannot miss the two Franciscan convents of San Matteo and Santa Maria di Stignano, located along the "Via Sacra Langobardorum", a precursor to the Via Francigena. Their history is intimately linked to that of the "sammarchesi" and their town, San Marco in Lamis.
Shrine of Saint Matthew the Apostle
The Shrine of Saint Matthew the Apostle is an imposing monastery located about two kilometers east of San Marco in Lamis, at the foot of Mount Celano (871 m). There are no certain dates about the foundation of the sanctuary, probably founded by the Lombards, but certainly the existence of a church and a hospice was certain already from the 5th-4th century. The first certain date in which the sanctuary is mentioned in documents is that of 1007.
After the Benedictines, the monastery passed into the hands of the Cistercians of the Abbey of Santa Maria di Casanova near Villa Celiera and then was entrusted to some commendatory abbots. A turning point came later, when the monastery was entrusted to the Observant Franciscan friars, by papal bull of February 14, 1568. During this period, the monastery received a relic from the cathedral of Salerno attributed to the evangelist apostle Matthew (a molar tooth). This only increased the influx of pilgrims who climbed Mount Gargano.
After the donation of the relic, the convent became known as the convent of San Matteo, although officially the canonical name is still "San Giovanni in Lamis convent". In recent centuries, the convent has always been a destination for pilgrimages, greatly increased in recent years by the influx of visitors to the tomb of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo.
The convent initially had the appearance of a fortress, thanks to its buttresses and its position, almost controlling the Starale Valley. As for the central façade, it should be remembered that it was equipped with the current staircase in 1838, which leads to the entrance that in turn leads through a series of arches and sails to the rectangular cloister that reminds us of the Benedictine spirit that shows the origins of the construction.
From the cloister, you can admire the 16th-century loggia and the medieval square at the top of which is a statue depicting the Archangel Michael. A long corridor leads to the single-nave church, which has a raised presbytery made entirely of polychrome marbles by Neapolitan masters. On the walls, you can see the remains of medieval frescoes, including the representation of Saint Francis visiting the Gargano and the remains of a Saint John the Baptist. Laterally, there are minor altars in Baroque style made with stone from Monte Sant'Angelo dedicated to Saint Joseph, the Immaculate Conception, Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint John the Baptist, from which the canonical name of the church comes. In the apse, there is a solid wood choir that some unknown Observant Franciscan friars of the convent carved in the 1600s.
Convent of Santa Maria di Stignano
The convent of Santa Maria di Stignano, also located along the "Via Sacra Langobardorum", is certainly one of the most suggestive places in the surroundings of San Marco in Lamis. It is located just a few kilometers from the town and offers a splendid view of the valley below.
It was founded in 1264 at the behest of the Franciscans, who lived here even after the abandonment of San Giovanni in Lamis in the 19th century. In fact, the convent housed the community of Observant Franciscan friars until 1866, when it was suppressed. During World War II, the convent was abandoned and left in ruins, but in 2008 it was reopened and restored.
The convent complex is arranged around a large quadrangular courtyard, in which there was the well, the oven and the stables for animals. The church of the convent, dedicated to Santa Maria di Stignano, is located in the center of the courtyard and dates back to the 14th century. Inside, there is a round-shaped presbytery and a curious choir attached to the wall. The church also houses a small chapel dedicated to Saint Gerard Majella, patron saint of mothers and pregnant women.
Do not miss the opportunity to visit these places of worship and prayer with their ancient charm and immersed in the suggestive nature of Gargano.
