In this video I'm in Sant'Angelo in Grotte, a very charming and suggestive medieval village of Lombard origin which, due to its depopulation, has become a fraction of the nearby town of Santa Maria del Molise (IS). The village develops on the crest of a mountain around the main street that connects the bell tower of the parish church of San Pietro in Vincoli, which also acts as a door, with the belvedere square. From this square you can enjoy a wonderful view over the whole valley and the towns of the area. Once in this square there was a ducal palace of which only a few ruins remain. Many stones of this building were reused for the construction of the building in which there was the municipal seat until 25 September 1955. Today the Piazza del Belvedere houses the war memorial in the center. Among the artistic and sacred beauties of the town we find the precious cycle of frescoes of the fourteenth century dedicated to the representation of the "Seven Works of Mercy", preserved in the crypt of the church of San Pietro and the cave of San Michele Arcangelo. Sant'Angelo in Grotte in 1456 suffered a violent earthquake with its epicenter in Isernia. It underwent a second one on July 26, 1805 which also destroyed the parish church.
One year after my visit, in which I met Gabriele in person (CAMPANARO 04), today I anticipate a pearl of this village, the pretty church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Mary. It was built at the behest of the Santangiolesi in 1782. At the time of its reconstruction the population was divided into two factions. Some wanted to rebuild it where it currently is, on the remains of the old parish church while others wanted to build it in a Greek cross on the remains of the Mormile palace. The exterior, with simple architectural lines, is shown in stone and has a gabled roof. The façade is closed by a framed tympanum surmounted on the left by a bell gable. The single nave interior with a barrel vault with lunettes is divided into three bays delimited by pilasters and arches. The presbytery wall is framed by three rounded niches. In the central niche there is the statue of the Madonna and Child. The bell gable houses 2 bells, one per window. They are sprung and are manually operated by the ropes in the church women's gallery. The ringtone attached in the video was performed silently, so as not to disturb the neighborhood, as there was no mass. The Holy Mass is celebrated every winter Sunday at 9 with a call of the bells at 8.
Summary of the video and sounds:
- 00:00 PRESENTATION OF THE VILLAGE AND THE CHURCH;
- 01:40 SINGLE BELLS OF THE TWO BELLS.
Notes and bell foundries:
II - REb5 - cast in the mid-twentieth century by the Marinelli foundry in Agnone;
I - SIb4 - probably cast in 1854 by the Marinelli Foundry in Agnone.
Thanks to Gabriele (CAMPANARO 04), the local bell lover, for the precious welcome and for the company.
Good vision!
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