LA VALLE DELL'ORFENTO (ORFENTO VALLEY)
The Riserve
The Valle dell'Orfento is among the most beautiful places in the Majella National Park, in the territory of Caramanico Terme. This protected area is covered by the Orfento River, with trails that cross it numerous times through wooden bridges, creating suggestive landscapes that recall the setting of fairytales.
There are several paths that can be followed, including some adapted to the less experienced ones. The valley area also includes the hermitage of San Giovanni all'Orfento, one of the hermitage of Abruzzo most surrounded by nature.
Among the wildlife can be found, in addition to deers, brockets, wild boars, wolves and bears, Apennine salamanders and ululones.
How to reach it
There are many points from which to start hiking: the path that starts from the bridge of Caramanico, at the beginning of the village, which allows the descent to the river; The trail of the “scalelle”, which starts from the visit center of the Orfento valley, and the route that begins at the bottom of the Santa Croce District of Caramanico, both of which allow you to descend to the river from the side of the village; Then there is the path that descends from Decontra and the one that starts from Guado Sant'Antonio, in San Nicolao.
Coordinates (bridge of Caramanico): 42°09'47.8"N 14°00'17.4"E
In order to enter the Reserve you must request a free authorization at the Centro Visita (Visitor Center) of Caramanico Terme.
MAJELLA ETNOFESTIVAL
The Majella Etnofestival is an event dedicated to folk music and dances of Abruzzo and other regions of central and southern Italy.
The Festival takes place in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore (Pescara province), generally on the last weekend of July. Here you can observe and participate in the traditional abruzzese saltarelle and ballarelle, as well as the Marche and Lazial saltarelli, campana tamurriata and pizzica of Murgia, as well as polyvocal songs of various regions.
FESTA PATRONALE DI SAN BARTOLOMEO (PATRONAL FASTIVAL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW)
From August 24th to August 26th, in Roccamorice, the patron saints are celebrated. The most important day is surely August 25th, a day dedicated to San Bartolomeo.
On this day, the citizens of Roccamorice, but also worshipers coming from other areas, walk to the Eremo di San Bartolomeo (Hermitage of Saint Bartholomew). Here there is a small spring, considered miraculous, where pilgrims stop to wet their hands and drink. Water is collected by the faithful to bless the vineyards and to alleviate the diseases. After this, devotees descend along the Scala Santa (Holy Stairs) to the Capo La Vena stream, where they bathe, repeating a very ancient water cult.
After breakfast along the banks of the stream, the pilgrims go back to the hermitage and at 7 a.m. begins the procession where the wooden statue of San Bartolomeo is brought in turn by the pilgrims while singing hymns and prayers, proceeding in the direction of Roccamorice.
Once they arrive at the emigrant's monument there is the reception of the statue by the local authorities, by some women carrying floral bouquets and by many other people who go to the parish church where the Eucharistic celebration will take place. The statue will remain in the church until September 9th, where it will be brought back to the hermitage with another pilgrimage.
GUIDED EXCURSIONS
The Majella National Park, and the rest of Abruzzo, has extraordinary places. Not all of these places are easily accessible or are well-known by people who are not from this place. That is why Majellando, a tourist promotion project, was born. This group deals with the wonders of Abruzzo, offering various activities, in particular guided excursions, to show the enchanted places of this wondrous territory.
They will accompany you from hermitages and other places, that are accessible to the less experienced and trained, to the highest peaks of Majella and Gran Sasso mountain ranges.
To know the dates of the various events organized by this group visit their site!
L'EREMO DI SANTO SPIRITO A MAJELLA (HERMITAGE OF HOLY SPIRIT IN MAJELLA)
The hermitage
The Eremo of Santo Spirito at Majella is surely the largest and most famous of the Majella hermitages. It is made up of a church, a sacristy, a guest house and a monastic complex (where the cells are located), the chapter room, the library, the winter chapel and the refectory. From the guest house you can go up the Scala Santa (Holy Stairs) to reach the oratory of the Maddalena and two fully covered balconies.
The eighteenth century portal, the statue of Saint Michael the Archangel and the tabernacle are the work of Giuseppe Di Bartolomeo di Roccamorice, and were made for the reopening of the church in 1894. Among the most valuable works are the wooden choir, some canvases depicting the Maddalena and the Descent of the Holy Spirit in the Cenacle and a statue of Christ. Under the church you can visit the cave where the first hermits lived, the room of the Crucifix and the central cell, the place chosen for prayer by Pope Celestine V.
History
The Eremo di Santo Spirito at Majella has very ancient origins. The first official documents date back to the 11th century when the hermitage became a possession of the Abbey of Montecassino. In the twelfth century, however, the hermitage fell into disuse. It was found destroyed by Pietro da Morrone, who then became Pope Celestine V, in 1246. It was the latter who began the renovation, with the realization of an oratory and a cell.
The high numbers of followers brought the necessity to expand the structure. When he founded his Congregation in 1263, Celestine V decided to set up here the mother-house of the order, while the church became a monastery.
The hermitage became an abbey complex that prospered throughout the 13th century. In the following years it fell into ruin, with various collapses and the use of the church as a shelter by shepherds and flocks.
In 1586 Pietro Cantucci from Manfredonia of the Celestine Order settled down and restructured it, building the Scala Santa. In the last years of the seventeenth century, Prince Caracciolo di San Buono added a three-storey building, which was thought to be a guest house.
After the suppression of the Celestine Order in 1807, the building was plundered and burnt down, and only at the end of the nineteenth century the restoration of the church took place thanks to the citizens of Roccamorice.
How to reach it
The hermitage is in the municipality of Roccamorice and can be reached by car. Follow the signs from the village to the Blockhaus. After a few kilometers you will find a junction on the right with the indications that will take you to the Eremo di Santo Spirito.
Coordinate: 42° 10′ 12.74″ N, 14° 5′ 24.57″ E
The hermitage is open only on summer weekends. For information contact the municipality of Roccamorice, tel. + 39 0858572132.
