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The Church of San Paolo

Poggio Mirteto, via San Paolo

Visiting: Don Giuseppe, +39 339 6379487

The church, which is the oldest in Poggio Mirteto, dates to the XIII century and has always, being used as a burial site. Once the charnel house beneath the floor of the church was saturated a neighboring piece of land, now the San Paolo Park, was used to intern the bodies.

The opening of the new cemetery, further up the road, was disastrous for San Paolo as it was abandoned and neglected.

In its interior are some very interesting frescos that have recently been restored. In the apse, behind the altar is a painting depicting Jesus crowing the Blessed Virgin, surrounded by a host of angles. The faces of Jesus and Mary are well preserved and expressive while those of the others have been damaged. The angels are seen playing the musical instruments of the time, a tambourine, two flutes, and string instruments of the time like a guitar, a lute and a violin.

In the lower part of the apse is the Conversion of St. Paul. Saul, as he was known, is seen falling off his horse and looking up he sees Jesus who asks him why he is persecuting his followers. That phase marks the conversion of Saul who then becomes Paul. He is accompanied by four soldiers; two on horseback and two on foot.

Of great interest are the frescos on the end wall, representing the Cavalier Coronato, the deposition of Christ in the Holy Sepulchral and Salome and Isaiah.

many little pieces of art scattered around the Sabine countryside,

born as parish churches and today become memories of past history

hidden churches: the jewels of the Sabina

Curiosities

# Like in many Romano-Gothic churches even this one is out of line; the apse and the altar are not centered with the nave and the entrance.

# One of the better known frescos in the church is the meeting with the three cadavers. It has a written commentary in the local dialect that sadly is now mostly unreadable.

# A popular tradition maintains that thanks to prayers recited in this church in 1654 the crops of the area were saved from a devastating invasion of locusts.

Events

The nearby San Paolo Park, every year during the first two weeks in July hosts the Rassegna Cinematografica Italiana. The films are projected in a very evocative setting. Italian actors and film directors are present on the last night for the conferring of the well known Mirto d'Oro award.

The Church of San Giovanni

Poggio Mirteto, Piazza Mario Dottori

Open every day, from 9.00am to 7.00pm

It is said that the design of the church is work of Angelo Savi da Parma. In 1700 it was restricted to teh design of Alessandro Specchi.

It is dedicated to St. John the Baptist (here called the beheaded) and was built in 1601, the date is inscribed on the lintel above the two entrance doors.

The church was used as a burial place up to the beginning of the XIX century when a law was passed forbidding the practice of burial within the town walls. The deceased were buried under the church, there was a stair case from the sacristy that lead to the crypt used as a charnel house.

The church has only one nave with two side altars on each side. The altarpiece above the main altar is unusual as it is decorated on both sides. On the one is represented the birth of St. John, while on the other is shown a servant presenting the head of the decapitated saint to Erodiade's daughter.

In sabina this is an unique art piece, its value was confirmed during restoration work carried out some time ago. An electronic devise has been fitted so as to allow the painting to rotate and show off both sides.

Curiosities

# The sail belfry was added when Cardinal Lambruschini demolished the old steeple, to give more space to the Seminary that he transferred to Poggio Mirteto from San Salvatore Maggiore.

# Two of the three bells bear inscriptions stating that they were cast by the Società della Misericordia, at their own expense in 1744, during the reign of Pope Clement XIV (1769 - 1774), who was their protector. The bells also bear the Papal coat of arms.

Pope Clement XIV, when he was Fra. Lorenzo Ganganelli and only a young fryer lived in the convent at San Valentino, a dependency of Poggio Mirteto.

When he became a Cardinal the Compagnia della Misericordia applied for his patronage. In the parish archives there is a letter autographed by the Cardinal in which he expressed his delight in accepting the request. He would extend his patronage to the association even after having become Pope.

The Church of Sant'Adamo

Cantalupo in Sabina, via Sant'Adamo

For visits: +39 0765 514031

First mentioned in 1150 the church of Sant Adamo was erected near the Colle San Giovanni in the territory of Cantalupo in Sabina.

Originally it was only a shrine, built over the tomb of an old hermit that lived near the ruins of a Roman villa, situated near the hill.

Dedicated to the cult of Sant Adam the shrine became a church in the XV century. It has a simple but elegant façade, with only one nave and a circular apse on which are a number of well preserved frescos.

After years of sad neglect the church has been restore, much to the joy of the faithful who wanted to restore the ancient traditional procession of bearing the Saint effigy from the Parish Church to his little rural church during the celebrations in his honour.

Around the building remains of Roman walls dating to the early Imperial era have being uncovered, together with numerous fragments of columns, statues, a bowl carved in stone with a column base as well as countless pieces of ceramics.

Curiosità

# The church of Sant Adamo is situated near the Calentino Stream, where legend has it used to raise one of the first settlements from where people moved to found Cantalupo. It was a favourite spot to hold fairs to buy and sell merchandise of all kinds as well as livestock.

# Along the side walls of the church, under layers of plaster, during the recent restoration some XIV century frescos depicting St. Sebastian, St. Francis, St. Anthony of Padua, a Madonna del latte and a Madonna della Misericordia have emerged.