L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano A t age 9, Silvio Falato, now a retired profes- sor of classics from Guardia S a n f r a m o n d i , wrote an e s s a y o n h i s v i l l a g e t h a t sounds like a love letter. The intro says: "There, it clings to the ruins of an ancient castle almost as a look-out on the great valley. It is like an eagle that dominates the whole plain below." N o d o u b t , G u a r d i a Sanframondi is Campania's h i d d e n g e m i n t h e B e n e v e n t o p r o v i n c e . I t offers magnificent views of the entire Telesina Valley, its soft emerald hills undu- lating with vineyards, olive groves, and orchards. Away from Naples – from where life can be a frenzy, especially behind the wheel o f a c a r - G u a r d i a Sanframondi moves plea- santly at a slow pace. The road snakes through c o u n t l e s s o l i v e g r o v e s towards the hilltop where a m a j e s t i c 6 t h c e n t u r y Lombard castle, fortified in 1100 by the Normans, lords over the village of 5,000. I n t h e l a s t d e c a d e s , Guardia Sanframondi has attracted an international community of engaged citi- zens involved in local life. " S o m e 2 0 0 A m e r i c a n s have chosen the borgo as t h e i r p e r m a n e n t h o m e , " says Professor Falato. "They are mostly visual artists and p r o f e s s i o n a l s w h o w o r k remote." Professor Falato points o u t t h a t t h e y b o u g h t o l d houses for shockingly rock bottom prices and refurbi- s h e d t h e m u s i n g t h e i r inventiveness and ability. But how did they discover the borgo? "They were attracted to it by the reports on American TV channels about our peni- tential rites," he says. S u r e , b e c a u s e G u a r d i a hosts the riti settenali di penitenza, unique peni- tential rites held every seven years in the third week of August-- after August 15, t h e d a y d e d i c a t e d t o t h e Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The seven days c u l m i n a t e w i t h a S u n d a y procession, including hun- dreds of hooded battenti — p e n i t e n t s w h o f l a g e l l a t e themselves. "A medieval legend has it that a farmer was plowing his field in the emerald hills 10 km away from Guardia w h e n h e s u d d e n l y h e a r d b e l l s r i n g i n g u n d e r t h e ground," says Falato. "The terrified man ran to the nei- ghboring villages asking for help." The nearby inhabitants MARIELLA RADAELLI immediately came and dug r i g h t w h e r e t h e s o u n d s came from. And what emer- g e d ? A w o o d e n s t a t u e o f Our Lady of the Assumption - an earthquake had proba- bly buried it. "But the statue w a s i m m o v a b l e , " s a y s Falato. "They could not lift i t a s i t w a s t o o h e a v y . I t didn't want to break away from the ground." Falato continues his storytelling: " T h e n p e o p l e f r o m o t h e r b o r d e r i n g v i l l a g e s c a m e . T h e y a l l t r i e d t o l i f t t h e sacred statue in vain as it b e c a m e h e a v i e r a n d h e a - vier." Yet when the Guardiesi came, things changed. "The Guardiesi noticed that the h o l y c h i l d i n M a d o n n a ' s arms was holding a circular piece of cork stuck with 33 pins- the years of Christ. The Guardiesi soon under- stood that they needed to wear sackcloth and scourge themself. Only by doing that could the statue have come o f f t h e g r o u n d . " A n d t h e exact moment they turned i n t o f l a g e l l a n t s , t h e Madonna statue got lighter, very light. "So, they could p i c k i t u p a n d c a r r y i t t o Guardia very easily." Today visitors admire her g o l d e n b e a u t y ; p i l g r i m s venerate her at the Marian Shrine of the Assumption- the Basilica of Guardia S a n f r a m o n d i . T h e M a d o n n a s i t s b e h i n d t h e main altar. Her light shines in your heart- she shines h e r l i g h t o n a n y o n e w h o looks at her. Until 1984, visitors could e x p e r i e n c e t h e S i l v e r Museum of the Basilica of t h e A s s u m p t i o n . I n a u g u r a t e d o n J u l y 2 8 , 1979, for only five years, the M u s e o d e g l i A r g e n t i housed a collection of fanta- A beautiful view of Guardia Sanframondi at sunset (Photo: Pasquale Di Cosmo) Continued to page 18 Guardia Sanframondi: looted art, expats and self-flagellants ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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