In a beautiful valley, surrounded on all sides by the majestic Apennine Mountains you will find the peaceful, charming town of Sulmona. My husband Steve and I recently traveled to this remarkable place. What we found exceeded our every expectation.
The city itself is reminiscence of ‘old Italy’, surrounded by a stone wall and gates or Portas dating back to early 13th century. The town is steep in history being the home of Publius Ovidius Naso or known in English as Ovid, the famous Roman poet. Mt. Morrone is where Pietro Morrone built his hermitage high up against the steep face of the mountain. Later Pietro would become Pope Celestine V.
One of the remaining structures is the medieval Aqueduct built in 1256 that borders Piazza Garibaldi, or Garibaldi’s Square. As we walked daily we discovered that Sulmona has lovely parks where families and friends gather for a stroll or just to talk and spend time. A city of quaint streets that intertwines, consisting of many beautiful churches, museums, cafés, restaurants, stores, and residences. Meals were some of the best we have ever had. Traditional dishes handed down from generations, care taken with growing of their own vegetables and other ingredients, made every meal a feast.
The people of Sulmona are warm, kind and very generous. We were fortunate to have Nunzio Di Placido a well known artist of Sulmona, take us on a tour of the hermitage of Saint Onofrio. Not only did we learn vast amounts of history of the valley surviving many battles and conflicts over the centuries, but also history of Sulmona, and Pietro. We were impacted by the unbelievable beauty looking down at the vast valley below. Seeing not only Sulmona, but surrounding towns that have survived and flourished from the Middle Ages to the present.
The highlight of our trip was witnessing the Good Friday Procession from the Trinity Church, with Christ being carried from the crucifixion followed by the grieving Madonna. People come from all over for the Easter celebrations, swelling the town’s population from 25,000 to 60,000+. Easter Sunday is a must, as the crowd gathers and fills Garibaldi Square to watch “The Madonna running in the Square” presented by the Confraternity of St. Lady of Loreto. A representation of the Madonna, seeing the risen Christ and being released from her deep grief, runs towards him filled with a rejoicing spirit and an abundance of love. The crowd is filled with emotional joy – a moment one will never forget. The processions over Easter weekend leaves one with a sense that for many years we may have celebrated Easter, but truly, this is the first time we have ever experienced Easter and all it means.
Sulmona has a calendar filled year round with exciting events and celebrations. Situated very near the Majella National Park, Abruzzo National Park, Gran Sasso in Monti Della Laga national park which offers visitors opportunities to explore this beautiful region.
It was difficult to leave this wonderful Sulmona. Steve and I came to love this city with all the welcoming faces, the kindness of all we met, and the generosity that was bestowed upon us. A special thank you to Flippo Frattaroli who first shared the wonderful stories of his home town, Sulmona. It was his encouragement that made this trip possible. It is a place that will call us back for another visit, and I am sure it will do the same for many others who are fortunate to visit Sulmona.
Alice Hannon
Boston, Massachusetts
Nella foto del titolo un ufficio giudiziario di Boston
