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Abbeys
Places
of peace and silence
The
recent research in the field of medieval arts and history highlight the
presence in the Marches’ territory of almost 100 abbeys during the most
favourable period for monasticism (9th-14th century).
Abbeys are mainly located along the two ancient Roman routes, the Flaminia
and the Salaria.
Such widespread presence was important for the reorganization and reviving
of the territory after the long period of Longobard domination that led to
the disappearance of many towns and the degradation of valleys.
The
most important centres for the spreading of Benedictine features were the
Sant’Eutizio abbey in Valle Castoriana and the powerful Farfa abbey in
the Sabina territory.
The reforming spirit of monasticism was re-launched in the Marches by the
hermitic experience carried out by Saint Romuald (952-1027), whose
monastic conception based on the close connection between hermitage and
coenoby can be seen in the monastery of Fonte Avellana.
The
word abbey defines an autonomous Benedictine monastery, exclusively
dependent on the Holy Seat and ruled by an Abbot and equipped with assets
(churches, lands, villages, parish churches, castles, mills). Abbeys were
therefore different from priorates; monasteries presided over by a convent
prior. Priorates usually depended on abbeys, though they could be
autonomous ad equipped with less valuable assets.
The depending properties could stretch in such a vast territory that it
was necessary to build the so-called prepositorships ruled by a “praepositus”.
The abbot entrusted him with the power to monitor the economic and
administrative status of faraway possessions.
Some
abbeys are now in ruins, however it is possible to identify their
planimetric structure, they are situated in wonderful landscapes where
silence reigns, visitors can be projected back to the time of the first
Benedictine settlements.
© 2001 Liberation Ventures Ltd.
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