In the land of the Saints

Basilica of St Valentine Terni
Terni

San Pietro in Valle abbey
Ferentillo
The abbey was built in the 8th century on a former hermitage by order of Duke Faroaldo II of Spoleto. In the abbey are interesting Roman remains and beautiful frescoes.

St Valentine and the feast of lovers
St Valentine is not only the patron saint of Terni, but also the protector of lovers.
In the basilica of San Valentino lies the body of the Christian martyr who was the bishop of Terni between the 2nd and the 3rd centuries a.C.
Corpus Domini feast
It takes place every year in Orvieto, where, inside the Duomo, the holy relic of the Corporal is kept. The Corporal is the Holy Linen that got stained with the blood of Jesus Christ during the mass celebrated by a priest who had doubts about the real presence of the body of Christ inside the host. The feast includes religious ceremonies and processions in period costume.

In the land of St.Francis and St.Benedict, several hermitages and convents were built in the woodland and on the hills. They are, of course, meant to be places for meditation, but they are also important centres for artistic activities and business.

Among the places related to St. Francis are the “Sacro Speco” in Sant’Urbano (Narni), “La Scarzuola” in Montegabbione, the Pantanelli convent in Baschi and the “Cappella delle rondini” inside the castle of Alviano.And there are several lovely abbeys: first of all, the splendid abbey of San Pietro in Valle, but also San Cassiano abbey, San Nicolò abbey in San Gemini, St.Severo and St.Martirio abbey in Orvieto and San Benedetto in Fundis in Miranda.

Not to be forgotten is the beautiful Pasquarella hermitage of Baschi – a Camaldolese hermitage situated on the top of the mountains facing Corbara lake – as well as “Santa Illuminata nell’Amerino” hermitage.