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via Nuova Chiunzi - Chiesa
della MADONNA della LIBERA - v Casa Imparato - v Lama - v S Vito -
percorso montano -Santuario della MADONNA AVVOCATA - GROTTA di MATTEO
SALESE - Belvedere.
DIFFICULTY: BINDING
TIME: 9hrs
We suggest that you start out at an early hour,
the fresh morning air and the scent of the woods will make the climb
seen less difficult, but mainly to avoid the heat that will be faithful
if unwanted companion along the route...
On
taking via Nuova Chiunzi after a short distance on a slight incline the
bell -tower of the MADONNA DELLA LIBERA CHURCH, turn into v Casa
Imperato, and via Lama, via S Vito, until the road beside the "MACERINE"
(typical dry stone-walls of the Coast) and the lemon-groves become a
mountain pathway...
Between
bare patches of refreshing rosemary and perfumed myrtle, there are
florid patches of laurel and arbutus trees; slowly we begin to gain
height...
The roads
to the Sanctuary are many, you could say that any pathway that leads
upward ends at the some place, the only difference the amount of time
taken...
We arrive
at S Marina the old farm of Convent after about an hour and a half,
lifting up our eyes we see: the Sanctuary...and the steepest part of the
climb...another quarter of an hour and we arrive at "ACQUA O'CASTAGNE"
( the chestnut spring) where we will enjoy the refreshing spring. There
are two roads to choose from at the crossroads, we will take the
straight road, slightly longer but much easier, who ever wishes to risk
the road on the right will find themselves at the summit a quarter of an
hour in anticipation...
Straight
ahead through the "FULLICHITO" a wood of ferns, the rocky
walls open on to "GROTTE delle SOPPRESSATE"(cave of
salami) and at the height of 900m. of the mountain Mirteto, at the foot
of the Falerzio, a small spring which you will certainly put to use, and
after a further ten metres we have finally arrived...
THE SANCTUARY OF
AVVOCATA
The
Sanctuary is built in more then one building, these are the Monastery, a
new Church, with an adjacent bell-tower, the Old Church and the Chapel
of Apparition, but we will proceed with order:
The monastery:
Originally in
the first half of the '500s there were only a few cells, gradually the
number amplified to house an increasing number of friars. In 1663 it was
entrusted to the Camaldolesi Brothers, and functioned until 1807, when
the abolition laws were imposed and it was abandoned. Stripped of the
Sacred Furnishing and the well-stocked library the hermitage was used as
a military outpost...
The small church:
Built in the
early 500's, in 1838 it was devastated by a violent fire, today you can
see the ruins on the side of the plateau, the actual church was built
only at the beginning of this century...
Lastly the
Grotto dell'Apparizione:
placed under
the church, you arrive by means of steep steps along the side of the
plateau. The story begins in the early '500s when a local shepherd,
Gabriello Cinnamo discovered it, guided it is said by a mystic dove.
While he rested in the entrance the Virgin appeared and commanded him to
build an altar: in exchange she would be his Avvocata (barrister).
Cinnamo built the altar and the church, became a hermit, the church was
called "S Maria de la Vocata" and was the first rudimentary
monastery. Abandoned with the church in 1888 it was restored by a devout
bricklayer and four years later the cult was renewed. Protected by a
valuable wrought iron fence the small chapel is frescoed on the frontal
with "THE LAST SUPPER OF THE APOSTLES " and over the vault of
the altar "the DREAM of GABRIELLO CINNAMO"...
On the Monday
after Pentecost the Sanctuary is the focal point for a multitude of the
faithful from the Coast, from the Agro-Nocerino-Sarnese and above all
Cava Dè Tirreni. The entire mountain becomes alive with streams of
pilgrims singing hymns as they climb to the top. The ringing of bell is
continuous as a pilgrims should ring the bells, at the least a few time
on the climb at mid-day a procession with the statue of the Madonna who
has rose-petals thrown at her feet along the entire length by the
faithful. The festa goes on until late afternoon, with singing and
dancing to the antique TAMMORRIATE (folk songs)...
Along the plateau a
narrow pathway about 1 km long leads to the BELVEDERE, before reaching
it, along the path another cave which was the sauna of the monks, later
known as the CAVE of MATTEO SALESE by the name of terrible
brigand who surrounded by the gendarmes preferred to throw himself into
empty space rather than be captured...
On arrival at the
Belvedere we advise you to sit for a while as the height and the beauty
can take you breath away and give a sense of vertigo. A few minutes and
the hard work to arrive here is forgotten and you will lose all sense of
time. At the highest point on the gulf, your gaze will hardly be able to
take in the immense spectacle: from the Point of Licosa, the Plains of
the Sele (river), to the Point of Campanella, Capri, at you feet the
entire Amalfitan Coast...
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