HISTORICAL PERSONAGES

Still very little is known of Saint Antonino's place and date of birth and of the kind of life he led until he arrived in Stabia and was warmly welcomed by Catello, bishop of that city, who then, retired to a life of a hermit on Mount Faito and entrusted him with the task of the spiritual direction of his diocese. But not much later, Saint Antonino left his post and retreated to this mountain as well, and there, after a vision of the archangel Gabriel they built together an oratory in his honour. 

In the meantime, the fame of his holiness spread through the small nearby towns and the Sorrentines begged him to settle with them. He accepted their invitation, left the solitude life of Faito and Bishop Catello, and entered into the Benedictine monastery of Saint Agrippo where at the time the abbot was a certain Bonifacio who in the imminence of death appointed him his successor.

Also in this capacity Saint Antonino gave luminous examples of virtuousness and holiness, and performed miracles, the most famous of which was the liberation and the safe and sound return to his desperate mother of a child who had been swallowed by a large cetacean that had come close to the beach of Sorrento.It is also known that when Saint Antonino had some free time from taking care of the monastery, he often did manual work, especially as a carpenter and as a vine-dresser.

St.Antonino left this world, full of merit, on 14th February of the year when Probiano was consul, and that is in 830 A.D.As regards his date and place of birth, nothing is actually certain also as for St.Antonino's death. Some scholars date his death to the year 626 A.D. while others in 830 A.D.

TORQUATO TASSO

Born in Sorrento in 1544, son of Bernardo secretary to prince Ferrante Sanseverino and author of chivalric poems of a high level, soon followed his father into exile, forced to, along with the Sanseverinos.He lived far away from his family in various Italian cities. In the year '60 he settled in Padua, stronghold of the philosophical and literary aristotelism, and in the meantime cultivating that clear and conscious meditation on poetry which was a hallmark of his time.  In the year 65 he entered into the service of the Estensi, staying a long time, until persecution complex and fear drove him to a short escape, after which he again returned to court. In the year 79, on his return, he flew into violent rage and consequently was detained in the hospital of Sant'Anna where he stayed until '86. Once set free, he moved to Mantua at the court of the Gonzaga. From here he started a non-stop journey to countless cities, enjoying  many people's esteem, but nevertheless confined to a life of escape and exodus until in 1595 on the eve of his previously promised poetic coronation he died in the monastery of Sant' Onofrio.

Among his epics: Il Rinaldo, l'Aminta and la Gerusalemme Liberata.

Gerusalemme Liberata

Proemio

I, 1

Canto l'armi pietose e 'l capitano

Che 'l gran sepolcro liberò di Cristo.

Molto egli oprò col senno e con la mano,

Molto soffrì nel glorioso acquisto:

E in van l'Inferno vi s'oppose, e in vano

S'armo d'Asia e di Libia il popol misto.

Il ciel gli die favore, e sotto a i santi

Segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti.