Monte Sant'Angelo

Facade of the "upper atrium", mostly rebuilt in 1895, Monte Sant'Angelo.

13th-century campanile.

13th-century staircase leading to the grotto.

Lower atrium, with Romanesque portal leading into the grotto.

Gothic vault of the Angevin nave (13th century) outside the grotto.

The holy grotto where St. Michael is said to have appeared.

Episcopal throne (11th century) with early medieval relief of St. Michael.

15th-century statue of St. Michael spearing the dragon.

The Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel (Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo) is a sacred cave and popular Catholic shrine near San Giovanni Rotundo. Here the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared in 490, 492 and 1656 and consecrated the shrine himself.

History

St. Michael the Archangel first appeared at Monte Sant'Angelo in 490. According to tradition, a local nobleman named Elvio Emmanuele lost the best bull of his herd. After much searching, he found it kneeling in a cave. Unable to approach it, Elvio shot the bull with an arrow, but the arrow turned around and struck the man instead. Bewildered (and presumably bleeding), Elvio went to see his bishop, who ordered three days of prayer and fasting.

At the end of the three days, St. Michael the Archangel appeared to the bishop and said:

I am Michael the Archangel and am always in the presence of God. I chose the cave that is sacred to me. There will be no more shedding of bull's blood. Where the rocks open widely, the sins of men may be pardoned. What is asked here in prayer will be granted. Therefore, go up to the mountain cave and dedicate it to the Christian God!

The bishop, however, began to worry about his own sanity and dismissed the vision. Two years later, the Christian city of Siponto, part of the bishop's diocese, came under attack by the pagan city of Odoacre. Again St. Michael appeared to the bishop, this time promising to save the city of Siponto. Immediately, a violent storm engulfed Odoacre, saving the people of Siponto. In thanksgiving, the bishop led a procession to the top of the mountain but did not dare to enter the cave. Soon, Michael appeared to the bishop a third time, ordering him to enter the cave. He said:

It is not necessary that you dedicate this church that I have consecrated with my presence. Enter and pray with my assistance and celebrate the Sacrifice. I will show you how I have consecrated this place.

The bishop then entered the grotto, where he found an altar covered with a red cloth, a crystal cross, and a footprint on the ground. The bishop thereupon commissioned a chapel to built at the entrance to the cave and did not consecrate it because Michael had already done so. The church came to be known as the Celestial Basilica.

St. Michael made another appearance here in 1656 during a great plague. The local bishop invoked St. Michael for protection, and the archangel appeared to him. The plague then ceased, and the mountain shrine became more popular than ever.

The sanctuary has been a popular place of pilgrimage for many centuries: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Gerard Majella, St. William of Vercelli and six popes have made the pilgrimage here to ask for St. Michael's protection.

What to See

Monte Sant'Angelo is located in the hills on the Gargono promontory, on the east coast of south-central Italy (the "spur" of the boot). The exterior is fairly unassuming, marked by an octagonal 13th-century campanile and a white facade with two portals. But from the small courtyard on the right, a flight of stone steps leads down into the atmospheric church incorporating the cave in which St. Michael appeared. The main church and the areas that lead to it are decorated with remains of medieval frescoes and sculptures.

Near the Sanctuary of St. Michael are the ruins of the Chiesa di San Pietro (sadly closed for renovations when we visited in April 2008), behind which is the interesting Tomba di Rotari, an imposing domed tower. The Tomba is traditionally believed to be the tomb of Rothari, a 7th-century Lombard chieftain who converted to Christianity, but it is probably a 12th-century baptistery. There is a large baptismal font on the right as you enter the tower, and a rose window featuring entwined mermaids.

Quick Facts

Location:	71037 Monte Sant'Angelo, Italy
Contact:	0884/562 396
Website:	www.gargano.it/sanmichele
Hours:	Sanctuary of St. Michael: Daily, July-Sept 7:30-7:30; April, June, Oct 7:30-12:30, 2:30-7; Nov-March 7:30-5 Tomba di Rotari: March-Oct 9-1; rest of the year by appointment with custodian in San Michele.
Festivals:	May 8; September 28-30
Photography:	Prohibited, especially in the grotto.

Article Sources

Personal visit (March 31, 2008).
R. Jan Bogacki, Saint Michael Shrine on the Gargano, 5th ed. (2007).
Kevin J. Wright, Catholic Shrines of Western Europe: A Pilgrim's Travel Guide (1997), 164-67.
Rough Guide to Italy 7 (2005), 934.

Travel Resources

Many pilgrims to Monte Sant'Angelo stay overnight in nearby San Giovanni Rotondo.
An alternative if you have a car is the Hotel Sorriso in Lucera (where we stayed), an hour and a half's drive from Monte Sant' Angelo.

Location Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of San Giovanni Rotondo. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Puglia Regional Map or get our free Google Earth download.