The Romita di Cesi is a hermitage located on Mount Torre Maggiore near the Town of Cesi in Terni. Difficult to find, it offers a spiritual tranquillity reminiscent of the early Franciscans
La Romita di Cesi – also called the Convent of Santa Maria Annunziata – was originally a Benedictine sanctuary founded in the 10th century to support the shepherds, who traversed the countryside with their flocks of sheep. In 1213 Francis passed through. He lived for a time in a cave nearby. At that time the small church was owned by the bishop of Spoleto. According to legend he gifted the site to Francis, who founded a convent there with the same structure as that of Portiuncula in Assisi. In time it grew into an important Franciscan friary with more than thirty brothers and with an extensive set of buildings rambling on the slope of the Mountain of Monte Torre di Maggiore. In 1420 San Bernard of Siena, who had joined the Observant branch of the order of the Friars Minor in 1403, was active in restoring the site. The present buildings mainly stem from his time.
After the unification of Italy the friary was dissolved and the monastery became the property of the state. Finally in 1867 the last brethren were turned out. During the next hundred years it was used as a derelict farmhouse until 1956, when it was in a complete state of ruin. However in the 90s Friar Bernardino started on a restoration together with friends and volunteers.
Father Bernardino and La Romita Today
The present landlord of Romita di Cesi, Father Bernardino was born in 1939 and entered the Franciscan order in 1956. He studied philosophy and theology in Fulda, Rome and Tübingen, where he passed his doctoral exams under the auspices of prof. Hans Küng. In 1979 he was active in building the San Masseo in Assisi. Finally in the 90s he moved to Romita. He is known for his critical stance towards the present Catholic Church.
Today La Romita has been fully restored and functions as a hermitage, a place for retreats and a pilgrim-centre located on the “St. Francis Way” from Assisi to Rome. However, you have to call to friar Bernadino in advance, as the site is somewhat difficult to find. You are also expected to take part in the work there as well as leave a donation to the upkeep of the place.
The day starts at 6.00 with breakfast in silence, followed by a morning filled with work on the site, tending to the animals or the garden. After lunch the time is free for contemplation, hiking, studying. 7.00 pm the evening begins with vespers, followed by dinner, and recreation. At 10.00 pm it is time to god to bed.
The Tiny Church
The simple church at Romita is devoid of its former glory. However, tradition has it, that it once held one of the true treasures of the Franciscan family, a painted antependium with an original inscription with one of the Laudes or songs of St. Francis and made by his own hand during one of his stays.
The panel with its inscription of the “Exhortation to the Praise of God” was mentioned in a late 15th century manuscript (Biblioteca Nazionale, Napoli cod VI.G.33). At that time it had been transferred to the cell, where the Saint habitually slept, whenever he passed through Ceni. Here it was kept as a relic. [1] As usual the Laudes consisted of a series of minor scriptural quotations taken from memory and rendered in a mixture of Latin and Italianised Latin. The text is generally considered a precursor to his “Canticle of Creation”.
It was probably an early text as the scriptural quotations stemmed from the Psalterium Romanum. It is known that Francis at a later time shifted to the use of the Psalterium Gallicanum.
NOTES:
[1] Infrascripte sunt laudes, que errant in quadam tabula que erat pro pavimento altaris in capella s. Francisci in loco Heremitae in parva capella; quas laudes egomet visid scriptas in dicta tabula in pariete ad manum sinistram prope altare; quas laudes dicitur s. frenciscus manu propria in dicta tabula. Que sic incipient, videlicet. (cod VI.G.33, fol 120v) Napoli, National Library). Quoted from: Exhortatio ad laudem Dei. Ein wenig beobachtes Loblied des Hl. Franziskus . By Kajetan Esser. In: Archivum Franciscanum Historicum 67 (1974): 3-17.
CONTACT:
Frate Bernardino Greco
05030 – CESI (Terni)
Tel. 0744.283006
E-mail : frabernardino@la-romita.net
GUIDE:
On the road with Saint Francis
Angela Maria Seracchioli
Terre di mezzo: Editore 2013