|
Various
pilgrimages travel along the sheep-tracks, the routes followed in
ancient times by shepherds moving their flocks to new pastures. From Sant’Angelo
in Grotte the pilgrims started out on foot headed for the Sanctuary
dedicated to the Archangel Michael on the Gargano. The journey took 5
days, from 24th to 29th September and passed
through various towns and along various sheep-tracks including, in the
Molise, the ones that passed close by Oratino and Campodipietra (Lucera-Castel
di Sangro). Once they had reached Apulia the pilgrims then took the Celano-Foggia
sheep-track. They then travelled along the Nunziatella-Stignano arm,
visiting the Church of the Madonna of Stignano and then the Sanctuary of
Saints Matthew and Mark in Lamis. They finally reached Monte
Sant’Angelo, where Saint Michael's grotto is situated.
|
|
|
|
|
Sepino |
Other
pilgrimages have their “territorial basis” as the routes followed by
the shepherds as they moved between pastures. The cults of Santa
Cristina at Sepino and of San Liberato Martire at Roccamandolfi
came into being in places close to the Pescasseroli-Candela
sheep-track and gave rise to the custom of holy journeys which
even today are still carried out by thousands of pilgrims. The feast of
San Liberato (first Sunday in June), moreover, was an anniversary
closely linked to the return journey of the shepherds (Bishop's decree
of 1794).
Other
important cults were influenced by the movements of flocks of sheep. The
worship of San Nicola, for example, spread along the routes of the
sheep-tracks. In May, a famous feast is held in honour of the Bishop of
Mira at San Giuliano del Sannio, at the point where the
Pescasseroli-Candela and the Cortile-Matese arm meet. Another cult
widely found in the Molise is that of the Blessed Virgin Mary Crowned.
On the last Saturday in April, at Santa Croce di Magliano, close
to the point where the Celano-Foggia and the Sant’Andrea-Biferno
tracks meet, an important feast is held to celebrate the Crowned
Madonna, with the arrival of many faithful from the nearby towns.
|
|
|
|
|
Montenero
di Bisaccia |
Another religious site in the Molise visited by many pilgrims is that of
the Madonna di Bisaccia (Montenero), along the Centurelle-Montesecco
sheep-track, which celebrates its feast on 15th-16th
May.
|