Collevecchio is a small village in the Abruzzo

Abruzzo

Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...

 region of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. It is a frazione

Frazione

A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...

of the comune

Comune

In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...

of Montorio al Vomano

Montorio al Vomano

Montorio al Vomano is a town and comune in the Province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park".-Geography:...

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Geography

The provincial capital, Teramo

Teramo

Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...

 is about 6 miles to the north. Collevecchio rises from the peak of a hill known as "Colla Croce." A short distance below the village is the Strada Statale 80 (State Road 80) which begins in Giulianova

Giulianova

Giulianova is a coastal town and comune in the province of Teramo of central Italy.-Geography:The town lies in the north of the Abruzzo region, between the Salinello and the Tordino rivers. Giulianova is split between the Paese, the historic town up in the hills, and the lido, the more recent...

 on the Adriatic Sea

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...

, passes near the Gran Sasso

Gran Sasso

Gran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The Gran Sasso forms the centerpiece of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park which was established in 1993 and holds the highest mountains in continental Italy south of the Alps and is part of the...

 (the highest peak in the Apennine Mountains

Apennine mountains

The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...

, and eventually leads to another provincial capital, L'Aquila

L'Aquila

L'Aquila is a city and comune in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 73,150 inhabitants, but has a daily presence in the territory of 100,000 people for study, tertiary activities, jobs and tourism...

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History

Collevecchio is of historical importance in that the Bishop of Teramo traditionally also carried the title, Baron of Collevecchio. The earliest known records relating to Collevecchio date back to 894 when the Bishop of Teramo, Giovanni I, was involved in a land exchange with a count from the Abruzzo region, Adelberto. The Monastery of Santa Maria, which likely fell within the territory surrounding the town, is cited in these documents. In 1813 Collevecchio lost its independence and was annexed by the town of Montorio al Vomano. It was only a small village in the 1800s and an 1881 census lists a population of only 42 inhabitants.

The building where the elementary school is located dates back to the early 1900s. Following the construction of a large aqueduct by the firm of Massimo Del Fante, running water reached the Collevecchio in 1935. Rising through the village is a provincial (formerly classified as a state) lane which connects to the larger road road (SS 80) running from Teramo to Montorio al Vomano. It was paved only in the mid 1960s.

In recent years Collevecchio has lost population. Some of the citizens have moved closer to the SS 80 or to Teramo. Others have emigrated to other countries and regions of Italy. Some two miles from Collevecchio, in the direction of Teramo, is a manufacturer of spirits owned and operated by the Paesani family. One of their most popular liqueurs is called "Amaro Gran Sasso" (Gran Sasso Bitters) and is famous throughout Italy and in many other nations of the world.

Churches

The patron saint of Collevecchio is Saint Sebastian and a church bearing his name is found in the village center. It can be assumed that this church was closely linked with the Monastery of Santa Maria located in the valley below. In years past, the practice of building a fortified structure at a higher elevation was rather common as it provided a place of refuge in the event of military threats or attacks. Many such structures were erected following the first invasions of the Saracens in the 9th century. Hence, the hilltop location of today's Collevecchio.

With the presence of a monastery and a castle, came the need for a church. By Papal Decree, the Church of Saint Sebastian was constructed. In one document, Pope Anastasio refers the area where the church was built as “Monasterium S. Sebastiani in Gomano”. A chapel dedicated to this saint may well have stood in this location. The old church bells of Saint Sebastian were moved to a nearby church called "San Michele di Colledonico". The current church bells are relatively new with the oldest dating back only to 1870. These were cast by the Della Noce Company of nearby Penna Sant'Andrea

Penna Sant'Andrea

Penna Sant'Andrea is a town and comune in Teramo province in the Abruzzo region of eastern Italy....

. On the interior of one bell is the inscription: “Fideles voco-Festas honoro-Mortuos ploro-Tempestates fugo-1870 Della Noce T”. Two smaller bells are believed to have been manufactured in 1914. The Church of Saint Sebastian has undergone several restorations. In 1857 Father Don Paolo Cesi of Teramo, with support of the local people , completed one church modification. A 1900 project reduced the dimensions of the church. Records indicate that one stone used in this reconstruction dates back to the beginning of the second millennium. In the years 1931-1932 the church was adorned with a new balustrade and altars made of marble. Finally, in 1942, the instructor Angiolina Di Salvatore in Sabatini helped to gather the necessary funds and arrange for another church alter dedicated to Saint Gabriel of the Sorrows. The church of Saint Sebastian has but one nave.