Fonte Avellana
Encyclopedia
Fonte Avellana or the Venerable Hermitage of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic hermitage
in Serra Sant'Abbondio
in the Marche
region of Italy. It was once also the name of an order of hermit
s based at this hermitage.
Established by a group of hermits living at that site around the turn of the first millennium
, it was closely connected to the reforms of St. Romuald, and its early customs and documents share much in common with the nearby hermitage of Camaldoli
which Romuald founded. The community, in fact, eventually became part of the Camaldolese
congregation.
It was raised to the status of an abbey
in 1325, and remains the only Camaldolese house to have such a designation (all other such houses being designated simply as hermitages or monasteries
. It soon came under lay
control, however, and the fortunes of the community quickly deteriorated. The community, nevertheless, continued in existence, until it was scattered by Napoleonic forces. Yet after the upheavals of that period, the monastic community was again established and continues today as a major house of the congregation.
One notable feature of its architecture is that the cells of the hermits were built as suite
s. This way a hermit and his disciple could share the cell, yet each had their own sleeping space within it. This reflects the ancient custom of a hermit taking a young monk
as a disciple, whom he would train in the ascetic life and often who would care for the older hermit as he aged.
It was once presided over by Saint Peter Damian
, and it was described by Dante
in the Divine Comedy.
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
in Serra Sant'Abbondio
Serra Sant'Abbondio
Serra Sant'Abbondio is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 60 km west of Ancona and about 50 km south of Pesaro.It is the home of the historic hermitage of Fonte Avellana....
in the Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
region of Italy. It was once also the name of an order of hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
s based at this hermitage.
Established by a group of hermits living at that site around the turn of the first millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, it was closely connected to the reforms of St. Romuald, and its early customs and documents share much in common with the nearby hermitage of Camaldoli
Camaldoli
Camaldoli is a frazione of the comune of Poppi, in Tuscany, Italy. It is mostly known as the ancestral seat of the Camaldolese monastic order, originated in the eponymous hermitage, which can still be visited....
which Romuald founded. The community, in fact, eventually became part of the Camaldolese
Camaldolese
The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
congregation.
It was raised to the status of an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
in 1325, and remains the only Camaldolese house to have such a designation (all other such houses being designated simply as hermitages or monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. It soon came under lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
control, however, and the fortunes of the community quickly deteriorated. The community, nevertheless, continued in existence, until it was scattered by Napoleonic forces. Yet after the upheavals of that period, the monastic community was again established and continues today as a major house of the congregation.
One notable feature of its architecture is that the cells of the hermits were built as suite
Suite
In music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
s. This way a hermit and his disciple could share the cell, yet each had their own sleeping space within it. This reflects the ancient custom of a hermit taking a young monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
as a disciple, whom he would train in the ascetic life and often who would care for the older hermit as he aged.
It was once presided over by Saint Peter Damian
Peter Damian
Saint Peter Damian, O.S.B. was a reforming monk in the circle of Pope Gregory VII and a cardinal. In 1823, he was declared a Doctor of the Church...
, and it was described by Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
in the Divine Comedy.