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The Monastery of St. Augustine |
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To reach the Augustinian Monastery, located in an elevated area of the village, a staircase leads through a durazzesco arch which opens on to a square adorned by palm trees. It is estimated that the monastery of the Hermits of St. Augustine dates back to 1591. This date has been taken from information provided by the General Augustinian archives and assuming the monastery was founded the same year that the church of the Holy Trinity was appropriated as part of the confraternity. In fact, on the arched entry door made of “dolomite” stone is inscribed the number 1559 that may indicate the beginning of work on the monastery. The grand proportions of the Monastery of St. Augustine are more of a distinguishing feature than the presence of decorative details, rather than being influenced by ornamentation it has been treated as a place of worship. On the first floor, the broad facade of the monastery is broken by two small windows and three larger ones, and at ground level by two windows and a large arched door. This arched doorway of “dolomite” stone opens into the building and is next to the Church of the Triad. Passing through the entrance arch, on the right is a room called of “Santu Nicola”. It was converted into a museum during restorations carried out in 2000/2001. Beneath ground level, via a trapdoor in the floor of this room, a steep staircase leads into a crypt where, around the walls and surrounding an altar, are fifteen “stalls” in stone, each with a hole in the centre of the seat. Various lively colours, prevalently red, grey and orange, are almost in contrast with the function of the space. Particularly prominent is a characteristic reddish painting in the shape of a fan on the entire wall behind the altar. On the top part of this is some script that is no longer legible and extends under the vault. In this sacred place the monks carried out their funeral rites, burying their brothers in the seated position. This was a common burial niche where the everlasting memory of their lives would have been of great moral support for successive generations. A common grave was also discovered inside the room of “Santu Nicola” where, it is presumed, brothers of lesser importance were interred. Leaving the crypt and the room of St. Nicola, is the cloister of the monastery, noteworthy for the schematic simplicity of its large, square-sectioned pillars, with semicircular arches (4 on two sides and 3 on the other two sides) above each of which is a window. The distinctive cross vaulting underneath the arcade seems to recall the life of the brothers, immersed in religious fervour. The surrounding doors open into other rooms of the monastery. On the left of the cloister a small door opens into the Church of the Triad, where the Augustinian monks carried out their divine practices. “In 1608 - says Vito Amico in his “Dictionary...” - the brothers of St. Augustine were united with the Church of the Holy Trinity thanks to Andrea of Francavilla, master of the religious order”. On the right is a room used as the sacristy, inside is an admirable fresco from the 15th century which was found under 5 centimetres of plaster during restoration. After the sacristy is a large staircase in three sections, with spiral handrails and crossed vaults, which leads to the floor above. The doors of some moderate sized rooms and two large halls face onto the corridors of the first floor. The large windows of these rooms face onto a garden that surrounds the building. A small staircase next to the main door of the monastery leads to the garden. Other land, that amounted to many hectares, was also found to be the property of the Augustinians in the Municipality of Forza d'Agrò where mulberry trees, olives, grapevines, chestnuts and fruits were grown. A plaque is attached to the inside of the building, between the cloister and the staircase to the first floor. It explains some of the history of the Augustinian monastery: QUEM CERNITIS CONVENTUM PR. BACC.S AGUSTINUS RISINI A FORTILITIO - QUODAMMODO A FUNDAMENTIS EREXIT REDDITIBUSQ: LOCUPLETAVIT - IN MELIOREM FORMAM REDUXIT EIUS EX SORORE NEPOS PR. MAG.R AUGUSTINIS CACOPARDI PROLIS IN EO ENIM AN: DNI 1760 DIE 26 APLIS - CAPITULUM CELEBRAVIT IN QUO PRESIDE PRE. MAG: IOSEPH LOMBARDO PROLIS EIUSDEM - CONTUS FILIUS SUMMOPERE GAUDENTIBUS CONCIVIBUS QUI - PPS VOCALES MAXIMO HONORE ATQ: AMORE PROSECUTI - SUNT SUMMAM RELIGIONIS CLAVUM TENENTE R.MO PADRE GENERAL FRANCISCO SAVERIO VASQUEZ. From this it is understood that a certain Agostino Risini of “Fortilizio” (Forza d’Agrò), built the monastery from its foundations and enriched it with a private income. It was upgraded by his nephew, Agostino Cacopardo, son of his sister. On the 26th April 1760 Giuseppe Lombardo solemnised the Presbytery, his descendant... The monks of St. Augustine were never able to have full autonomy, being bound to the church of the Triad they were conditioned by the proprietor, the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. However, both the church and the confraternity, were subordinate to the Archimandrite. Even though the monastery of St. Augustine was built next to the Church of the Triad, the confraternity always maintained possession of the church and continued to carry out a considerable amount of artistic and religious activity, at least until the 1960’s when the Messinese Curia succeeded in gaining possession of the antique church of Forza d'Agrò. |
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Translation by
Connie Badolato
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