San Pietro Avellana
Encyclopedia
San Pietro Avellana is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Isernia
in the Italian
region of Molise
, about 50 km northwest of Campobasso
and some 20 km north of Isernia
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 630 and an area of 45.0 km². In local dialect, or dialetto sampietrese, Saint Amico is called Sand'Amig.
The patron saint of San Pietro Avellana is Sant'Amico (Saint Amico/Saint Friend), a saint whose remains rest on hillside in the woods, overlooking the village where he worked. The shrine of Sant'Amico is referred to as Il Bosco di Sant'Amico. He was an Italian monk who worked in the Apennine
region of Southcentral Italy
(al confine coll'Abruzzo
e Molise
), known for the story of a wolf who slayed a donkey and was cursed, forced to serve Sant'Amico as a ciuccio for the rest of his life, carrying chopped wood from the church to the monastery.
The municipality of San Pietro Avellana contains the frazione
(subdivision) Masserie di Cristo. San Pietro Avellana borders municipalities Ateleta
, Capracotta
, Castel del Giudice
, Castel di Sangro
, Roccaraso
and Vastogirardi
.
Many descendants of the original San Pietro Avellana, a village with a population well over 2,000, live in the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown
areas. Yet, they have been spread out all across the globe; from Rock Springs, WY to Argentina
, to Northern New Jersey
, and back to Northern Italy
's Industrial Triangle.
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:...
(municipality) in the Province of Isernia
Province of Isernia
The Province of Isernia is a province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Isernia....
in the Italian
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...
region of Molise
Molise
Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
, about 50 km northwest of Campobasso
Campobasso
-Main sights:The main attraction of Campobasso is the Castello Monforte, built in 1450 by the local ruler Nicola II Monforte, over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on a commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements have been found...
and some 20 km north of Isernia
Isernia
Isernia Isernia Isernia (Latin: Aesernia or, in Pliny and later writers, Eserninus, or in the Antonine Itinerary, Serni is a town and comune in the central Italian region of Molise, and the capital of Isernia province.- Geography :...
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 630 and an area of 45.0 km². In local dialect, or dialetto sampietrese, Saint Amico is called Sand'Amig.
History
The town was originally a religious settlement, Volana, named in honor of Saint Peter.The patron saint of San Pietro Avellana is Sant'Amico (Saint Amico/Saint Friend), a saint whose remains rest on hillside in the woods, overlooking the village where he worked. The shrine of Sant'Amico is referred to as Il Bosco di Sant'Amico. He was an Italian monk who worked in the Apennine
Apennine
-Other places on Earth:*The Apennine or Italian peninsula*Apennins, a department of the first French Empire-Plants and animals:*The Apennine , a modern breed of domestic sheep.*Apennine Shrew, an insectivore endemic to Italy...
region of Southcentral 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...
(al confine coll'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...
e Molise
Molise
Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
), known for the story of a wolf who slayed a donkey and was cursed, forced to serve Sant'Amico as a ciuccio for the rest of his life, carrying chopped wood from the church to the monastery.
The municipality of San Pietro Avellana contains the 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...
(subdivision) Masserie di Cristo. San Pietro Avellana borders municipalities Ateleta
Ateleta
Ateleta is a comune and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy...
, Capracotta
Capracotta
Capracotta is a comune in the Province of Isernia in the Italian region Molise, located about 45 km northwest of Campobasso and about 25 km north of Isernia...
, Castel del Giudice
Castel del Giudice
Castel del Giudice is a comune in the Province of Isernia in the Italian region of Molise, located about 50 km northwest of Campobasso and about 30 km north of Isernia...
, Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro is a city and comune of 6,109 people in the Province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo, southern Italy. It is the central city of the Alto Sangro e Altopiano delle Cinque Miglia.-Geography:...
, Roccaraso
Roccaraso
Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***...
and Vastogirardi
Vastogirardi
Vastogirardi is a comune in the Province of Isernia in the Italian region Molise, located about 40 km northwest of Campobasso and about 20 km north of Isernia...
.
Many descendants of the original San Pietro Avellana, a village with a population well over 2,000, live in the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
areas. Yet, they have been spread out all across the globe; from Rock Springs, WY to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, to Northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and back to Northern 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...
's Industrial Triangle.