S.Maria degli Angeli's City

With its 8,000 inhabitants, it is the most highly populated area of the entire township. Its nucleus is located around the patriarchal basilica. However, the expansion of Santa Maria degli Angeli is due also to a side factor: it was impossible for the town of Assisi to expand. Santa Maria is an industrial centre par excellence and in fact, there are foundries, mechanical industries, furniture factories and textile industries. Documentation about the locality of Cerreto de Porziuncle dates back to the beginning of the tenth century AD, but it is widely recognised that the foundation of the first nucleus is attributable to events connected with St. Francis. The first pilgrims were drawn not only by the strong presence of this man, but also by the Porziuncola Indulgence – the Pardon – that drew multitudes of people from all over the continent. There immediately arose the need to offer these pilgrims a minimum of assistance. Thus, over the centuries the first shops, the first eating places, the first inns were established. Chronicles dating to 1582 mention that there were over 100,000 pilgrims. These were substantial crowds of people, especially if we consider how difficult it was to travel at that time. In 1569, Pope Pius V gave his permission for the construction of a basilica around the Porziuncola. This marked the birth of a series of collateral activities. "Tourism" – if it could be called that in those times – was less fragmentary. On August 2nd, the very important Feast of the Pardon is held in Santa Maria degli Angeli, and it is an event that has been drawing crowds of pilgrims since 1216.

 Basilica 
 Porziuncola
 Roseto

It is an indulgence that was established by St. Francis and then confirmed by Pope Honorius III for all visitors to the Porziuncola. A traditional albeit more modest feast is the Piatto di Sant'Antonio – St. Anthony's Plate – that began about 300 years ago. Since the end of the seventeenth century (although with many interruptions in the past), a "plate" has been offered to the poor. In recent times, the event has been included as part of the Gennaio Angelana initiative held in January (folkloristic, cultural and athletic events). The 26-tap fountain at the side of the basilica was built on the orders of Cosimo de' Medici in 1450 (the family coat of arms can be seen on the taps).

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MONUMENTS and BASILICAS