Castelpetroso. The places of the Apparition

The cathedral of San Pietro Apostolo is the most important Catholic church in the city of Isernia, mother church of the diocese of Isernia-Venafro and seat of the parish of the same name. It is located in Piazza Andrea d'Isernia, in the historic center of the city and stands on an ancient Italic pagan temple from the 3rd century BC; its present appearance is the result of numerous interventions, carried out both after the numerous earthquakes, and as a result of renovation projects of the building.

Of Benedictine architecture, between the 13th and 14th centuries the Sanctuary, which is flanked by a monastery, represents a complex of very significant religious importance.

Physical geography It is located at 1200 m above sea level. in the part of Molise bordering Abruzzo. The territory of Vastogirardi (IS) extends over an area of 60.72 km² and borders the municipalities of Capracotta to the north, San Pietro Avellana, Castel di Sangro (AQ) and Rionero Sannitico to the west, Forlì del Sannio, Roccasicura and Carovilli to the south, Agnone to the east. From a morphological point of view, the territory is separated from that of Capracotta by reliefs of Monte Capraro, which oscillate between 1300 - 1350 m, which descend steeply to Piano S. Angelo and Difesa Grande and Capo di Trigno (ancient lake basin ) at an altitude of 1100 m from which the Trigno river originates, one of the two most important Molise rivers which flows into the Adriatic Sea and gives its name to the road of the same name which reaches up to San Salvo (CH), i.e. the Trignina. To the west are the mountains of Montagnola (1292 m) and Monte Miglio (1350 m), to the south is Monte Pizzi (1373 m), while to the east are the mountains of Montagna Fiorita with Montarone (1278 m). Vastogirardi develops close to a hill at the top of which are the castle and the ecclesiastical complex of San Nicola di Bari. Inside the walls is the village, which appears well preserved in its original defense function, as evidenced by the cylindrical towers incorporated in factories and the supports between building blocks. The result of subsequent expansions, the churches of S. Rocco and S. Maria delle Grazie were built at the beginning of the 18th century and incorporated into the third urban expansion dating back to the 18th - 19th century. Over the course of the last century the town no longer followed the aggregation trend of stepped bands, according to the morphological trend of the site, but developed along via Garibaldi c.da Difensa (towards Castel di Sangro) and via Re d'Italia (direction Isernia). Origins of the name It is assumed that the name Vastogirardi originates from the name of a crusader captain, Giusto Girardi. In the past it also took the name of Castrum Girardi due to the castle (other attested toponyms are Castel Girardo, Rocca Girardo, Guasti Belardi, Guardia Giraldo and Guardia Gerardo) and subsequently its current name, deriving from an alliteration of Lombard jargon.

The church of San Lorenzo is located near the Castle. Initially the structure was used as a convent, until it was abolished in 1866.

The basilica sanctuary of Maria Santissima Addolorata, or simply the Addolorata basilica is an important Catholic place of worship located in the municipality of Castelpetroso, in the province of Isernia, and belonging to the archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on March 22, 1888 to two shepherdesses named Serafina and Bibiana in the locality of Cesa tra Santi, on the slopes of Mount Patalecchia. This first apparition was followed by others and, following the recognition of this phenomenon, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso patroness of Molise on 6 December 1973. In the 1890s, it was decided to build a sanctuary near the place of the apparitions, but further downstream from this, so that it would be more easily accessible by pilgrims. The project was entrusted to Giuseppe Gualandi, whose death (1944) was succeeded by his son Francesco. On 28 September 1890 the first stone was laid and construction of the sanctuary began. It proceeded slowly due to economic problems and the two world wars: in 1907 the chapel of the Poles was finished and opened for worship, but the perimeter walls of the church were completed only in 1950 [2], thanks to donations from don Nicolino Passarelli, canon theologian of the cathedral of Venafro, lawyer of the Sacra Rota and professor. In the following decades the sanctuary was completed and consecrated on 21 September 1975 by the bishop of Boiano-Campobasso Alberto Carinci.

The basilica sanctuary of Maria Santissima Addolorata, or simply the Addolorata basilica is an important Catholic place of worship located in the municipality of Castelpetroso, in the province of Isernia, and belonging to the archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on March 22, 1888 to two shepherdesses named Serafina and Bibiana in the locality of Cesa tra Santi, on the slopes of Mount Patalecchia. This first apparition was followed by others and, following the recognition of this phenomenon, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso patroness of Molise on 6 December 1973. In the 1890s, it was decided to build a sanctuary near the place of the apparitions, but further downstream from this, so that it would be more easily accessible by pilgrims. The project was entrusted to Giuseppe Gualandi, whose death (1944) was succeeded by his son Francesco. On 28 September 1890 the first stone was laid and construction of the sanctuary began. It proceeded slowly due to economic problems and the two world wars: in 1907 the chapel of the Poles was finished and opened for worship, but the perimeter walls of the church were completed only in 1950, thanks to donations from don Nicolino Passarelli, canon theologian of the cathedral of Venafro, lawyer of the Sacra Rota and professor. In the following decades the sanctuary was completed and consecrated on 21 September 1975 by the bishop of Boiano-Campobasso Alberto Carinci.