Underground church
today Crypt of the Fallen
Unfortunately, we have no certain historical information about this church, underlying the beautiful and imposing eighteenth-century work of which we Possidiesi can be proud.
Only assumptions have been made and things written not only unproven but not even likely.
It is said that the remaining part of the Matildic church was semi-submerged by the floods of the Secchia, but the thesis does not stand for the simple reason that the foundations of the current church cannot be on the old ones of the thirteenth century inadequate to support such a mass.
Don BUSSETTI testifies in one of his pencil sketches, preserved in the parish archive, that during the flooring of the crypt, which he restored in
30 years, he discovered the foundations of the old church
(probably the Matildic which was therefore shorter than the current one.)
In conclusion, the underground church is contemporary to the one above
and was born from the need to ensure that the new building, built much higher than the ground level, did not end up like the previous one buried by floods.
It was and is a source of pride for us Possidiesi to say that the floor of our church is as high as the bank of the Secchia.
The parish church dominates the small town of
San Possidonio, embellishing the square with the monumental apse and the elegant bell tower built between 1740 and 1748. The elegant facade
facing west. A flight of steps leads into the church, whose floor is raised above the square
The current church was built between 1764 and 1794 with the help of the parishioners and the will of the Marquis Achille Tacoli, feudal lord of San Possidonio. Built on a design by Francesco Iori of Reggio Emilia, it stands on the site of a Matildic church half buried by the floods of the Secchia river. During the demolition of the old building and the excavations for the foundations of the new one, the relics of San Possidonio were found at a depth of more than six meters and are now preserved in the church.
San Possidonio, parish church. Watercolor drawing of 1766 of the mosaic floor with opus sctile inserts, 12th century Library Olivieriana Pesaro
The Parish Church of San Possidonio (Church)
Parish title: Provost
The Parish Church, built in 1764, preserves the remains of the previous pre-Romanesque church from the 9th century. The Church, with an elegant facade, has three simple and austere naves
and an imposing dome resting on massive round columns.
It also contains some works of art of good value, including a
fine 17th century painting, by Sante Peranda depicting Laura
Pico with San Possidonio.
The crypt is suggestive, albeit remodeled, which represents the part
original of the Matildic Romanesque church.
Adjacent to the church the tall and slender bell
tower (42 m including the second cross for height
in the diocese of Carpi) spire, which closes a
concert of 5 (five) bells (only one of the low),
of which the large of the Ruffini ends of
Reggio Emilia, of 1764, and the others of Brighenti
Cesare, from Bologna, from 1948: war recovery.
BELLS (description)
Notes Weight Kg Diameter cm Caster
MI natur. 850 111.5 Ruffini Giuseppe - Reggio E. 1764
The natur. 350 83 Cesare Brighenti - Bologna 1948
Yes natur. 250 74 War recovery.
C sharp. 170 66 << Ablatum tempore belli AD MCMXL - MCMXLV.
Restitutum publico sumptu AD MCMXLVIII.
That is; Required during the war 1940 - 45,
returned at public expense in 1948 >>
Inscriptions
, Hanc primam in SS Trinitatis alteramq. B. Mariae V, honorem solemni ritu sacrivat AVE MCCLXIV (1764).
Santucs Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Santus Immortalis, miserere nobis, Achille Tacoli huius terrae Curating Marchione ac largitore preaclaro
Ecclesie Parochi Soladitatum Cleri IX Canonicorum cupidissimique Populi elemosinis
veteris utriusque campanae, aer interfused,
hasce qiunque campanas Fusores Ruffini Regii Lepidi efformarunt. AVE MDCCLXIV.
Rector Joannes Baptista Borlenghi IDV atque Vicario Foraneo >>
That is;
<< The five bells were blessed with the solemn rite of the Bishop and Prince of Reggio,
Mario dei Marchesi Castelvetro, of which the first in honor of the SS. Trinity,
the second in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the year 1764. Holy God, Santo Forte,
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us! Achille Tacoli, feudal Marquis of this land,
eminent benefactor, with the alms of the parish priest, of the Confraternities, of the Canons,
of all the people, the five bells were cast by the founder Ruffini of Reggio Emilia - Rector and Vicar Foraneo Giovan Battista Borlenghi. >>
The other four bells, requisitioned by the government during the 1940-45 war, were restored in 1948 and recast from Cav. Cesare Brighenti of Bologna.
<< Sancte Possidoni, ora pro nobis. Achilles Healing Tacles. Christus vincit, Christus regnant,
Christus imperat et ab omni male defendat. Amen. >>
That is: << S. Possidonio, pray for us, taking care of the Achille Tacoli fusion, Christ wins, C hrist reigns, Christ rules and defends us from all evil. Amen!. >>
<< A plague, hunger, et bello, Libera nos, Domine. Borlenghi Rector, Opus Ruffini Regii. A whirlwind, flood, fire, fulgure, et studded, free nos, Domine, AVEAD MDCCLXIV. Ablatum tempore belli AD MCMXL - MCMXLIV. Restitutum publico sumptu AD MCMXLVIII
That is: << Deliver us, oh Lord, from the whirlwind, the flood, the fire, the lightning and the storm. Year of the Lord 1764 >>.
Parish church of S. Cuore (San Domenico) fraz. Pioppa
Owner: Sacred Heart of Jesus
Co-patron: S. Domenico
The parish church rose not far from the oratory of S. Domenico.
Currently, publicly owned, the oratory of S. Domenico is officiated,
which rises in the ancient village of Pioppa, near the Pioppa bridge (formerly the Pioppa pass),
on the Secchia river. It is a lovely oratory, recently restored, on the roof of which a bell is placed in a trabiccolo.
The Cappelletta
B. Virgin of the belt with saints, fresco by a local painter of the late seventeenth century, venerated in the small chapel of the fam. Cavicchioli .
The virgin enthroned, holding the Child Jesus in her arms, showing the belt ;
on the sides, S. Giovannino and on the right, at 3/4, the figure of San Possidonio bishop.
The work is an expression of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin of the belt and,
as in the previous case, the image of the saint is not, and does not want to be
the main one.
It is tradition, it is not known how reliable, that originally the scene, or part
of it, was painted on a large pillar, around which it then came
built the chapel; in the 17th century a small sacristy was added
and the small portico. The image is popularly known with the name of Madonna
of fevers and enjoys in the area a heartfelt devotion, because it is
considered miraculous: until a few decades ago they could be seen in the little one
sacristy innumerable ex votos as evidence of healings and graces
receipts.
The day of the feast of the owner (which is September 8), for ancient
it is customary to celebrate a Holy Mass in the chapel and in ancient times, in
small lawn in front of it, a village festival was held as a festival.
Having the binnacle only a small bell (now no longer), it populates it was notified of the
time of mass with a "shot of the gun". The devotion of the Madonna of the belt is proper to the Order of Augustinians; the chapel and the image certainly refer to
the action religious and catechesis of the friars of the nearby convent of S. Caterina, whohad introduced since the century. XVII, and perhaps even earlier, in the state dei Pico a Confraternity of this title, more properly called della
Consolation. These Confraternities refer to the belief of S. Monica, mother of
S. Agostino, to whom the Madonna in an apparition she had shown her belted mourning robes.
The devotion to the so-called Madonna della Cintura originated from the following fact, as described by Cazzani: "Santa Monica, mother of Sant'Agostino,
widowed, resolved to imitate the Virgin also in her dress, she asked her to let her know how she dressed after the ascension to Heaven of her Divine Son.
Budrighello quarries
There are three lakes 4 km from San Possidonio,
few probably know, feed
from groundwater.
They are also easily accessible by bicycle,
a comfortable cycle path starts from San Possidonio and,
along via Matteotti, it reaches it in complete safety.
These are the Budrighellio quarries, clay quarries used up
to 1974 for the construction of bricks from the Pioppa furnace.
The owner, having closed the furnace, entrusted them to the Municipality of San Possidonio, now owner, who in collaboration with the Association of the Budrighello Quarries, began to promote them for naturalistic purposes.
hey host a great variety of flora (willows, poplars, elms, reeds ... ) and fauna (mallards, coots, moorhens, egrets, gray herons,) grebes, marsh tortoises, and numerous fish) in this way, the development of a rich and well balanced aquatic ecosystem. 90,000 square meters consisting of: three lakes, a large park that hosts native species, 6 km of paths where you can walk freely.
The Oasis is open to the public and, without disturbing the fishermen who are members of the association, it can be visited on foot or by bicycle, for those who reach it by car, a large parking lot has been set up in the middle of the green.
Beautiful, in addition of course to the rest, the lake of water lilies, a must see.
For more information:
http://www.comune.sanpxidonio.mo.it/
http://www.unioneareanord.mo.it/servizi/centro-edificazione-ambientale
