Torre Le Nocelle, a small jewel in the heart of Irpinia, is a village that combines the charm of history with the quiet of Campania's nature.

• 30 Jul 2024
• REPERTUR
• Borghi Antichi

Land of hazelnuts, vineyards, centuries-old olive trees, fruits of genuine agricultural traditions, Torre Le Nocelle is a small village in the heart of the middle Calore Valley

The origins of the Irpinia town have their roots in the Roman era, as demonstrated by the archaeological finds discovered in Viticeto, among which the ruins of an ancient aqueduct built near the Calore river and the three cipollino marble columns from a pagan temple that have found their rightful place in the Sanctuary of San Ciriaco stand out.

In the Middle Ages, the village served as an outpost to defend the nearby fiefdoms of Montefusco and Montemiletto, earning the name "Turrecella". Testifying to its strategic importance is the bell tower detached from the Sanctuary that was erected on the remains of the watchtower, from which the town took its name.

SANCTUARY OF SAN CIRIACO

A place of worship par excellence, not only for the people of Torre but also for all the communities of the Valle del Calore, the Sanctuary of San Ciriaco is a point of reference for all the faithful of the Patron Saint of Torre Le Nocelle.

Dating back to the 19th century, the building houses some mortal relics of San Ciriaco, transferred from the Basilica of Santa Maria in Via Lata in Rome on 8 August 1635 and preserved in a wooden bust. The Sanctuary is located in the ancient heart of the village, close to the main square, and was completely restored after the 1980 earthquake.

Today it has an eighteenth-century façade completely detached from the bell tower built on several levels and with a bulbous dome that stands out from every corner of the town.

FEAST OF SAN CIRIACO AND LIQUEFACTION OF THE BLOOD

In honor of the Patron Saint Ciriaco, the people of Torre organize two celebrations that fall on March 16 and especially August 8 and are preceded by a solemn novena with the display of the relic of the blood.

On these two occasions, thousands of pilgrims arrive and ask the saint for grace for liberation from physical and spiritual ailments and witness the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood. In front of the faithful gathered in prayer, the blood changes from a state of total coagulation from dark red to a liquid bright red color.

Furthermore, during these celebrations it is possible to witness episodes of exorcism performed by Don Michele Bianco.