According to ancient Jewish tradition, seven angels stand perpetually before the throne of God, ready to carry out His interventions in human history. They are called “angels of the presence” or “angels of the face.” Subsequently, with the affirmation of the existence of other orders of angels around God, such as seraphim and cherubim, these…
Although official records state that the first church dedicated to San Michele was built in 1675, the presence of the saint in Vasto dates back more than two thousand years, even before the Christian era. Back then, he was not yet called Michael, nor was he a saint, but rather Mithras, a pagan deity imported…
The veneration of San Michele, patron saint of Vasto, has deep historical roots, dating back to the Lombard rule, when a place of worship dedicated to Sant’Arcangelo stood near the present-day church—possibly of even older, Byzantine origin. The cult of the commander of the angelic hosts never truly faded; otherwise, the people of Vasto would…
Piazza Rossetti in Vasto is rich in Masonic symbols. The monument to Gabriele Rossetti, long requested by the citizens and subject to numerous attempts to raise funds through public subscriptions, particularly among Vasto’s emigrants in the United States, remained a dream for the local administration until 1924. At that time, an unspecified association proposed to…
The Politeama Ruzzi in Vasto is a historic theater located in the heart of the city on Corso Italia, considered an architectural gem. The facade facing Corso Italia features five arches that form the only portico in the city. On the first floor, there are three balconies and two windows. On the second floor, there…
San Cesario holds a significant place in the devotion and folklore of the people of Vasto. His relics are displayed in a glass case within the crypt beneath the altar of Santa Maria Maggiore. This crypt was constructed in the mid-19th century based on a design by Nicola Maria Pietrocola. The remains of the martyr…
The relics of San Teodoro the Martyr, now displayed in a case within the Church of Carmine, arrived in Vasto on December 4, 1751, in a solemn procession. They were a gift to the city from Marquis Diego II d’Avalos. The remains of the saint, who was acclaimed as the new patron saint by the…
In Santa Maria Maggiore, traces of the past dating back to the early centuries of Christianity are visible, representing the oldest core of the medieval city. This area was once part of the “castellum,” the nucleus of urban revival after the depopulation following the Gothic War in the sixth century. By 427, a church dedicated…
The bell tower of Santa Maria Maggiore is the tallest tower in the city, clearly visible even from kilometers away if you look at Vasto from the south. The bell tower has a quadrangular section and is divided into three sections which refer to different moments of construction. The base of the bell tower of…
The square next to the apse of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, from which a spectacular staircase leads down to the door of Santa Maria, today known as “Porta Catena”, is called Piazza del Tomolo. The name comes from an ancient commercial measurement, corresponding to the amount of grain needed to sow a tomolo…