The hermitages of Celestine V in the heart of the Maiella

There is a mountain in Abruzzo that the ancients called the Mother Mountain, and which hides among its walls one of the most extraordinary and least known eremitic heritages in Italy. It is the Maiella, a harsh and wild massif, where between the Middle Ages and the centuries that followed monks chose the caves and rocky recesses to withdraw and pray. The most famous of these hermits was Pietro da Morrone, who lived here as a penitent before being elected pope with the name of Celestine V, only to renounce the papacy in dramatic fashion. The places of his retreat are still there, set into the stone, and can be reached on foot along trails that few walk.

The reason these hermitages stay little visited is simple: you cannot drive right up to the door. You have to walk, sometimes uphill, into narrow wooded ravines, and that keeps hit-and-run tourism away. Those who make it this far find silence, rock and an essential spirituality that hangs in the air.

The hermitages in the rock

The heart of this itinerary is the area around Roccamorice, from which you can reach two of the most celebrated hermitages. The hermitage of San Bartolomeo in Legio is perhaps the most striking: a long stone balcony set beneath an overhanging cliff, reached by descending a staircase carved into the rock, suspended above the ravine. Not far off, the hermitage of Santo Spirito a Majella is the most important and monumental, an eremitic complex that was the centre of the congregation founded by Pietro da Morrone, immersed in the woods at the foot of the cliffs. Moving to the side of the nearby Morrone massif, near Sulmona, you also find the hermitage of Sant'Onofrio al Morrone, clinging to the mountain above the valley, another place linked to the figure of the future Celestine. The whole Maiella area, finally, is dotted with other minor hermitages and caves, some almost forgotten.

Around these places open wild valleys such as the Valle dell'Orfento, a nature reserve of rare beauty, with the stream running among the rocks and the trails climbing through the woods. To walk here is to combine the visit to the hermitages with immersion in an intact nature, among the most pristine of the Apennines.

Getting there

To reach it, the references are Roccamorice on the northern side and Sulmona on the Morrone side, in the provinces of Pescara and L'Aquila respectively. Sulmona is also reachable by train and is a convenient starting base. The hermitages are reached by leaving the car at the trailheads and continuing on foot: the routes are signposted by the Maiella National Park, but it is wise to find out in advance about the length and difficulty of each approach, because some are short and others require more effort.

When to go

The best period is late spring and early autumn. May and June bring green woods, abundant water in the ravines and cool air at altitude, while September offers stable days and the first autumn colours. These are the months that avoid both the heat, which in the valley can make itself felt, and the risk of snow and ice on the higher trails. Even in season, however, these hermitages know no queues: the effort of the approach and the intimate nature of the places keep the influx minimal, and you often find yourself alone before a stone facade a thousand years old.

Practical tips

A practical tip: wear hiking boots with good grip, because the staircases and trails toward the hermitages can be slippery, especially after rain. Bring water and set off early, so you can enjoy the hermitages in the quietest, coolest hours. And give yourself the time to sit in one of these places without hurry: the meaning of a mountain that for centuries welcomed those seeking silence can only be grasped by stopping, listening to the wind and the water running in the ravine.

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