One of the most fascinating and mysterious Romanesque churches. Every 25 May and 19 July at 7:40 in the morning, the phenomenon of the "luminous eye" takes place, an extraordinary event...#tuttitaly
The Abbey of Sant'Urbano is an ancient Benedictine abbey dedicated to Saint Urbano, the patron saint of Apiro. Its origins date back to a few decades before the year 1000, and the abbey had hegemony over the San Clemente Valley, serving as a center of religious and civil power. However, there were continuous conflicts with the Municipality of Apiro, culminating in the 11th century with a fire and partial destruction of the church. Subsequently, the abbey was renovated and became a stopping point for pilgrims.
In 1810, with the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte in Italy, the abbey passed to the state and was subsequently sold to private individuals, who transformed it into a farm. Only in 1978 was it donated to the Municipality of Apiro, its current owner.
Symbolism
The abbey features architectural elements inspired by astronomical and mathematical models, which were incorporated to enrich the building with cosmic symbolism.
This practice has been expected since ancient times, as demonstrated by the sacred works of the Jews. In the case of the Church of Sant'Urbano, the monk architect used the illumination of the altar with three windows oriented according to the equinoxes and solstices.
Furthermore, he created a circular eye above the apse, which allows the morning light to enter the hall on certain days of the year. This luminous effect, crossing the twilight of the church, has great symbolic significance.
The monk architect applied his astronomical knowledge, although, at the time, it was believed that the sun's motion in the sky was "real" rather than "apparent," as we know it today. The perfectly circular luminous disk symbolizes the Eucharist. It strikes a circular crown carved on a pillar to the left of the entrance, precisely during the feast of the patron saint Sant'Urbano on May 25, during the early morning hours. This event was rediscovered after eight centuries thanks to careful observations, even though it had been forgotten due to the 19th-century abandonment of the church.
The phenomenon occurs twice a year, symmetrically for the summer solstice, and manifests itself at 7:40 a.m., both on May 25 and July 19.
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