The Territorial Abbey of Montevergine ( la, Territorialis Abbatia Montisvirginis) is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

territorial abbey A territorial abbey (or territorial abbacy) is a particular church of the Catholic Church comprising defined territory which is not part of a diocese but surrounds an abbey or monastery whose abbot or superior functions as ordinary for all Ca ...

located in the commune of

Montevergine 250px, The Sanctuary of Montevergine. The Montevergine, also known as Partenio or Monti di Avella, is a limestone massif in Campania, central Italy, part of the Apennine chain. It is located near Avellino, in the ''comune'' of Mercogliano. It h ...

in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of seve ...

of Benevento in Italy. About 1120

William of Vercelli William of Montevergine, or William of Vercelli, ( it, Guglielmo) ( la, Gulielmus) (1085 – 25 June 1142), also known as William the Abbot, was a Catholic hermit and the founder of the Congregation of Monte Vergine, or " Williamites". He is v ...

founded an abbey of eremitic inspiration dedicated to the

Holy Virgin Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. It was consecrated in 1124 on ''Mons Sacer'', so called because of the ruins of a temple of

Cybele Cybele ( ; Phrygian language, Phrygian: ''Matar Kubileya/Kubeleya'' "Kubileya/Kubeleya Mother", perhaps "Mountain Mother"; Lydian language, Lydian ''Kuvava''; el, Κυβέλη ''Kybele'', ''Kybebe'', ''Kybelis'') is an Anatolian mother godde ...

Catherine of Valois Catherine of Valois or Catherine of France (27 October 1401 – 3 January 1437) was Queen of England from 1420 until 1422. A daughter of Charles VI of France, she was married to Henry V of England and gave birth to his heir Henry VI of Englan ...

and her son,

Louis I of Naples Louis I (Italian: ''Luigi'', ''Aloisio'' or "Ludovico" ; 1320 – 26 May 1362), also known as Louis of Taranto, was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou who reigned as King of Naples, Count of Provence and Forcalquier, and Prince of Taranto. ...

, are buried in the abbey. The new basilica, built in 1961, is home to a 13th-century Byzantine icon of a

black Madonna The term ''Black Madonna'' or ''Black Virgin'' tends to refer to statues or paintings in Western Christendom of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted with dark skin. The Black Madonna can be found both ...

.Described in ''Sketch Book of the South'', 1835. In 1926 it was established as the Territorial Abbacy of Montevergine.

Leadership

* Territorial Abbots of Montevergine (Roman rite) ** Abbot Riccardo Luca Guariglia,

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

** Abbot Beda Umberto Paluzzi,

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

(April 18, 2009 – April 18, 2014) ** Fr. Beda Umberto Paluzzi,

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

(Apostolic Administrator November 15, 2006 – April 18, 2009) ** Abbot Tarciscio Giovanni Nazzaro,

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

(June 24, 1998 – November 15, 2006) ** Abbot Francesco Pio Tamburrino (later Archbishop) (November 29, 1989 – February 14, 1998) ** Abbot Tommaso Agostino Gubitosa, O.S.B. (October 15, 1979 – 1989) ** Abbot Anselmo Ludovico Tranfaglia, O.S.B. (December 17, 1952 – 1968) ** Abbot Giuseppe Ramiro Marcone, O.S.B. (March 11, 1918 – 1952) ** Abbot Carlo Gregorio Maria Grasso, O.S.B. (later Archbishop) (September 1908 – April 7, 1915) ** Abbot Vittore Corvaia, O.S.B. (later Bishop) (January 18, 1884 – July 12, 1908)

References

GCatholic.org

Roman Catholic dioceses in Italy Christian monasteries established in the 12th century Buildings and structures in Campania {{Italy-RC-diocese-stub