Mysteries in the Cathedral of Acerenza

A village named "town-cathedral", a monument among the most important of Basilicata and some mysteries that live within its walls. Let's visit the cathedral of Acerenza.

Visiting a cathedral, whether one is a believer or not, is always exiting. It’s like entering a work of art, the history of the place that hosts it and its beliefs. If you add to it a touch of mystery, something whispers to my ear to grab my camera, my notebook, to jump in the car and to discover the new mystery.

I’m talking to you about the cathedral of Acerenza, a little village in Basilicata, in the province of Potenza, included among the Borghi più belli d’Italia (the most beautiful villages of Italy). They say that this holy place is linked to a character, about which you would hardly think in this part of the world, Count Dracula.

Leggi in italiano

The village of Acerenza

The car climbs on the hill, drawing the hairpin turns that bring to the top. An ochre-coloured sea, some green tufts here and there and the regular, hypnotic movement of windmill blades accompany the sight toward the high, toward that top populated by roofs and the big dome of the “town-cathedral”.

“Town-cathedral”, a way to say that Acerenza hosts a monumental cathedral though it is a small village. But it’s not “just” a big cathedral. Actually, it is also known for being among the most important monuments in Basilicata.

We park the car at the gates of the old town centre. The way is indicated by street signs, but it wouldn’t be difficult to find it, even if they weren’t there: we walk uphill, straight to the highest point of the village, following the dome that looks at us from the high like we were little points that slowly, but not too much, climb the steep curves.

Paved allays become increasingly narrow between the houses. We meet locals, friendly and smiling as few times has happened to find in other small villages.

We cross Piazza dell’Orologio and after few steps we can already see the facade of the cathedral: the rose window seems to peep out among the houses, like saying: “Hey, I’m here! You’re arrived!”

And now the mystery hunt begins!    

The cathedral of Santa Maria and San Canio Vescovo

Now some historical notes are due. The cathedral of Acerenza was built around the 11^th century on the ruins of a previous paleochristian church from Roman times. That that we see nowadays is the result of restoration works wanted by the lords of Acerenza, Earl Giacomo Alfonso Ferrillo and his wife Maria Balsa (keep in mind these names, especially the countess’s one, because they are linked to the most intriguing mystery).

As usual, I stop and admire the gate of entrance: its intricate bas reliefs look more like the work of a skilled sewer than a stonecutter. On the sides, columns are placed on some creatures clung to one another: I look closer and now I can distinguish the subjects, a monstrous creature that bites the neck of a woman. In the centre, right over the gate, a crest with a wyvern.

We enter. Three long, large aisles divide the space in front of us. No rich element caught the eye to create that awe that usually you can find in cathedral: low sunlight filling the building from the floor to the dome is intimidating enough. We move forward and continue the discovery of the beauties of this place and the research of the mysteries it keeps.

San Canio and the cane that moves by itself

Walking along the deambulatory, behind the altar, we meet some side chapels. Without any doubt, one of the most important is the one dedicated to San Canio, the patron saint of Acerenza.

It’s a regal environment as it’s surrounded by green and red marble, with a soft and warm light that gives a sense of awe and calm at the same time. Actually, the alter is just covered with marble: the original one, more antique, is in stone and it was given its current aspect only in the 17^th century.

With the crosier and the miter, the statue of the saint dominates the scene from the top of the recess above  the alter that keeps the relics. It seems that he is there to control and protect it. What is the precious relics that he protects? His cane.

From a little hole on the lower part of the alter you can see its extremity: a small piece of wood. Finding it somewhere else you wouldn’t pay attention to it. But this one has risen the curiosity of many and inspired faith in believers, because there are some people who can swear to have seen it move autonomously!

Believer or not, when in these circumstances, we all test the celestial being. So, we inspect the object to see if the miracle occurs before our eyes, right in that moment, but this time, even though I have been there staring at it for a reasonably long time, it stubbornly remained in its place.

Beliefs aside, it may be useful to know that this stick lies on an irregular surface, that of the antique stone altar, and this could explain the event, as long as you don’t fall for the idea of the miracle.

The Ferrillo crypt

We are at the highlight, maybe the most fascinating one and from where the legend I was talking about at the beginning of this post comes alive: the Ferrillo Crypt, wanted by Giacomo Alfondo Ferrillo and his wife Maria Balsa.

With a short staircase, we descend under the main altar. The environment is dark, silent, we can barely see some columns and an altar with a sarcophagus.

One euro in the specific case and there was light. A gentle lightening gives us the possibility to appreciate the beauties and the richness of this hypogeum. It was realised in the 16^th century and its Renaissance style, enriched by some medieval elements, is visible in the decorations. The nice sarcophagus, displayed in the recess over the altar, initially should have been destined to the chapel of the patron saint, so that being named Sarcophagus of San Canio.  

On the two lateral walls, the frescos in Renaissance style give solemnity to the environment with their images with warm and deep colours, though faded by time.   

Over all, what surprises me the most are the decorations at the base of columns: monstrous heads, perfect as if they had been just carved, make us uncomfortable with their wide open mouths, their teeth well in evidence and demon little eyes.

The most peculiar thing is to find in a sacred place the satyr Pan and a potbellied demon with two tails, which they say is Lilith, carved in bas relief at the base of two columns, respectively.

Here there are so many details that time doesn’t seems to be enough to discover and to look at them all, like a font with four fish on the bottom.

Now, you must be asking when I will talk to you about the mysteries I promised you at the beginning of this post. Well, this is the right place to uncover them. They say that in this cathedral there are some references to Count Dracula, who seems to be Maria Balsa’s father: to redeem from his cruelties when he was alive, she would have made represent her father, or some symbols for him, in the crypt.

For example, in the fresco Adorazione dei Magi (Adoration of the Magi), they say that Maria Balsa herself is represented: in front of her, an old man kneels down: the hat decorated with pearls, already seen in the pictures of the earl, would suggest that he is Earl Vlad III himself.

Or, high in a corner there is the profile of a man with a pointed goatee and a flat nose, oriented toward the entrance (so, giving his back to the altar): someone identifies him as the Earl of Transylvania.

The symbol of the winged dragon on the facade of the cathedral would represent the bond with Dracula.

Dark. Time’s up, lights turn off and we accept it. Fortunately, we don’t need to reach the exit groping around: light can enter just enough not to hit a column. Sure is that staying in the dark in this crypt feels a bit uncomfortable after having read about the legend that tells about the mysteries that it keeps.

How much truth is there in these legends?

There is no proof about the truthfulness of what said. How were these suppositions born?

Basically, from the fact that Maria Balsa would have had Balkan origins. It seems that in reality she was Gojko Balšić’s daughter and, while her father was fighting against Ottomans in the 15^th  century, with his uncle Giorgio Castriota named Scanderbeg, she, a seven-year-old girl, and her mother, Comita Arianiti, took  shelter in the Kingdom of Neaples.

Some legends tell that she was adopted and protects by King Ferrante of Aragon, member of the Order of the Dragon, a body of which Earl Vlad III of Valacchia and Ferrillo, Earl of Acerenza, were part. Once in marrying age, he gave her hand in marriage to Giacomo Alfonso Ferrillo.

What makes people think about a secret kinship with Earl Vlad III is Maria’s surname, Balsa, that could be an Italianization of the Balkan name Balšić, but in reality there is no concrete proof.

We leave the cathedral, well aware of the fact that what we were looking for cannot have a validation in reality, but with that nice feeling that an Indian Jones-like research gives you, when the beauty of art melts with the enjoyment of fantasy and legend. We don’t know if Vlad III really had something to do with Southern Italy. Sure is that looking for his phantom traces has an irresistible charm.