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Maenza in the Lepini Mountains: the Miracle of the Herrings and the Passion of Christ
Located 116 km from Rome, the village of Maenza in the Lepini Mountains clings around its Baronial Castle. Five feudal families—Caetani, Borgia, Aldobrandini, Borghese, and Pecci—have left their mark on the lanes, tower-houses, and the ancient Loggia dei Mercanti. The latter family was that of Pope Leo XIII. Today, the castle can be visited, being the seat of the Landscape Civic Museum.
St Thomas and the herrings
In 1274 the castle hosted St Thomas Aquinas before he moved to the Abbey of Fossanova, where he died. Tradition places his first miracle here: a fisherman arrived from Terracina with a basket of anchovies, which turned into herrings upon being opened. A 15-kilometer pilgrimage retraces the Saint’s final journey. In Piazza Duomo, a travertine and bronze sculpture by Gabriele Jagnocco depicts the episode and its symbols: the herrings, the olive branch, the books, and the profile of the castle.
Cherries, the Church, and the Passion
Next to the castle, the Church of St Mary of the Assumption houses the fresco of the Madonna delle Cerase (Our Lady of the Cherries). On Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the Sacred Representation of the Passion of Christ takes place; staged since 1969, it is part of the Europassion network, and is internationally recognised. In mid-June, the village hosts the annual Cherry Festival.
