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The Church of the Holy Cross Outside the Walls in Roccasecca: Where St Thomas Aquinas Was Baptised
Just outside the walls of the Castle of the Counts of Aquino, on the ridge separating the fortress from the Torre del Cannone (Cannon Tower), stands the Church of Santa Croce fuori le mura. According to tradition, St Thomas Aquinas was baptised here in 1225. A small church of medieval foundation, typical of castle chapels, it served for centuries as the mother church of the village of Roccasecca.
The Devotion of the Counts of Aquino
The church was erected by the Aquino family, who held a particular devotion to the Holy Cross — so much so that a place of worship with the same dedication also existed in Aquino itself. The layout is that typical of small medieval churches built outside town walls: an essential structure, designed to serve the community living around the castle.
Restoration and Visit
The building has been completely restored, and is today open to visitors. Its position, halfway between the ruins of the castle and the cylindrical “Cannon” tower — where according to tradition Thomas was held prisoner by the family — makes it a natural stop for those climbing Monte Asprano in the footsteps of the philosopher. It was from here that the young Thomas took his first steps, before entering the Dominican Order and becoming the most influential theologian of the Middle Ages.
