Camaldolesei monastery
Born from the homonymous friars, the monastery dates back to the second half of the 1500s, directly dependent on the Neapolitan monastery and was built in the then maintenance of Puglietta, detached from the inhabited center and nearby villages.
The relationship between the monks and this convent can be defined as "stormy": legend has it that the friars sent to Campagna were detached more for confinement than for a prosperous ordinal. In fact, it is said that the prelates residing here weren't really "shin saints", since the convent of Naples would have sent us mostly adventurers and criminals 1 who dedicated their lives to the pleasures of the flesh more than spirit. Even some of them had ecclesial censure, while for others there were also accusations of crimes and misdemeanors.
They were also accused, during their stay in the nascent countryside monastery, of harassment and fraud. The monks, taking advantage of the local peasants and their kindness of spirit, grabbed huge bequests, donations and entire properties in exchange for cheating, abuse and false promises; there are even stories of indulgences for access to Paradise.
The structure, of remarkable beauty, initially included two animal-powered oil mills for milling the olives, equipment for harvesting and, later, it also became the point of production of grain for the convent in Naples.
Originally the entrance to the chapel was located inside - for almost exclusive use only for the friars - later, out of a sense of gratitude towards the many "donations" received, a new small church was built dedicated to Santa Maria Domenica with a new entrance that turned outwards.
In 1811, following the Napoleonic laws, many properties were suppressed from the monasteries of La Maddalena, the Augustinians and the Franciscans< /a> they should have passed under the control of the Camaldolese; however, the Municipality, suspicious of these unclear passages, strongly opposed the delivery of the registers, deploring the misconduct of the Neapolitan friars and, through a letter to Bishop Lupoli, the Mayor of the time Domenico Filiuli, exhorted the high prelate not to grant them the assets of the aforementioned monasteries, an operation which however did not have the desired effects.< /a> Ironically, it happens that, a few years later in 1866 when this convent was also suppressed after the unification of Italy, the friars were forced to leave the structure, among the happiness of the local citizens after the constant harassment and harassment suffered.
The structure was initially occupied as a branch of the Carabinieri of Campagna and in 1938 it was auctioned and purchased by the Campagnase Antonino Nicola Copeti and subsequently resold by the same to the Banco di Napoli, from which it was taken over by one of the D' families Ambrosio, which they still own today.
Today the structure of the Coop. social R-Accogliamo, dedicated to the production of local products through inclusion, hospitality and social projects. We at Città di Campagna congratulate the cooperative for the beautiful reality they have been able to set up.
Text edited by Cristian Viglione.
Revisions: Francesco Pezzuti.