Assisi Diary - Day 41 - San Silvestro

Took a long walk today around Subasio to see the Abbey of San Silvestro, which sits well up above the town of Collepino.  Much of the morning was foggy, which made for good hiking and interesting trails.

After about a three hour walk over diverse roads and trails I came upon the church, which has an origin of being a hermitage founded by Saint Benedict in the year 523.  In 1025, the then abbot, who became Saint Romuald, dedicated a church there to Saint Sylvester.  Over time much of the church was destroyed, but was eventually restored.

Apparently the apse is the original, going back to the 11th Century or earlier.

In the interior of the apse are the remains of a 15th Century fresco of the Madonna and Child Enthroned.  Interestingly, a 3rd Century Roman sarcophagus was used as the altar.

The grounds currently are nicely cared for by a group of nuns calling themselves The Little Sisters of Mary.

My return route gave me an opportunity to revisit Gabbiano Vecchio, the abandoned town deep in the forest that I wrote about a few days ago.

Ciao.