southafrica: Visit to Ciorani, Southern Italy

This is the front view of the Basilica of the Redeemer in Materdomi with the tower at the center. Behind this building is the older Basilica of San Gerardo. On the foreground is the statue of St. Gerard. Abundant water, considered miraculous, flow out of the fountains on the side of the statue.

From Materdomini that morning of June 18, the group took the bus and then travelled towards Ciorani.

We were met by a few members of the CSsR Ciorani community and welcomed us. This is the inner courtyard of the convent grounds.

Inside the church is a statue of St. Alphonsus. Ciorani was the first mission of St. Alphonsus who came here for the first time on January 3, 1734 and stayed till January 17.

Ciorani is known as St. Alphonsus' "Cenacle."

There is also a statue of St. Gerard inside the church.

One of the paintings in Ciorani.

Upstairs, on the second floor of the building is a very significant room. This was the room where St. Alphonsus and the next batch of members gathered together for a General Assembly on May 6, 1743. Today, in this room, one can see the paintings of this group including: Sportelli, Rossi, Mazzini, Villani, Gioradana, Cafaro and Vito.

The members of the group got busy taking photos of the paintings of the original group at Ciorani.

This is the corridor leading the room where the 1743 assembly took place. Me with Anton, Thoai and Witold.

This door leads to the room of St. Alphonsus in Ciorani.

Across is a room that now serves as the place to exhibit some of the important religious articles during the time of St. Alphonsus. The statues were those given to him by his father, whereas the painting was done by him.

Inside ther oom of St. Alphonsus, one can see the things that were in this room when he was still alive: the cross, the self-flagellation whip, a skull and others.

From the second floor of the building, one looks down on the courtyard where lemon and orange trees grow.

Blessed Sarnelli also lived in this house. In fact, this property was donated by his family. This room has memorabilia of B. Sarnelli.

A painting of St. Gerard in Ciorani.

At a chapel in Ciorani which has the reamins of B. Sarnelli.

The group prepares to celebrate the Eucharist as Felix

gives some explanation.

The reliquary that holds the remains of B. Sarnelli.

The building adjacent to the church-convent of the Redemptorists. It is now the place for a group of sisters. In front is a statue of St. Alphonsus.

Then we returned to Materdomini.
There, I visited the two Basilicas.

This is the main altar of the Basilica of the Redeemer,

with a mosaic showing the Apostles.

The figure of the Risen Christ is at the very top

looking down on the altar.

The famous painting of St. Gerard with the poor waiting for him outside the church. This painting hangs at the Basilica of the Redeemer.

The baptistry of the church with a statue of the Risen Lord. Water flows out of this fountain.

The reliquary at the Basilica of St. Gerard. The reliquary peeks out as it is almost covered by a marble relief of St. Gerard and the people of his times. This is at the main altar of the Basilica.

St. Gerard died here in Materdomini on October 16, 1755. He first heard about the Redemptorists in May 1746, was accepted to the congregation on May 17, 1749 and was professed on July 16, 1752. He died at the age of 29. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on January 29, 1893 and canonized by Pope Pius X on December 11, 1904.

Beside the Basilica is a Museum on St. Gerard. There are a number of antique religious items like this Risen Christ.

In the museum, a room has been arranged in such a way as to approximate the room of St. Gerard in Materdomini. One sees a very simple bed and some items including one he used for self-flagellation.