Hello dear friends,
Today, in this post, I want to tell you about my visit to the Olivetan Abbey of Rodengo Saiano, also known as the Abbey of San Nicola, an important monastic complex practically situated in the heart of Franciacorta in the province of Brescia in Lombardy. I had heard about this Abbey before but had never had the opportunity to visit it. Then, a friend of mine suggested taking a guided tour of the place through a group of guides called "Lombardia Segreta," which organizes excursions with guided tours in these places.
So whenever I have the chance, I try to participate in these events because, in my opinion, it's the best way to visit these places and understand their history, which I consider one of the most important aspects. Therefore, on Sunday, I headed to the meeting point established by the guides and learned that this important Abbey was practically built in the 11th century by a community of Cluniac monks. Over the years, other monastic orders alternated, contributing to the development of this important Abbey and religious center in Italy.
This place was often visited for prayer by Pope Paul VI, who was originally from this area, and for him, this church always represented something very important and dear. In fact, in 2019, if I remember correctly, it was dedicated to this Pontiff.
What struck me about the Abbey are the three Cloisters of various sizes. As you enter the Abbey, you can find a small museum of sacred objects. During this time of year, as we approach the holiday season, a small nativity scene has also been installed—not very large but still very beautiful and charming.
The guides explained to me that it hasn't been many years since a musical path was installed inside this Abbey. Before, the monks were not so open to visits from external visitors, aiming to preserve the spiritual atmosphere inside the Abbey. However, over the years, there have been few monks left, and probably management expenses increased, so they decided to offer these visits.
Another thing I discovered thanks to the guides is that in this Abbey, located in an area flourishing with wine production, wines were also produced. A small cellar was part of the Abbey because, thanks to the surrounding vineyards, wine was produced and sold to finance life inside the Abbey.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I hope you found it interesting. I hope you can visit this place in the near future. Have a great day, everyone!
