Gargano is also named “Holy Mountain” because of the old devotion, since the V cent., to the cult of the Archangel Michael. It was ever since crossroads of pilgrims, who clambered up the mountain along the via Sacra Langobardorum, a medieval pilgrimage way, that linked Mont Saint Michel in France to the Sanctuary of the Archangel Michael. Inland of Gargano at 843 m a.s.l., Monte Sant’Angelo overlooks west the Tavoliere (Tableland) of Apulia and south the Gulf of Manfredonia. The beginning of the history of the town are the apparitions of the Archangel Michael to the Archbishop St Lorenzo Maiorano between 490 and 493 A.D., in consequence of these apparitions in about the half of the VI cent. a suggestive sanctuary was built. The success of the sanctuary was strictly connected to the Longobards (VII-VIII cent.),; they were converted to Catholicism and accepted the cult of Saint Michael by raising the monastery of the Archangel to national sanctuary. The old town is expanding around the Cave of the Archangel a few metres far from the sanctuary the ruins of the church of St. Petrus, that dated back to the XII cent. with the socalled Tomb of Rotari are to visit. Going on visiting, the church of St. Maria Maggiore is to see, the façade is very nice decorated with pilasters and rhombos, elements of the Romanesque-Apulian style. The Rione Junno is of medieval origin, a suggestive town-quarter with a row of terraced white houses with big chimneypots. Northwest of the old town the Castle is situated, it was built by the Normans (the tower of the Giants was built by Robert the Guiscard), changed by Frederick II in the XIII cent. and by Ferdinand from Aragona in the XV cent. Southwest of Monte Sant’Angelo, in the Pulsano Valley, the ancient abbey of Santa Maria, dated back to the XII cent., is placed.
At present, Gargano, always devotee of the Archangel, is somehow or other “consecrated” to the charismatic St Pio from Pietrelcina, who is as Padre Pio worldwide famous. He draws believers to San Giovanni Rotondo from all over the world. Beside the ancient Michaelic cult there is also the more recent cult of the humble friar. A great number of pilgrims goes to the Convent of the Capuchins of the XVI cent., where Padre Pio lived for fifty years. In the Convent the tomb and the cell, where he lived and died, are also to visit. At present, the pilgrims are easily received in the new church, that holds 6500 believers. The church is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture by Renzo Piano. The building of the hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” (house of relief from sufferings) was carried out thanks to the Padre Pio’s Institution. It is one of the greatest hospitals in the Southern Italy and is in the forefront in different medicine fields.
Not far from San Giovanni Rotondo, the town of San Marco in Lamis is placed; it dates back to the XI cent. to the time of the building of the Convent of St. Matteo. It was built by the Benedictines, when they settled down in Capitanata. It was built to give shelter to the pilgrims on the way to Monte S. Angelo to the St. Michael’s Cave, along the ancient Via Sacra Longobardorum. In 1311, after the Benedictines, the Convent was under the Cistercians till 1578, when the Pope Gregorious XIII assigned it to the Franciscan Friars and named it “San Matteo”. The old name was “San Giovanni in Lamis”. Close to San Marco in Lamis, another Sanctuary is linked to the pilgrimage along the via Sacra: Santa Maria di Stignano. It was neglected a long time, at present it is again a spirituality and welcome place.