Abbey of Santa Maria del Pulsano. A place of ancient charm

In the heart of the Gargano stands a monastery cloaked in history and religion, Santa Maria del Pulsano. Built on the homonymous hill, its most ancient origins date back to the 6th century, when it was built at the behest of Pope San Gregorio Magno. Initially there was a settlement of the monks of S. Equizio until the Cluniacs arrived around the 10th century.

Monastery of Santa Maria del Pulsano from myth to modernity

It was later destroyed by Saracen raids and rebuilt in the 13th century by San Giovanni da Matera on the recommendation of a Marian apparition. For this reason, the Virgin is still today a very strong object of veneration of the local population. From this moment on an autonomous monastic order was created, the “hermits of Pulsa” also known as “the barefoot” who spread all their doctrines from this crucial point throughout the peninsula. In fact, there are well over 40 places of worship attributable to this organization between north and south throughout the territory. Some of them can even be found beyond the Adriatic. These places were a cenobitic destination to achieve complete asceticism and union with the spirit. In fact, there are several cells that testify to this solitary imprint and all of the circuits that also include the workplaces. From the 14th to the 15th century this order went extinct and the place was reused by different kinds of monks and friars. The Church held this oasis of peace almost until the 1970s. In fact, in 1969 it began to fall into a progressive state of abandonment and was the constant target of looting. Since the 1990s, however, a recovery action has begun, first by volunteers and then again by the monks. From 1997 to today these have regained possession of the place.