CULTURE

Hermitage of Saint Donatus

A place of silence and retreat in the woods above the villages of Ronchena and Lentiai

Nestled among the quiet woods overlooking the villages of Ronchena and Lentiai, the Hermitage and the small church of San Donato conceal ancient frescoes and spaces where you can think and rest your soul. The tranquillity that reigns in this place is tangible, both during the green summer season and during the golden autumn colours or the frosty winter.


The first record of this building dates back to 1529, although it may perhaps date even further back to the Lombard era.
It is dedicated to Saint Donatus, bishop and martyr of Arezzo, who was martyred on 7 August 362.

The building has a gabled roof, a small bell gable and a single nave. Inside, the oldest elements probably date back to the 15th century, as can be seen in the series of saints and the consecration crosses.
The sequence of saints begins with Saint Victor, followed by Saint Anthony the Abbot, the Madonna with her son Jesus in her arms, Saint Donatus depicted as a bishop in pontifical vestments, and finally an elderly Saint Peter with the keys in his hand.
In the presbytery, on the back wall and on the right wall, there are two frescoes dating back to the 17th century. The first could be Staint Bernard of Clairvaux or Saint Albert of the Abbots. On the right wall, it could be Saint Anthony of Padua, but also Saint Augustine, depicted as a simple Augustinian monk.


On the counter-façade is the coat of arms of the Bishop of Ceneda, Marcantonio Agazzi.
The high altar is made of carved, painted and gilded wood. The frame encloses a late 17th-century painting by an unknown artist depicting the Madonna with Child Enthroned with Saints Donatus and Bartholomew.
On the right wall is a copy of a painting by Luigi Cima, donated by the painter Toni Piccolotto in 1961, depicting the Madonna of Caravaggio.


From the church, you can access the hermitage, where hermits are known to have lived from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century. For a long period, they were hermits of the Order of Saint Augustine and later of the Franciscan Third Order.

Inside the Hermitage of Saint Donatus, the restored areas are accessible. In particular, on the ground floor there is a kitchen with a sink and drinking water, gas and everything necessary for a simple meal. Upstairs there is a small study, a bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom corner complete with a hot water shower.


Anyone passing through who is interested in staying overnight can contact the Burlon sisters at the numbers listed in the contact section.

INFORMATION

  • Referente: Burlon Romina e Maria
  • Mobile: Romina: +393478808431 e Maria: +393382755231

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