The Church of Santa Maria di Hum stands alone on a hill in the valley Mavone, in town of Hum, in the municipality of Castel Castagna Abruzzo, in the province of Teramo. The building belonged to the monastery of the Benedictine abbey that here also had the convent, now disappeared.

Historical Background

The exact date of construction of the plant is unknown, but several historians place its construction between 1170 and the 1180.

The oldest written document that mentions this church is a papal rescript issued in Anagni under the pontificate of Pope Lucius III, dated 21 Gennaio 1184.

Architecture

Lo stile architettonico della chiesa è caratterizzato da una chiara impronta di stile romanico – pugliese che si ritrova nell’impostazione delle finestrature, in blind arches of the presbytery and in the plant that, although internally encompasses three semicircular apses, externally looks straight. These features are common to the factory Hum churches in Puglia the Cathedral of Bitonto, the cathedral of San Corrado in Molfetta and the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari.

Facciata

The ptoad, tripartite gable, was raised by using bricks smooth, left exposed, willing to cut, ordered evenly and clear stones, squared, placed in correspondence with the movement of the interior arches and walls of the perimeter. The façade has three portals open, two single and a rose window now devoid of radial, but which retains its frame.

Esterno

The exterior walls of the sides of the church are also made of brick and stone quoins, where the latter were combined and sorted to generate forms of decorum that meet the same succession of arches internal.
The clear lines of the stone, that emerge from the red latrizio, draw a skeleton that frames between pilasters blind arches on both the longitudinal portions and on the wall of the presbytery, which are connected to the four blind arches and the large lancet window that opens in the center of the apse.

Monofora

The entire fabric of single-wall has windows, some slit, other medium-sized enclosed by fences decorated with a branch and the largest in the area of ​​the apse. This is larger than all other, opening between two columns, resting on shelves, topped with capitals decorated with palmettes. Its outline is framed by a band carved with fruits and flowers and has a compartment barred from his pierced and carved stone barrier checkerboard.

Interno

Lo spazio è ripartito in tre ampie navate, whose center is of greater height. Each aisle has three crossings, Soretti pillars croceiformi, and ends with an apse of modest depth. The inner portion of the aisles where they insist has a trussed roof, while the area of ​​the sanctuary is closed by three cross vaults.

Frescoes

Il catino absidale contiene un ciclo d’affreschi medievali datati 1181 the 1281, based on the interpretation that is the date of the painted that runs to the base of the apse.

In the apse is represented Cristo benedicente within an almond, surrounded by four angels in flight: in his left hand holds a disc on which is written EGO SUM LUX MUNDI or otherwise EGO SO(The)I ask MUNDI.

Nel primo registro della parete absidale sono rappresentati i dodici apostoli, con al centro la rappresentazione dell’Annunciation, with Maria Vergine e l'Arcangelo Gabriele, respectively to the right and left of the window.

In the second register beginning the scenes related to the childhood of Christ: the first scene on the left shows the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth; the Segue Nativity of Jesus, Child doubly represented.

At the center of the wall and immediately below the window, is represented Adoration of the Magi, with the Madonna seated on a throne and the Child Jesus in her arms: the figures of the Magi have completely disappeared, leaving only a part of the horse richly attired. Below is the scene of the Fuga in Egitto, with the Madonna with the Child sitting on the donkey and S. Giuseppe guide them, taking on his shoulders a stick with a bundle and hung a barrel, and wearing pileus cornutus, the pointed cap used in the thirteenth century as a distinctive element for the Jews. In the last scene of the second register depicts the Massacre of the Innocents and many have linked to the scene below, the last of the third register, variously interpreted as pious women or mothers weeping at the tomb of the Lambs.

The third register shows the scenes from the Passion of Christ: The first depicts the Bacio di Giuda e la cattura di Cristo operated by a multitude of soldiers dressed in armor; follows Christ before Pilate, carried by a soldier; the flagellazione di Cristo, flanked by two soldiers equipped with whip and stick; the center of the log is Crucifixion, partly disappeared, but you still can not see the figure to the left of Longinus with the spear and the figure of the other soldier with the bucket of vinegar. The Segue Request Body of Christ a Pilato da parte della Madonna e di san Pietro; poi la Deposition in the Tomb.

The relic of the True Cross

Through the door in the bottom of the right aisle leads to an environment that preserves, among other things, an ancient and precious wooden cross to double cross covered with gold foil filigree and decorated with gems of different shapes, sizes and colors. In the body of the cross is placed a wooden fragment cruciform also venerated as a relic of the True Cross of Jesus Christ cross. La stauroteca di Ronzano è di incerta datazione ma per gusto e impiego delle gemme può essere databile tra il XI e il XIII secolo.

Local legend has it that it was found in a field adjacent to the abbey during plowing, it seems that the oxen that pulled the plow you are kneeling in the middle of the work despite the lashes of their driver, The farmer was then decided to dig before the horse where unearthed the case containing the Byzantine cross.

ACCOGLIENZA NEI PRESSI DI SANTA MARIA DI RONZANO: