Monte Sant’Angelo is the highest town of Gargano located on a limestone rock where there are other many caves included the Saint Archangel Michael Sanctuary, place of preyer and reconciliation with God.
It is possible to reach the special Cave passing next to the Bell Tower (Campanile) of the end of 1200, arriving to the upper Atrium. There, on the left bronze door, you can see all of the history of the Sanctuary until the visit of Pope Giovanni Paolo II in 1987.
Immediately after the entrance, there is the famous Angevin staircase composed by 86 stairs divided into five ramps. This staircase ended with a door called Ox Door for the fresco which overlies it.
Passing through the door, you can reach the Lower Atrium and, just after it, you can reach the entrance of the mystic cave where are Santissimo Sacramento Chapel, Madonna Altar and, at the end of the cave, there is San Michele Arcangelo Altar.
Its statue was sculpted into the famous Carrara marble and it is 130 cm tall. Only his sward is taken to be carried in procession on September 29th.
Also from Vieste people leave during the night on foot, with preyers and torches, to reach the Sanctuary in Monte Sant’Angelo, through the ancient path in the heart of Gargano National Park.
Into the Sanctuary there is a great sense of spirituality and everyone can be forgiven by God, guided by San Michele.
There is a strangeness around the site of San Michele and involved other Monasteries dedicated to the Saint. According to the legend, the Archangel lashed a sword stroke to send the devil back to hell, tracking an imaginary line that linking seven Monasteries equidistant from each other and, in the middle, there are the most important: Mont Saint-Michel in France, the Sacra di San Michele in Val di Susa and Monte Sant’Angelo.
Every summer solstice, June 21th, the seven Monateries are aligned perfectly with the sunset.
The Sanctuary is 54 km far from Camping Village San Michele and it is possible to reach it along the Litoranea Vieste-Peschici (direction Vieste), turn to Foresta Umbra on the SP 52bis and following directions to Monte Sant’Angelo. It is possible to get more information in the Reception or linking here: http://www.santuariosanmichele.it/
