Post by Ken Mullins

(on the borders of the towns of Sanzeno and Coredo, in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) One of the most treasured sanctuaries in Europe, the Saint Romedio sanctuary is near the village San Zeno in the Val di Non. One of the most interesting examples of medieval Christian art in the Trentino region, it is perched on a 70-meter-high rocky spur at the end of a canyon carved by the river Rio Romedio -- and now attracts some 200,000 pilgrims each year. Dedicated to Saint Romedius (San Romedio), it consists of five overlaid churches and chapels (built between the 11th and 20th centuries), which are connected by a steep staircase of 131 steps. The legend surrounding the life of Saint Romedius is quite fascinating. Born in the 4th century, Romedio was a noble young man, the heir of a wealthy Bavarian (or Austrian) family. After a pilgrimage to Rome, he gave up all his possessions and retreated into a hermitage, in the Val di Non. As the legend goes: Romedius, wishing to go to Trento to greet the bishop of the city, asked one of his disciples, David, to saddle his horse. The disciple returned with the news that a bear had savaged the horse, whereupon Romedius had him saddle the bear, which was done and Romedio rode it to Trento. The bear remained Romendio's companion until his death.