Tossicia’s tiny antique church of S.Antonio Abate (St Anthony Abbot) may be small but it is like stumbling upon a chest of hidden treasure when you visit. Its beauty lies in having one of Italy’s finest examples of a Romanesque portal (1471) that once you start photographing you can’t stop.
The portal is carved from local stone by the extremely talented sculptor Andrea Lombardo, whose work this is all sadly that is left standing. 3 concentric round arches literally team with life & expressions that change throughout the day as the shadows play on the faces of its inhabitants.
Inside metopes, 8 putti play harps, lutes and flutes and they lead they eye up to the apex where St Anthony sits serenely. Below them giving the feeling they are supporting the fascia is a parade of 8 of Tossicia’s faces from the past, cut so flamboyantly that their personalities still are visible today after 500 years of weathering.
St Anthony Abbot is the patron saint of piggies and their keepers so if you do make a visit with kiddies do ask them to try and find how many carved pigs they can find in the portal.
Further Reading
Author: Roddy Newlands
Roddy Newlands is an Associate Member of Life In Abruzzo, as well as antique book dealer and web and graphic designer. Abruzzo allows him to get his mountain-air fix, & satisfy his passion for pasta & panettone.
