On August 29, 1294, in a basilica he had built from a dream, an eighty-year-old hermit named Pietro da Morrone was crowned Pope Celestine V. He had spent decades in caves on the mountains of Abruzzo, founding a monastic order, fleeing the world. Now, against every inclination, he sat on Peter's throne. Five months later he did what no pope had done before: he resigned, declaring himself unequal to the burden. Dante placed him in the vestibule of hell for "the great refusal"; the Church eventually raised him to the altars as Saint Peter Celestine. His body still rests in the basilica where he was crowned—Santa Maria di Collemaggio in L'Aquila—and each August, the Holy Door he established opens for the Perdonanza Celestiniana, the immediate ancestor of the Roman Jubilee.
L'Aquila itself is a medieval creation, founded in 1254 by the union of ninety-nine castles whose lords sought strength in numbers. The Fontana delle 99 Cannelle—the Fountain of Ninety-Nine Spouts—commemorates this origin, ninety-nine stone masks pouring water into pools since 1272. The city rose to prominence through Celestine's favor and the pilgrims his pardon attracted. It fell into devastation on April 6, 2009, when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed 308 people and reduced the historic center to rubble. The basilica of Collemaggio collapsed from transept to apse; the cathedral and the basilica of San Bernardino suffered severe damage.
But L'Aquila is rising. Santa Maria di Collemaggio reopened in December 2017, its restoration winning a European Heritage Award. In August 2022, Pope Francis became the first pope in over seven centuries to personally open the Holy Door of the Celestinian Pardon—a gesture connecting his own pontificate, following Benedict XVI's resignation, to the hermit pope who made resignation possible. Pilgrims who come to L'Aquila today walk through a city still rebuilding, but the sacred sites that matter most have been restored to welcome them.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Pietro Angelerio was born around 1209-1215 in Molise, showing extraordinary inclination toward solitude from childhood. In his twenties he retired to a cave on Monte Morrone near Sulmona; in 1244 he moved to an even more remote hermitage on the Maiella massif. Disciples gathered despite his flight from society, and around 1254 he founded a monastic order—later called the Celestines—following the Rule of Saint Benedict with additional austerities. Pope Urban IV approved the order in 1264.
Pietro built Santa Maria di Collemaggio beginning in 1288, after a dream in which the Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked for a church on this site outside L'Aquila's walls. On August 29, 1294, he was crowned there as Pope Celestine V—the first papal coronation outside Rome, and the only one ever held in Abruzzo. The occasion marked the first opening of the Holy Door he had established by papal bull, granting plenary indulgence to all who visited the basilica, confessed and repentant. This Perdonanza Celestiniana predates the Roman Jubilee by six years and is considered its immediate ancestor.
Celestine's pontificate lasted only five months. Manipulated by advisors, overwhelmed by the political demands of the office, convinced of his inadequacy, he took an unprecedented step: on December 13, 1294, he resigned. His successor, Boniface VIII, feared Celestine might become a rallying point for opponents and had him imprisoned at the Castle of Fumone, where he died on May 19, 1296. Pope Clement V canonized him in 1313—vindicating the hermit whom Dante, in the Inferno, had condemned for "the great refusal."
The resignation of Celestine V remained unique in papal history until February 2013, when Pope Benedict XVI announced his own renunciation. The legal precedent Celestine established—that a pope could voluntarily resign—made Benedict's decision possible. When Benedict visited L'Aquila after the 2009 earthquake, he placed his pallium on Celestine's glass casket as a gift. The symbolism was not lost on observers: the living pope honoring the only predecessor who had walked away from Peter's throne.
L'Aquila preserved another saintly body: Bernardino of Siena, the great Franciscan preacher, died here on May 20, 1444, while on a preaching tour. He was canonized only six years later—one of the fastest canonizations in Church history—and his incorrupt remains rest in the basilica bearing his name. The city thus became a double pilgrimage destination: Celestine's tomb and pardon, Bernardino's relics and Renaissance mausoleum.
The 2009 earthquake devastated this heritage. Santa Maria di Collemaggio collapsed from the transept backward; San Bernardino's campanile fell and its apse was seriously damaged; the cathedral was rendered unusable. Nearly eight hundred churches across the region required assessment. But restoration has proceeded steadily. Collemaggio reopened in 2017; San Bernardino in 2015. The cathedral's reconstruction began in 2023 with completion expected around 2028. L'Aquila is wounded but not destroyed—a city where reconstruction and pilgrimage proceed together.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in L'Aquila
Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio
Basilica of Saint Mary of Collemaggio
The masterpiece of Abruzzese Romanesque-Gothic architecture, built from 1288 on the site where Pietro da Morrone dreamed the Virgin Mary asked him to construct a church. The façade presents a striking pattern of pink and white geometric stonework, three rose windows, and three portals. The Holy Door (Porta Santa) on the left side, similar to those in Rome, opens only during the Perdonanza Celestiniana each August. Inside, the single nave leads to the mausoleum of Pope Saint Celestine V, whose incorrupt body rests in a modern silver urn. The basilica collapsed from the transept backward in the 2009 earthquake but was fully restored by December 2017, winning a European Heritage Award from Europa Nostra. Daily Mass is celebrated; the basilica welcomes pilgrims throughout the year.
Mausoleo di San Pietro Celestino
Mausoleum of Saint Peter Celestine
Within the Basilica of Collemaggio, the mausoleum houses the incorrupt body of Pope Saint Celestine V in a silver reliquary urn. The original reliquary was stolen by the French; the present one preserves the hermit pope who resigned. Pope Benedict XVI placed his pallium on this casket in April 2009, weeks after the earthquake—a gesture that foreshadowed his own resignation four years later. The mausoleum occupies a place of honor in the church Celestine himself built, the site of his coronation and the origin of the pardon he established. Pilgrims kneel to pray before the saint who proved that even a pope could acknowledge his limitations.
Basilica di San Bernardino
Basilica of Saint Bernardino
Built between 1454 and 1472 to honor Saint Bernardino of Siena, who died in L'Aquila on May 20, 1444. The incorrupt body of the great Franciscan preacher rests in the fifth chapel on the right, within a Renaissance mausoleum created by Silvestro dell'Aquila and completed by his grandson in 1505—considered the masterpiece of Renaissance art in L'Aquila. Bernardino was canonized only six years after his death, one of the fastest canonizations in Church history. The basilica suffered serious damage in 2009 (the campanile collapsed), but reopened in 2015. Pope Pius XII elevated it to a minor basilica in 1946. Daily Mass is celebrated.
Cattedrale dei Santi Massimo e Giorgio
Cathedral of Saints Maximus and George
The episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of L'Aquila, originally built in the thirteenth century, destroyed in the 1703 earthquake and rebuilt. The cathedral houses the relics of Saint Maximus of Aveia, a third-century martyr whose remains were transferred here from nearby Fossa in 1256. The 2009 earthquake severely damaged the building, rendering it unfit for worship. Reconstruction began in February 2023 with a projected cost of 37 million euros and expected completion around 2028. Until then, the faithful worship in temporary facilities, but pilgrims may view the exterior and pray for the continued restoration of L'Aquila's mother church.
Fontana delle 99 Cannelle
Fountain of Ninety-Nine Spouts
Built in 1272 by the architect Tancredi da Pentima, this extraordinary fountain commemorates the legendary ninety-nine feudal lords who united to found L'Aquila. Ninety-three stone masks and six single spouts pour water into five pools on different levels. The source of the water remains unknown—legend holds that Tancredi was executed for refusing to reveal it. Declared a national monument in 1902, the fountain stands near the Church of San Vito alla Rivera in the Borgo Rivera quarter. Though not a religious site, the fountain provides essential context for understanding L'Aquila's medieval origins and the civic spirit that built its churches.
Santuario della Madonna d'Appari
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Appari
Located in the frazione of Paganica on the road toward Gran Sasso, this thirteenth-century sanctuary was built following the vision of a shepherdess named Maddalena Chiaravalle, who saw the Sorrowful Madonna holding the dead Christ. The church is dramatically positioned between a rocky wall and the Raiale stream. The interior is entirely frescoed with Old and New Testament scenes, including a 1596 painting by Pompeo Mausonio depicting the Madonna of the Most Holy Rosary with the fifteen mysteries. Damaged in 2009, the sanctuary was restored and reopened in October 2011. A national monument since 1902.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Perdonanza Celestiniana — August 28-29 (celebrations August 23-30)
The great pilgrimage festival established by Pope Celestine V in 1294, predecessor of the Roman Jubilee. On the evening of August 28, a historical procession of over 1,000 figures in medieval costume escorts the Bull of Forgiveness from the Municipal Residence to the Basilica of Collemaggio, where the Holy Door is ceremonially opened. From the evening of August 28 through August 29, pilgrims who visit the basilica, confessed and repentant, may receive plenary indulgence. On the evening of August 29, the Holy Door closes until the following year. UNESCO inscribed the Perdonanza Celestiniana on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.
Feast of Saint Peter Celestine — May 19
The feast commemorating the death of Pope Celestine V in 1296 is observed with special Masses at the Basilica of Collemaggio. Pilgrims gather to honor the hermit pope whose resignation made history and whose holiness was vindicated by canonization.
Feast of Saint Bernardino of Siena — May 20
The memorial of the great Franciscan preacher who died in L'Aquila on this date in 1444 draws pilgrims to the basilica bearing his name. His incorrupt body is venerated, and the Renaissance mausoleum created by Silvestro dell'Aquila attracts those who appreciate sacred art as well as sacred relics.
Feast of Saint Maximus — June 10
The feast commemorating the translation of Saint Maximus's relics to L'Aquila in 1256 is observed at the cathedral (when accessible) or in temporary worship spaces during the reconstruction period.
🛏️ Where to Stay
My Suite Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Modern four-star hotel in the city center with business facilities and contemporary comfort. Highly rated by guests for service and cleanliness. Reserve this hotel
Hotel 99 Cannelle ⭐⭐⭐ — Named for the famous fountain, this three-star hotel offers comfortable rooms and good value in a convenient location. Reserve this hotel
Magione Papale Relais ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Charming property near Collemaggio with outdoor pool. The name ("Papal Mansion") recalls L'Aquila's connection to Celestine V. Reserve this hotel
Casa Ospitalità San Giuseppe (religious accommodation) — Simple accommodations with spiritual atmosphere, ten-minute walk to Collemaggio. Ideal for pilgrims seeking a prayerful setting. Reserve this property
Hotel San Michele ⭐⭐⭐ — City center location with free breakfast, ten-minute walk to main pilgrimage sites. Good mid-range option. Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Rome Fiumicino Airport is approximately 140 kilometers west. From the airport, take the Leonardo Express to Roma Termini, then connect by bus to L'Aquila (total journey approximately 2.5-3 hours).
By Bus: Direct buses operated by TUA (Società Unica Abruzzese di Trasporto) and FlixBus connect Rome Tiburtina bus station to L'Aquila (approximately 1 hour 35 minutes, departures every few hours). This is the most convenient option from Rome.
By Train: There is no direct train from Rome to L'Aquila. The route requires a transfer at Terni (Rome Termini → Terni → L'Aquila), taking approximately 4 hours. Most pilgrims prefer the bus.
By Car: From Rome, take the A24 motorway (Autostrada Roma-L'Aquila-Teramo) directly to L'Aquila (approximately 110 kilometers, 1.5 hours). The route crosses the Apennine mountains with scenic views.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Godfrey, John. 1294: Why the Conclave Elected a Holy Hermit as Pope — Historical analysis of Celestine V's election and pontificate.
Prudlo, Donald S. Certain Sainthood: Canonization and the Origins of Papal Infallibility in the Medieval Church — Scholarly study including analysis of Celestine V's canonization.
Online Resources:
Perdonanza Celestiniana Official Website — Information on the August celebration and its UNESCO recognition.
Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio — Official website with visiting information and history.
UNESCO: Celestinian Forgiveness Celebration — UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing.
🎥 Recommended Videos
Pope Francis Opens the Holy Door at L'Aquila — Historic footage from August 2022 when Pope Francis became the first pope in over 700 years to personally open the Holy Door.
🔗 Useful Links
Visit L'Aquila — Municipal tourism portal with practical information.
Cammino di Celestino — Information on the pilgrimage route through Abruzzo following Celestine V's path.
TUA Bus Services — Regional bus operator connecting L'Aquila to Rome and other destinations.
🥾 Pilgrim Routes
Cammino di Celestino (Way of Celestine) — A multi-stage pilgrimage route through Abruzzo following the path of Pietro Angelerio. The route begins at the Abbey of the Holy Spirit at Monte Morrone near Sulmona—where Celestine founded his order—and concludes at the Basilica of Collemaggio in L'Aquila, retracing the journey the hermit made in 1294 when escorted to his papal coronation.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Sulmona (55 km) — The Abbey of the Holy Spirit at Monte Morrone, founded by Pietro da Morrone, marks the first stop on the Cammino di Celestino. The nearby Hermitage of Sant'Onofrio al Morrone preserves the cave where the future pope lived as a hermit. The Cathedral of Sulmona contains additional relics of Saint Celestine.
Ortona (85 km) — The Basilica of San Tommaso Apostolo houses the relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle, brought from the Greek island of Chios in 1258. The Cammino di San Tommaso pilgrimage route connects Rome to Ortona.
Lanciano (100 km) — The Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle preserves relics from the eighth century, when bread and wine transformed into visible flesh and blood during Mass.
Subiaco (90 km) — The monasteries of Santa Scolastica and the Sacro Speco (Holy Cave) preserve the heritage of Saint Benedict, whose Rule formed the foundation of Celestine's monastic order.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"The mercy of God is proclaimed where the door of forgiveness is opened to all." — Pope Saint Celestine V, 1294
