Located in the municipality of Vidor, the Abbey of Santa Bona is a hidden gem that tells centuries of history and spirituality, representing a significant reference point for the religious and cultural history of the region. Over the centuries, the abbey has played a fundamental role in the life of the Vidor community and the surrounding areas. It functioned not only as a spiritual center but also as a place of culture and education: the monks actively participated in the preservation and transcription of ancient texts, thus contributing to the spread of knowledge.
History and Foundation: The Abbey of Santa Bona was founded in the 9th century, during a period when Veneto was a crossroads of cultural and religious influences. Between 1107 and 1110, a man named Giovanni Gravone from Vidor founded the Benedictine abbey to house the relics of Santa Bona, which he had brought back from the Holy Land after the First Crusade. The complex remained an important reference point for the entire area: over the centuries, the abbey became an important center of spirituality and monastic life. The inhabitants of the abbey, Benedictine monks, dedicated their lives to prayer and work, contributing to the cultural and spiritual progress of the region until the 15th century, when it was acquired by the powerful Venetian Cornaro family. In 1773, it was suppressed by order of the Republic of Venice. During World War I, it was almost completely destroyed, and it was restored in the 1920s.
Architecture and Art: The architecture of the Abbey of Santa Bona is a fascinating example of how architectural styles have evolved over time. The main building features an elegant Romanesque facade, reflecting the simple and functional lines typical of the Middle Ages. The abbey church has maintained its simple layout, typical of the local Romanesque style, along with some late Gothic decorative elements, visible on the church’s facade (the portal and the upper triforium). The interior of the church is adorned with frescoes and decorations that offer a valuable glimpse into medieval religious art. In the oratory, in particular, there is a 13th-century fresco depicting Saint Christopher. In the cloister, which served as a meditation space for the monks and as a meeting point for discussions and studies, there is another later fresco (from the second half of the 15th century) attributed to Dario da Treviso, depicting a Madonna with Child and Saints. Of the bell tower, only the base is original, as the rest was completely rebuilt.
Who was Santa Bona: The saint to whom the church of the abbey in Vidor is dedicated was never actually canonized and does not appear in the list of saints. Cordimonda, an Egyptian princess and daughter of Prince Zabul, chose to be the bride of Christ even before she was baptized. Very little is known about her history and burial, except that in 1101, it was Giovanni Gravone from Vidor, a Lombard crusader, who brought her relics from the Holy Land to Vidor; he stopped in Treviso, and so many miracles were dispensed by the mere presence of the “saint” that an entire area of the city was dedicated to her. She remains one of the most venerated saints to this day.
© Marcadoc editorial team | 04/09/2024
