Collegiate Church of Santa Maria and Chapel of Saint Mark

The Birth of the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria and the Cult of Saint Mark in Atina

In 1044, a terrible scourge struck the lands of southern Lazio. A devastating plague sowed death and desolation; in Aquino alone, there were more than 2,500 victims. In this climate of grief and bewilderment, faith became a refuge and a source of hope.

According to tradition, it was during this time that the Virgin Mary appeared to the archdeacon Benedetto, entrusting him with a solemn message to deliver to Bishop Leone and the people of Atina: "Go and tell Bishop Leone and my people to build a great church in my honor on the remains of the ancient pagan temple of Saturn."

Bishop Leone accepted the celestial message without hesitation and took charge of a monumental undertaking. In just two years, he managed to build the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria, endowing it with seven altars, a tower with seven bells, a refectory for the clerics, a kitchen, a granary, and even a stately palace. It was an imposing structure, destined to become the religious and civil heart of the Atina community.

But Providence had not yet finished its work. The Lord granted Bishop Leone the grace of finding the relics of the martyr Saint Mark, which had long been forgotten in the ancient bishopric of San Bartolomeo. This was around the year 1049.

It is said that at the first light of dawn, the bishop, along with his clerics, went to the temple of San Bartolomeo. There, with great devotion, the body of Saint Mark was placed on a stretcher carried on the shoulders of the priests and solemnly translated to the new Collegiate Church of Santa Maria, where it was buried with all honors.

However, it was not enough to simply keep the saint's body in a simple tomb. Bishop Leone ordered that in the western sector of the Collegiate Church, a chapel be built and dedicated exclusively to Saint Mark. The dimensions were precisely established: thirty-two feet long and seventeen feet wide. There, the sacred remains of the martyr would find their permanent home.

On March 20, 1049, Pope Leo IX, returning from a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of San Michele on the Gargano and after stopping at Montecassino, arrived in Atina. Welcomed by a festive crowd, the pontiff personally honored the recently rediscovered relics of Saint Mark and granted numerous indulgences to all the faithful who prayed in the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria. This was a memorable event that helped to solidify the fame and centrality of the Atina sanctuary.

The work of expansion did not stop in the following decades. In 1087, Bishop Giovanni continued his predecessor's work, extending the perimeter of the Collegiate Church and having two more altars built, enriched with frescoes and sacred vestments.

From then on, the most solemn and significant religious ceremonies for the community were celebrated in the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria: from weddings and baptisms to patron saint festivals and major liturgical feasts. Every stone of the building, every painting, and every altar still tells the story of the faith, resilience, and hope of a people who knew how to rise again even in the darkest moments of their history.

Atina Between the 11th and 13th Centuries: The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria and the City's Renewal

The history of Atina in the Middle Ages is intertwined with solemn documents and dramatic events that shaped the destiny of the community and its main church, the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria.

A document of great importance is Pope Paschal II's papal bull of February 9, 1110, which defines the borders of the Diocese of Sora. Among the main churches listed in the document are those of Atina: Santa Maria, San Pietro, San Silvestro, San Mauro, San Angelo in Pesco, the three Mills on the Melfa, and finally San Marciano. This recognition confirmed the religious importance of the town and its Collegiate Church, which was already the spiritual heart of the territory.

A few decades later, in 1140, Roger II, King of Sicily, arrived in Val Comino. Tradition says that he visited the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria before entering the city's fortress. He ordered his trusted royal chamberlain, Ebolo Mallano, to precisely describe the borders of the Atina territory, a sign of a power exercised not only through arms but also through administrative control.

Towards the end of the 12th century, Atina experienced turbulent years. The city, which sided with Tancred, was governed by the castellan Roger della Foresta, a man described by sources as ambitious and bloodthirsty. This period of instability culminated in 1193, when the Cassinese abbot Roffredo, returning from Germany and leading chosen troops, entered Val Comino. The attack was violent: the walls and the Porta di Cancello were torn down, the town's forum was devastated, and the residential area of Santa Maria was occupied.

Yet, from those ruins, a new beginning emerged. On February 22, 1195, the same abbot Roffredo granted the inhabitants of Atina a charter of privileges and liberties, a document that sanctioned rights and autonomies that had been denied until then. The text declared the church of Santa Maria to be free and independent, recognizing its jurisdiction over all the churches in the territory. This was a fundamental step that further strengthened the Collegiate Church's role as a religious center for the entire Comino Valley.

The 13th century brought new trials. On June 1, 1231, a strong earthquake struck the city, causing the walls and roof of the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria to collapse ruinously. The fright was great but not lasting. With faith and determination, the building was quickly rebuilt. The contribution of Maestro Pietro of Atina, chancellor to Pope Gregory IX, was decisive. A cultured man of great influence, he asked for and obtained numerous indulgences from the Pontiff for those who visited the new Collegiate Church and offered contributions for its reconstruction and embellishment.

Thanks to this support, the church was able to rise again, more solid and beautiful than before, once again becoming a symbol of resilience and identity for the Atina community.

The 13th century also saw the emergence of highly prestigious figures connected to the city. Among them, we remember Maestro Terrisio, a personal advisor to Emperor Frederick II; Fra Giacomo, bishop of Bisaccia; and Maestro Pietro of Atina himself, who, in addition to being the chancellor of Pope Gregory IX, also served Pope Innocent IV. Hailing from a noble family, Pietro was a respected and esteemed jurist, who brought prestige to Atina well beyond the borders of the Comino Valley.

Thus, between destruction and rebirth, papal privileges and political power, the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria continued to be the beating heart of a city that knew how to resist and renew itself over the centuries, preserving the memory and faith of its people.