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The Convent of
Sant’Antonio of Padua Pacciano Vecchio, situated in the diocese
of Città della Pieve, dates back to 1496. Its construction was
authorised on July 16 that year by Pope Alexander VI, addressing the
inhabitants of Pacciano Vecchio and Panicale. He affirmed the importance
of this authorization based on the need of the presence of priests who
would spread the word of God and celebrate the Holy Misteries. He
therefore gave his permission to build the Convent (“which would have
the indulgencies and privileges of all the churches”) with a Church
-consecrated to Sant’Antonio of
Padua- a bell tower, the cemetery, a dormitory, a refectory, a
cloister, vegetable gardens and the smithery. There is a Memorial, found
in the Parish Archives of Panicale which says: “The Convent of the
Fathers of Sant’Antonio of Padua was founded at the expenses of people
from Panicale and Pacciano in 1496, in the site of the prisons of the
County of Pacciano Vecchio, given by the Counts Baglioni”.
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On October 12th of the same year, another document was signed by the
Convent of the Isle on the Trasimeno lake.
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In his “Umbria Francescana” (Franciscan Umbria), Father Agostino
from Stroncone has summed up the story of the Convent as follows:
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Filippo Baglioni, Lord and Count of Pacciano Vecchio, let the Chapter of
Porziuncola know that he desired a Convent of devotees in the place
mentioned, and he offered the site on which the Convent would be built.
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Brother Lorenzo Vicario accepted and sent Brother Salvator of Foligno,
Brother Graziano, Brother Cherubino, Brother Nicolò and Brother Tadeo
from Perugia, who
designed the Convent and the Church consecrated to Sant’Antonio.
Brother Franceschino from Gubbio, Brother Angelo from Pacciano, Brother
Ginepro from Perugia and Brother Battista from Spello were the witnesses
of this creation, and the latter wrote a Memory on October 12, 1496 in
the Convent of the Isola Maggiore.
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The people of Pacciano and Panicale promoted the building of the Convent
at their own expenses.
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Meanwhile
in August 1497 another interesting document was signed, which
reveals the existence of a church in that zone. The Friars of
Monteripido, in Perugia, upheld this document.
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On August 11th,
The Cardinal Agapito Borgia, Pope Alexander VI’s nephew,
approved and confirmed a plea, proposed by the Lesser Brothers of the
Convent of Monteripido. Such plea referred to the cession of an
uncultivated land, stony and with tree stumps, as well the permission to
use the stones of the San Salvatore’s Church, located in Cereseto in the
diocese of Chiusi but actually bordering on Pacciano Vecchio.
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The gift offered by the Servi di Maria, residents of Perugia at Porta
Eburnea was estimated at 500 florins by that time, but they gave away
everything in the name of God, giving the possibility to the brothers of
Pacciano Vecchio of building the new Church.
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The building of the Convent and the Church was possible thanks to the
efforts of both communities of Pacciano and Panicale. However, since in
the 1501 Carlo Ridolfi had conceded a legacy of 100 florins for the
altar of Sant’Angelo of
Panicale, the frati asked the Pope to get the money back in
order to build their Convent. In spite of the objections raised, Pope
Alexander VI approved the exchange.
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In 1581 the Friars of Pacciano Vecchio obtained the permission to
establish the Congregation of Cordigeri, which would always have many
followers.
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In July 1642, by a decree issued in Rome, this Convent would be referred
to as “Pacciano Vecchio” in all public and private acts.
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On October 8, 1650 upon request of the Provincial Curia of S. Maria
degli Angeli, Brother Giuseppe from Perugia, who was the Father Superior
of the Convent, registered the names of all the religious members as
well as the debits and credits of the Convent.
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The Convent of S. Antonio of Padua of Paccian Vecchio was founded at the
expenses of the communitites of Pacciano and Panicale, not very far one
from another, in 1496. The illustrious Count Baglioni gave the seat for
the building of the Convent, which was afterwards given to the Friars
Minor for their devotion to S. Francesco, with no obligation or
allocation of founds whatsoever. In 1767 there was a legal question on
an annual legacy of 26 silver coins left by Cristoforo Ranieri in his
will in 1607.
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With this sum the Friars would commit to celebrate a mass every day,
perpetually. After more than a century, this legacy became too much of a
burden for the humble community of Friars. Thanks to a decree of the
Holy See, they got the number of masses reduced to 260 a year.
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The nephew of the Apostolic Mayor reacted to this, protesting in public,
to which there was a legal counter-action based on the laws in force by
that time.
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The French Revolution – 1810
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During the French Revolution, the religious orders were suppressed.
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The Napoleonic decree was issued on April 17th, 1810 and came into
effect on April 29th by the Consulta of Roma. The Convent was
expropriated in October the same year, and on October 20th the
Congregation was impelled to leave.
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During this period, Mr. Giuseppe Copella from Panicale and Mr. Paoncelli
were left in charge of the Convent. However, after this ordeal, the
Convent was opened again by P. Eugenio from Vico on November 18, 1816.
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Following the suppression, the Holy Congregation of Bishops and
Religious Orders expressed a request to visit every existing convent in
the Pontifical State.
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The Italian
Suppression
in 1866
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With regard to the religious suppression decreed by the Italian
Government in 1866, there is no specific mention in the Records of the
Convent.
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It is known from other sources, though, that the first decree of
expulsion was issued by the High Commissioner of the Government,
Gioacchino Pepoli on November 1th, 1860, after the occupation of the
regions of Marche and Umbria. Such decree contained a clause which
stated that all mendicant friars could remain in their cloisters of
residence, provided that they expressed their intention to do so. They
then provided to do such request. The definitive decree arrived
nonetheless on July 7th, 1866.
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Leafing through the Provincial Records in S. Maria degli Angeli, we find
a historic document sent to the General Ministry by the Provincial B.
Stefano from Castelplanio, in 1882:
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“S. Antonio of Paccian Vecchio”, diocese of Città della Pieve – The
Friars were expelled from this Convent as well, on March 24th, 1864”.
The Church remained closed, and the building as well as its
surroundings, were rented to third parties.
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