festivity of St. Michael the Archangel
(Automatic translation)
The Shrine of St. Michael is the destination of pilgrimages by 1500 years. The May 8 and September 29, dates of first appearances dell'Angelo, a multitude of pilgrims arrive at the cave, praying and singing.
In ancient times the faithful came here to walk barefoot after months or years later, walk away. Among the most ancient routes used departed from Santiago de Compostela, Spain and, going first to San Pietro in Rome and then to Monte Sant'Angelo, ended in Jerusalem.
Many are the inscriptions and graffiti from various periods found here: names of pilgrims preceded by a cross. Four of these, the portal of the access to the cave, they are even written in Runic, the only existing in Italy. Among the pilgrims celebrated examples are Otto III and Henry II (German emperor), Frederick II of Swabia, St. Francis of Assisi (who remained outside "considering not worthy to enter that sacred place") and many of the popes which John Paul II