In the 12th century, a Cistercian monastery was founded in the Italian province of Vercelli, now the Abbey of Santa Maria di Lucedio. The monks of this monastery were the first in Italy to establish rice production and made the province of Vercelli a rice-growing region of the country.
The peaceful monastic life after 4 centuries was disturbed by strange and ominous phenomena … Local residents are sure that some kind of evil incarnate still lives in the undergrounds of the former monastery.
Female corpse
The history of the abbey began with the fact that Ranieri I, Marquis of Montferrat, bought a large plot of land in these places in 1123 and built one of the first monasteries in Italy for the Cistercian monks. Initially, nothing unusual and even more mystical happened in the monastery. As in any other monastery, the monks prayed and did household chores. They even learned how to grow rice, which was very important for that hungry time. After all, it was cheaper and, undoubtedly, more nutritious than wheat familiar to all. The inhabitants of the monastery cut down the impenetrable forests in the district, organized an irrigation system on the vacated lands, turning them into rice plantations.
All subsequent years, only bishops were in the abbey's abbots. One of them even went down in history - Abbot Peter II participated in the Fourth Crusade together with the grandson of the founder of the abbey, the Marquis of Montferrat Boniface. And he saw the fall of Constantinople. At the same time, the first secret of the monastery appeared, which has not yet been revealed …
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A sarcophagus was recently found under the bell tower of the main temple, but researchers have not yet come to a consensus about who is buried in it. Presumably in the sarcophagus is the body of the Byzantine princess Euphrosyne. Allegedly, Boniface brought a girl from Constantinople, but she could not live in a foreign land and went crazy, and after a year of captivity she died. Of course, this assumption raises a number of questions. First, why did Boniface need this captive, and secondly, why was the woman buried on the territory of the monastery, and even in the main cathedral? One way or another, whose last refuge was the sarcophagus remains to be seen.
Demon sheet music
They say that the troubles of the monastery began in 1684, after a certain warlock in the monastery cemetery decided to perform a godly ritual. Apparently, he did not calculate his strength. The demon appeared to him, but the situation got out of control, and the occultist could not keep the evil subordinate. Since that time, the monster has settled in these places, terrified the area, killing the late passers-by.
Rumor has it that a guest from the underworld came in dreams to young girls and persuaded them to seduce the monks of the abbey so that they would be mired in sin and debauchery. Probably he succeeded. The affairs of the abbey began to gradually decline, and by the end of the 17th century, the monastery was already talked about only in connection with unknown terrible rituals, torture and murder. According to rumors, young people were hired to work in the abbey, and then disappeared. They were allegedly tortured and then sacrificed to evil spirits. There were those who managed to escape from the monastery, and it was they who talked about the black masses being celebrated in the monastery.
Naturally, over time, these rumors reached the Vatican. The pope sent an experienced exorcist to the abbey. The specialist managed to pacify the demon and imprison him in a crypt under the altar of the Church of Santa Maria. The special music composed by the exorcist was supposed to serve as a kind of lock that locked the devil's dungeon. According to legend, the demon could be released outside by playing this melody in reverse order. A fresco depicting an organ and notes from this work is still on the wall of a crumbling chapel on the territory of the monastery cemetery.
In 1784, Pope Pius VI, by his decision, terminated the activities of the monastery. Much time has passed since then, but the Catholic Church for some reason keeps silent about Luchedio's problems. Perhaps the fact is that when the abbey was in Italy, there was a special revelry of the Inquisition, which was famous for its ruthlessness. Demonstration trials of young novices and local residents took place in the holy monastery. And the judges were just monks …
Tenacious evil
After the closure of the monastery, its dark story did not end. Nowadays, tourists and researchers can observe how one of the columns of the central hall suddenly becomes covered with water droplets resembling tears. At the same time, groans are heard from the column. As soon as scientists studied the structure, they could not find an explanation for the appearance of moisture and sounds. Locals believe that the column sheds tears for the innocent victims, who were accused of witchcraft or heresy. It is believed that before being executed, they were chained to her and tortured.
All these black wonders today attract not only tourists to the abbey, but also researchers of the paranormal, as well as simply thrill-seekers. According to their testimony, the evil that settled in the monastery still lives there.
Often, for no reason at all, a thick fog descends on Luchedio, completely covering it. This fog never appears anywhere else in the district. Behind the veil, transparent figures can be seen walking through the ruins of the abbey. Sometimes a ghostly man in monastic attire appears from the fog, who methodically walks around the vicinity of the monastery. But as soon as someone tries to get closer, the ghost disappears, as if falling into the ground.
The monastery cemetery is also restless. Judging by the remains of sacrificial animals, satanic rituals are still being carried out there. What animals! Once there was discovered the charred corpse of a young woman, burnt alive.
In the 60s of the last century, it was decided to restore the abbey, but, apparently, this was not to the liking of the local evil spirits. While renovating the Church of Santa Maria, the ceiling collapsed and crushed a worker to death. And this is not the only accident. Such troubles happen there every now and then, you never know what surprises to expect …
Strange finds
However, all these creepy stories do not stop enthusiasts, who continue to explore the ominous abbey. They found a skeleton, walled up in one of the cells of the monastery. Almost decayed scraps of a monastic robe have been preserved on human remains. Of course, God alone knows who it was and why he died such a terrible death.
But the next find, revealed to researchers during excavations in the dungeon of the main cathedral, is already quite amazing. Several dead mummified bodies, dressed in robes, frozen in a sitting position, formed a circle. Who are they? Monks who have become victims of another satanic ritual? Demon dungeon guards? May be. Indeed, according to the surviving documents, the mysterious disappearance of several Cistercian brothers coincided with the exorcist's visit. True, the papers say that the monks voluntarily decided to become hermits and leave the monastery. Only no one saw them leaving …
It is said that a complex system of secret passages leading to various strategic sites in Italy branches out under the abbey. And there is also an underground river with a special energy. But no one has yet managed to get to her.
But a new interpretation of the name of the monastery appeared. Previously, it was believed that Luce di Dio is translated as "the light of God." But terrible events force us to read the inscription on the gates of the abbey Principato di Lucedio as "the principality of Lucifer".
There is no evidence. So, speculation and mystification again? But how then to explain the fact that on the territory of the monastery people begin to feel oppressive energy and are in a hurry to leave this place? Moreover, ghostly shadows, indistinct whispers, light touches - the most curious is not time for curiosity. Therefore, the abbey has not been fully studied - fear drives.
Alexandra Orlova