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20 luglio 2026
LEGAME STORICO
il legame storico fra Piacenza e Noto
Le tre lettere conoscitive inviate dai Giurati di Noto nel 1610
Dal lontano medioevo del XIV secolo, una linea ininterrotta corre tra la terra di Piacenza e quella sicula: il nobile milite S. Corrado Confalonieri smette le vesti e lo sfarzo ed indossata una grigia tunica s’avvia alla santità nella terra che più l’ha amato in vita e in morte, l’Ingegnosa Noto.
Ma i rapporti tra la terra natia e quella d’adozione, circa la storia e la valorizzazione umana e poi spirituale del Santo Eremita, hanno avuto uno sviluppo nei secoli attinente allo svolgersi degli accadimenti che proprio da Noto portarono ad elevare agli altari questo virtuoso uomo di fede.
In effetti, in base agli attuali riscontri storici, la vera e propria riscoperta piacentina di questo insigne santo la dobbiamo collocare nei primi anni del 1600, quando per mano degli Anziani della città di Noto, si avvisò la città di Piacenza inviando tre lettere arrivate il 28 aprile 1611, una diretta alla persona del Duca Farnese, una al Vescovo e altra lettera agli Anziani che avevano il governo della città, nella missiva si chiedeva espressamente di far ricerche d’archivio sul Santo Corrado.
Addirittura gli stessi Anziani netini segnalano in queste lettere alcuni dati storici già in loro possesso, quali il fatto che fosse stato maritato con una nobile lodigiana di nome Eufrosina divenuta poi monaca clarissa e che fosse stato feudatario del castello piacentino di Calendasco.
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| particolare della pagina del "Legato Sancto Conradi" relativa alla testimonianza della nascita |
Ma è questa ultima affermazione fatta dai Giurati netini che assume un valore importantissimo per la storiografia corradiana, in effetti la casata dei Confalonieri fu per alcuni secoli feudataria di Calendasco, esercitando dal poderoso maniero il dominio su questa ricca terra attaccata al fiume Po, al nord-ovest di Piacenza.
E che la casata Confalonieri fosse tra le preminenti della città, pur mantenendo questa prerogativa feudale dal borgo, lo testimonia il fatto che uno dei quattro congiurati che nel 1547 uccideranno il Duca Pier Luigi Farnese, figlio di papa Paolo III, sia stato proprio Giovanluigi Confalonieri feudatario abitante a Calendasco come mostrano gli atti delle confisca farnesiana conclusa nel 1586.
Questi accadimenti sicuramente non aiutarono a far sì che le gesta del Santo Eremita, amatissimo a Noto ma anche ormai in tutta la Sicilia e meridione, si divulgassero nella sua terra natale, proprio per il fatto che un suo lontano pronipote partecipò a questo tremendo fatto del quale si occuparono tutti i maggiori storici e politici di quel tempo. Prova ne è che solo sessant’anni dopo ed a confisca conclusa, con l’espulsione del reo costretto a trasferirsi a Milano, si ufficializza e valorizza finalmente anche in Piacenza il Santo piacentino, siamo appunto all’inizio del 1600.
Una delegazione venne da Noto a Piacenza nel 1612 per perorare ancor più queste ricerche, ed è proprio in quegli anni che a Piacenza in cattedrale gli si erige una cappella con affreschi della vita del Santo Corrado e l’anno seguente il canonico e storico piacentino Pier Maria Campi pubblica una agiografia che però, come scrive lo stesso autore, si rifà completamente a quella inviata da Noto nel 1610 scritta dal canonico netino Girolamo Pugliese, quindi di scarno valore storico oltre al già conosciuto: lo stesso prete Campi ammette che dovrà scrivere ancora e meglio del Santo.
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| castello di Calendasco feudo Confalonieri nel medioevo |
L’atto
diplomatico cioè il Legato si conserva nel fondo notarile in Archivio
di Stato a Piacenza ed anche in quello della parrocchia di Calendasco;
questo atto entra a pieno titolo nella vicenda
corradiana perché si scopre che in quello stesso borgo San Corrado era
nato fisicamente e quindi si procedeva ad erigere una suntuosa cappella
nella stessa chiesa, elevandolo a Patrono della comunità anche perchè,
viene testimoniato e scritto, già da tempo gli abitanti del borgo erano
al santo eremita fedelissimi devoti.
Il Legato subito nelle prime righe afferma che San Corrado è un membro della Illustrissima famiglia dei Confalonieri che furono Signori Feudatari nel luogo di Calendasco che abitavano il territorio vivendo nel maestoso castello, territorio e paese nella parte del Ducato di Piacenza che è situata oltre il Trebbia.
Viene messo apertamente in evidenza che senza ombra di dubbio, e non possediamo nessuna prova contraria ed opposta dell’epoca, il santo sia un Confalonieri ed abbiamo prove scritte che tale Famiglia abitando questo feudo abbia sempre mantenuto un legame fortissimo con il paese, e mai ebbe uno screzio con il presbitero del borgo nel corso dei tre secoli che vissero nel castello.
se copi qualcosa cita autore e fonte
è un testo estratto da un mio articolo apparso sul quotidano a Piacenza
THE DOCUMENT OF 1617
by Umberto Battini
historian of S. Corrado
| image of the year 1917 of Calendasco, the square with the church |
if you copy something cite the source
A copy is preserved in an original ink, in the State Archives of Piacenza in the Notarial Fund.
The important document was published in full, both in photographic format, and in the Latin transcription and Italian translation in the book “S. Corrado Confalonieri - I Documenti Inediti Piacentini” published in 2006 by Umberto Battini.
That book also contains a historical critique of the notarial document, of crucial importance for the history of the Holy Hermit.
The Legate written in the Curia is approved and decreed by the Bishop of Piacenza who publicly approves it. The notarial deed states that the Confalonieri family had been feudal lords of Calendasco for centuries.
It is written down in black and white that after an investigation into the public life of Saint Corrado, it has been concluded that the Saint was physically born in the town of Calendasco.
It is written that for all these very reasons, the Saint elected Patron Saint was to be most venerated in that country.
As we have seen from the documentation, in fact the local cult in Calendasco was very strong.
In that distant Middle Ages, who in the Sicilian land of Noto could have known of a small town called Calendasco, a fiefdom of the Santo family who lived among them?
And we must not forget a historical event that is also crucial to the events in Corradi: the murder of Pope Paul III's son in Piacenza, Pier Luigi Farnese, by the conspirator Giovan Luigi Confalonieri, a feudal lord living in Calendasco: it was September 10, 1547.
From that moment the cult towards St. Corrado suffered a strong “stop” to its spread in Piacenza and in particular in the town of the Confalonieri: Calendasco.
After the saint's death in 1351, given his distance from his homeland, it became more convenient to define him according to the case “of Piacenza” or “Piacentino” in a general sense.
In a predictable manner, after the 1617 curia deed that testifies to his birth in the village, as the documents recorded clearly show, Piacenza's cult was concentrated only on Calendasco.
The two monuments: the 13th-century castle, the Confalonieri fiefdom, and the convent hospital for pilgrims, the Saint's first retreat after the fire, encouraged the Noble Patron to bring prestige to the local church, founded in the 8th century.
From 1617, a chapel with an altar for Holy Mass was built in the church, it was completely decorated, and the large painting that still stands there in plain sight to devotees was placed.
Also important is the 1971 fresco in the apse, where the majestic Saint Corrado stands among the saints next to the crucified Christ; a fresco painted by the Piacenza painter Luciano Ricchetti.
historian of S. Corrado

if you copy something cite the source
19 luglio 2026
ACCESSI A QUESTO BLOG
THE LETTERS OF 1610
THE LETTERS OF 1610
Saint Corrado Confalonieri
and the historical link between Piacenza and Noto
The three fact-finding letters sent by the Jurors of Noto in 1610
by Umberto Battini
historian of S. Corrado
But the relationships between the native land and the land of adoption, regarding the history and human and then spiritual valorization of the Holy Hermit, have developed over the centuries in relation to the unfolding events that led from Noto to the elevation of this virtuous man of faith to the altars.
In fact, based on current historical evidence, we must place the real rediscovery of this illustrious saint from Piacenza in the early 1600s, when, at the hands of the Elders of the city of Noto, the city of Piacenza was notified by sending three letters that arrived on 28 April 1611, one addressed to the person of the Duke Farnese, one to the Bishop and another letter to the Elders who had the government of the city, in the letter expressly asked for archival research on Saint Conrad.
Even the Netini Elders themselves point out in these letters some historical data already in their possession, such as the fact that he had been married to a noblewoman from Lodi named Eufrosina who later became a Poor Clare nun and that he had been feudal lord of the Piacenza castle of Calendasco.
But it is this last statement made by the Netini Jurors that takes on a very important value for Corradian historiography. In fact, the Confalonieri family was feudal lords of Calendasco for several centuries, exercising dominion over this rich land attached to the Po River, northwest of Piacenza, from the mighty manor.
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| image with AI created by UB |
These events certainly did not help to ensure that the deeds of the Holy Hermit, beloved in Noto but also now throughout Sicily and the south, spread throughout his homeland, precisely because a distant great-grandson of his participated in this terrible event which all the major historians and politicians of that time dealt with.
Proof of this is that only sixty years later and after the confiscation was concluded, with the expulsion of the offender forced to move to Milan, the Piacenza saint was finally made official and promoted in Piacenza too, we are precisely at the beginning of the 17th century.
Umberto Battini
historian of S. Corrado Confalonieri
THE TEXT ABOVE IS A SUMMARY OF A MORE SUBSTANTIAL WORK
DAS GROSSE SCHLOSS VON CALENDASCO
DAS IMPOSANTE HERRENHAUS AUS ROTEM STEIN
von Umberto Battini
Historiker von S. Corrado und Popularisierer
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| Feudalschloss Confalonieri, jetzt im Besitz der Gemeinde Calendasco (Piacenza) |
Hier bewohnten die Adelsfamilie der Confalonieri, Militi vescovili, eine sehr wichtige Familie für den Teil der mittelalterlichen Kirche von Piacenza.
Im Schloss wurde 1290 ein Heiliger geboren: Corrado Confalonieri.
Im Romitorio Pilgerkrankenhaus, auf der "strata romea", heute bekannt als Via Francigena, ist noch der Teil der Stiftung Longobarda sichtbar.
Historiker von S. Corrado und Popularisierer
18 luglio 2026
LOOKING AT THE PICTURE OF SAN CORRADO
OF SAN CORRADO IN CHURCH
IN CALENDASCO
by Umberto Battini
historian of S. Corrado and popularizer
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| San Corrado 16th century painting |
This also happens with the painting from the early 17th century which is in the church in Calendasco di Piacenza: S. Corrado Confalonieri, a convert and thoughtful about his sins.
The right foot, resting naked on the raw, bare earth: here I was born, physically!
The left foot, resting naked on a bare stone, symbolizes the hermit cave of Noto!
And then the other symbols.
A very beautiful painting, to the eye and to the heart.
SOME RELEVANT QUESTIONS ON CALENDASCO CASTLE
ON CALENDASCO CASTLE
There are sometimes very "curious" data circulating
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| Calendasco Castle photo UB |
In fact, there are truly "extensive" data circulating that some can even believe in good faith.
But is that really the case?
Question 1
Has the castle ever had 4 towers? Let's say clearly: no!
Yet this extremely false figure is circulating.
The castrum as you see it has always had only one tower, cylindrical, next to the drawbridge.
But in some books, the data circulates, and some even today, with extreme ignorance, support it. To come to see is to believe: one tower only.
Did it belong to other feudal lords before the Confalonieri?
First of all came the episcopal reception! Then the castle: have you seen the castle notarial deeds of anyone other than the Confalonieri?
Some tips led us to check. A long time ago already.
Some misunderstanding of reading ancient notarial papers about the fact.
It's not raining on the Confalonieri. Not even on the time of the birth of Saint Conrad (1290).
But this is not the place to give data, cards, of the fact!
Do not forget the Legate of 1617, notary of the Curia.
Question 3
Some wrote that it was "destroyed at the base" by the Ghibellines of Piacenza in the 14th century.
Someone repeats it, so "copy and paste" to this day!
But does this seem like a true historical fact to you? In your opinion was it really razed to the ground and destroyed?
Here too we are not putting the answer now, but on the other hand in black and white in due course.
In the meantime, let's answer the "fact" of whether this happened or not, your intelligence.
Did the Farnese have a hard hand with the Confalonieri of Calendasco? (Not from other places as we know). So also about the cult of San Corrado in Piacenza?
And this is because of Confalonieri, feudal lord and inhabitant and resident of Calendasco, who killed the son of Pope Paul III, Pierluigi Farnese, with others in the city of Piacenza in 1547?
Unfortunately, the cult was stopped in Piacenza and its territory, until the expulsion, 40 years after the event, of the feudal Confalonieri of Calendasco. Paper in hand, from the originals.
A historical answer exists. To every question. Just look for her! Sometimes you can't achieve the intent, then you have to use "historical intelligence" by connecting data and dates.
For concreteness, we will then provide data from each book, author, page, and year of publication where the many incorrect data are cited.
historical popularizer
17 luglio 2026
THE VIA FRANCIGENA ANCIENT ROAD
HISTORICAL AND MEDIEVAL
In Piacenza pilgrims were indicated as "Romei" also in notarial papers
by Umberto Battini
historical popularizer
At least in the also "famous" stretch of the Cisa Pass, with Berceto.
And so much will influence the Christian pilgrimage: also the ways, forms and places of medieval communal living.
You arrive in Emilia from Corte Sant'Andrea, on the Po in Lombardy, and disembark at Soprarivo di Calendasco.
And right in the village of Calendasco the surprises: a church and a castle built on a hill, there on the immense plain, and not far away an ancient medieval hospital. Hermitage and hospital for pilgrims, which is of Lombard foundation.
Which will also be the first place of "new life" of San Corrado Confalonieri since 1315, son of the local feudal lord. And he became the secular patron saint of the small village.
In fact, upon his "conversion" after a tragic event, he retired to the small hospital run by lay Franciscan theriziar friars.
Even today, a small but important Lombard part of this ancient building, now privately owned, is visible.
The Via Francigena crosses this municipal territory, which slowly leads to the city: Piacenza is truly now "at the gates" from here.
And the daily leg can end.
Umberto Battini
historical popularizer
if you copy cite the source
THE HERMITAGE BETWEEN PENITENTS AND SANCTITY
BETWEEN LOMBARDS AND FRANCISCANISM
historian and popularizer
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| a part of the medieval hospital hermitage |
Today, for over 25 years now, this place has been home to the Francigen port par excellence: the one indicated by Sigerico, who shipped from here to Corte Sant'Andrea. In ancient maps from 1153 up to 1184 and beyond the Francigena appears mentioned: in capite burgi calendaschi the strata romea.
In the small village, which over the centuries has become a purely agricultural place, four important monuments are preserved for us to see: the small hermitage-hospitio, the 13th-century castle, the oldest ricetto from the 11th century and, of course, the church of which there are Lombard maps from the 8th century.
This time we present readers with a brief history of the hermitage because it was from here that the conversion of Saint Corrado Confalonieri began, who was a tertiary penitent, later a pilgrim and hermit of the Third Order of Saint Francis.
In 1200 it was governed by a small community of tertiaries or penitents, those born to St. Francesco and then well regularized with the bull of 1289 "Supra Montem".
In 1280 the Fr. ruled the place. Aristides who some document gives for Blessed.
It was he who in 1290 went to Montefalco to build the convent of what became S. Clare of Montefalco!
Once that construction site was completed, he returned to Calendasco (this story is even attested by an ancient historian from Montefalche) and the local inhabitants should be proud of this, but unfortunately they don't even show any knowledge of who this father Aristide was.
But the same S. Corrado Confalonieri, born in 1290 in the castle of the town of which the family was feudal lords for over two centuries, is a historic part of the small convent-hospital.
In fact, after the fire it caused in 1315 it was precisely from Fr. Aristide was welcomed here and lived there for about ten years, then leaving as a pilgrim to Jerusalem and then stopping to live as a hermit in a naked cave in the mountains of the Noto Valley in Sicily!
But that is another story that I will propose to you in due course.
The hermitage-hospitio of Calendasco had a beautiful size, if we consider that the chapter house is overall of considerable size.
The small original annexed church stands along the road axis.
We have documents from various centuries of the building that was used in the 17th century as a place where the population gathered after a pulsed bell.
Many notarial deeds of the town are drawn up right here, because the place also had a moral character, and therefore the notary rogata "in hospitio dicti loci calendaschi" sometimes "subtus portichii" altre voltre "in camera superiora".
Historians of the Third Order Regular of S, too.
In 1300 this place was called “of the gorgolare” because about 100 metres away there was a mill (demolished a few years ago) whose waters of the Calendasco grinding stream made a sharp bend right in front of the convent and therefore created that perennial noise of the waters called gurgle.
In fact, we boast, historical data in hand, not only of having given him his physical birth in the castle, but also his “spiritual” birth in the hermitage of the penitents.
Not of little importance is the famous Legate Sancti Conradi of 9 August 1617, written by the Chancellor and Curial Notary in the Bishop's Palace of Piacenza.
In short, here is a historical summary of our illustrious monument, now privately owned, which is guarded with love and, I may add, also with “veneration”.
historian and popularizer
L’ASSASSIN FEUDATAIRE
DIVULGATEUR HISTORIQUE
Giovanluigi Confalonieri. Feudataire.
1547 jour 10 septembre. De Calendasco à Piacenza sont environ 5 miles.
La route qui part du bourg passe par la Trebbia à la Malpaga et débouche dans la « voie de campagne » des frères.
Un peu plus loin se trouve la zone S. Eufemia, ici le Confalonieri avec ses frères a palais.
C’est ce qu’exige 'par la loi' le nouveau duc, fils du pape, duc avec beaucoup trop d’idées pour un fief à l’ancienne, lié à la terre, à la campagne.
Dans la ville, d’autres amis nobles l’attendent, chacun avec ses propres ambitions de pouvoir.
Pour des nobles, entrer dans le palais n’est pas difficile, au contraire.
Les autres qui conspirent avec lui ont de plus grandes ambitions.
Les quatre quittent leur petite suite et sont reçus par le Pierluigi leur Duc.
Commencent les stilettate.
Ce qui se passe : l’histoire de la région de Piacenza et celle de l’époque italienne racontent et détaillent bien cet épisode insensé. Chacun le lit selon son propre compte.
Épilogue : trente-neuf ans plus tard, Giovanluigi Confalonieri (il a déjà un aïeul saint en Sicile, à Noto, dont les agiographes ont écrit) doit vendre « par obligation » ses biens de Calendasco.
Une confiscation plus politique que légale, en effet il lui suffit d’émigrer à Milan trente-neuf ans après le meurtre, avec son troupeau important, et là devenir immanent Capitaine de Justice.
Justice est faite !
Plusieurs fois au cours de ces décennies, les Farnèse se sont vengés en lui envoyant des tirs d’assaut, il y est toujours parvenu ! Dans son fief de Calendasco, en fin de compte on ne vit pas mal.
Il y a un saint au paradis, même sans le savoir.
Et puis tout le monde ne peut pas devenir saint. Le monde a continué à tourner. Et il tourne encore.
DIVULGATEUR HISTORIQUE











