In the heart of Agnone, the Chiesa Matrice di San Marco Evangelista is an authentic treasure chest of art and spirituality. Founded in 1114 at the behest of Count Odorisio Borrello and his son Gualterio, the church represents one of the community’s symbolic places, not least because it holds the statue of the patron saint St. Cristanziano whose cult, along with that of St. Emidio, was introduced to Agnone by merchants from Ascoli Piceno.
The interior of the church is embellished with Baroque altars and wooden statues dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. Among the treasures preserved is a 15th-century gilded silver monstrance attributed to Giovanni da Agnone, a local goldsmith. Despite the serious fire that destroyed much of the building-then with three naves-on Christmas night in 1610, the church was rebuilt with a single nave, and the entrance was moved to the opposite side, adjacent to the bell tower.
Of particular note is the altar of St. Anne, made in 1805 to give thanks to the saint: in that year, Agnone was miraculously spared from an earthquake that devastated many surrounding towns. An event that the townspeople attributed to the intercession of the saint.
What makes St. Mark’s Church even more fascinating is a curious folk legend related to St. Diodatus.. Under the altar of Lady of Grace is a shrine containing the saint’s relics, adorned with fine silver filigree armor. Also inside are silk roses and, according to tradition, a cockchafer, nicknamed “the lazzara of San Diodato.”This little insect was considered a sentinel: when an earthquake was approaching, it would move from one rose to another, alerting the population to the impending danger. At one time the sacristan and the village children were tasked with observing the movements of the beetle. In case of alarm, the faithful would gather at the nearby Church of St. Emidio to pray fervently and invoke protection.
Today, no one observes the curious ritual anymore, but in an age when traditions are being rediscovered as a living part of cultural heritage, perhaps it would be worthwhile to give this ancient and fascinating Agnonese custom a new voice.