Perched at an altitude of 1025 meters in the heart of the Matese massif, the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio is one of the most popular spiritual destinations in Molise. Located in the municipality of Bojano, it belongs to the parish of Saints Erasmus and Martin and is nestled in an evocative beech forest near a natural spring.
The hermitage was founded between the 9th and 10th centuries, probably by Cistercian monks or Knights Templar, along an ancient mountain road that connected the fortresses of Civita Superiore and Roccamandolfi. In addition to being a place of prayer, it has offered shelter to travelers and pilgrims over time. A document from 1714 testifies to the stable presence of two hermits, and according to local tradition, St. Aegidius of Sansepolcro was also said to have lived there, feeding only on deer milk.
Until 1976 the hermitage could be reached only by impervious mountain paths. Today a provincial road makes it possible to reach it by car up to about 500 meters from the site, which can then be traveled on foot along a stretch immersed in nature. The most recent restoration, which took place in 1995, brought to light the ancient apse, confirming the early medieval origin of the complex.
The building consists of two adjoining bodies: a single-nave church with a wooden ceiling and a high altar on which stands a statue of the saint, and an adjoining hut, once a small cenobium. The latter features arched porticoes built in the 20th century, with stone masonry and a double-pitched tile roof.
The Hermitage of Sant’Egidio is also at the center of one of Bojano’s most heartfelt religious celebrations. Every September 1, on the feast of the saint, believers and visitors go to the hermitage from the first light of dawn. In the old days, the statue was carried on the shoulders from the church of St. Erasmus and Martin to the hermitage, accompanied by the band and the hospitality of citizens along the way. Today the tradition continues: mass is celebrated, “the firing” is heard, and an outdoor lunch is shared. Many even choose to stay overnight in tents to fully experience the spiritual and communal atmosphere of this unique place.