Lazio. In Anagni for the Medieval and Renaissance Theatre Festival

Anagni, one of the most charming medieval villages in Lazio, is a town steeped in history. Situated in the province of Frosinone, yet just over an hour from Rome, it is best known as the ‘City of the Popes’ for having been the birthplace of four popes and for the famous episode of the ‘Slap of Anagni’ in 1303. The streets seem to recount centuries-old tales, but alongside Piazza Innocenzo III, it is the Cathedral of Santa Maria that truly leaves one speechless, housing one of the most astonishing medieval masterpieces in Italia and indeed the whole of Europe. Beneath the cathedral lies a crypt entirely covered in frescoes, so rich and well-preserved that it has been dubbed the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages’. Vivid colours, symbols, sacred scenes and references to ancient knowledge transform a visit into a true discovery. One opportunity to visit is the 33rd edition of the Anagni Medieval and Renaissance Theatre Festival, which runs until the xxx in the historic centre of the ‘City of the Popes’. This year, the event is dedicated in particular to the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi, transforming the squares and alleyways into an open-air stage featuring distinguished guests and cultural performances. Not to be missed on 29 August is ‘L’avventura d’un povero cristiano’ (The Adventure of a Poor Christian), the final work by Silone, winner of the Campiello Prize in 1968. Central to the text is the theme of the relationship between the individual and the Church, explored through a reinterpretation of the tumultuous story of Pope Celestine V, the pope of the ‘great refusal’. The clash between Celestine and Boniface VIII is a clash between two attitudes towards power, both ‘for the greater good’. Flavio Insinna, with music by Paolo Vivaldi, will bring to life that turbulent moment in the history of the Church, which had such far-reaching implications for Anagni and the surrounding area!

https://www.visitanagni.com/