Materdomini is an Italian hamlet (''

frazione A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'') situated in the municipality of Caposele, Province of Avellino,

Campania (man), it, Campana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demog ...

. As of 2009 its population was of 735.

History

Materdomini's name, a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

word meaning ''

Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or ''Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations ar ...

'', derives from an ancient chapel dedicated to Santa Maria Materdomini, first mentioned in 1500. On October 16, 1755,

Gerard Majella Gerard Majella (; 6 April 1726 – 16 October 1755) was an Italian lay brother of the Congregation of the Redeemer, better known as the Redemptorists, who is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church. His intercession is sought for children, ...

(originally of

Muro Lucano Muro Lucano formerly Muro (until 1863) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the northern part of the region of Basilicata, southern Italy. History The city is situated on the site of the ancient Numistri, at the foot of the ...

) died in this chapel and was buried there. He was

canonized Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...

in 1904. Mainly for this reason, during the first half of the 20th century, it grew into a village in the neighborhood of the Basilica of San Gerardo Maiella, one of the most important and respected Catholic sanctuaries Infos on Caposele official website
/ref> of Campania and the surrounding areas.

Geography

The town is located in the valley where the spring of the Sele river (in Caposele) is located and close to the Picentini mountain range. It is two km from Caposele, five from

Teora Teora is a small town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, in the Campania region of southern Italy. Geography Teora is bordered by the towns of Caposele, Conza della Campania, Lioni and Morra De Sanctis. History The origin of the v ...

, seven from Lioni, nine from

Laviano Laviano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in ...

(in the

Province of Salerno The Province of Salerno ( it, Provincia di Salerno) is a province in the Campania region of Italy. __TOC__ Geography The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 131,950; Cava de' Tirreni, Battipagli ...

). The exit "Caposele" of the rapid road Lioni- Contursi serves Materdomini directly.

Personalities

(1726-1755), Roman Catholic saint

References

External links

Basilica of Materdomini's page of Caposele official website
{{authority control Frazioni of the Province of Avellino Caposele