A Basilian monastery with a mosaic floor of fantastic animals
On a wooded hill about 600 metres high, a few kilometres from Rossano, among olive trees, oaks and chestnuts, with a view over the plain of Sibari and the Ionian Sea, stands the church of Santa Maria del Patire, called the Patirion, the remains of one of the most important Basilian monasteries of southern Italy, that is, of Greek-rite monks following the rule of Saint Basil. It was founded at the beginning of the twelfth century by the monk Bartolomeo da Simeri, with the support of the Norman rulers, and became a great centre of culture and spirituality, with a rich library of Greek manuscripts, many of which are now in the Vatican Library. Its name, "Patire", derives from the Greek "pater", father, referring to the founder.
The church, built in a style that combines Byzantine and Norman elements, has three naves and three beautiful semicircular apses on the outside, decorated with blind arches and geometric designs in bricks and stones of different colours. Its treasure is the mosaic floor, of the twelfth century, with circles enclosing fantastic animals, such as a unicorn, a centaur, a griffin and a lion, of great charm and freshness. The monastery declined over the centuries and was abandoned in the nineteenth century, but the church has been restored and is still a place of great peace, frequented by pilgrims and walkers. Around it, the woods are crossed by paths, and in summer there are often concerts and events.
Tip: go up to the Patirion in the late afternoon; bring a picnic to enjoy in the woods, with the view of the plain and the sea.
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