Labro in the Holy Valley
The places of Saint Francis
Labro is located at the center of several franciscan itineraries of the Holy Valley; the valley is in the very heart of the Rieti’s Plain which presents at its edges the four historical sanctuaries related to the life of Saint Francis. The four sanctuaries of Poggio Bustone, Fonte Colombo, Greccio and La Foresta are among the holiest and most important places linked to the Saint’s figure and are all located around the plain, drawing an ideal TAU letter, a mystical symbol for the faith in Saint Francis. According to the historical sources and the folklore, Saint Francis once arrived in the valley after departing from Assisi. From here his mission of peace made a start. «Good morning, kind people» is still a typical greeting used around here that remained in the heart of people to this day.
The Grape’s Miracle
In 1225 Francis arrived around the town of Rieti where he decided to make a stop and sojourn just outside of it to not get involved in the festivities prepared in his honour. A destitute priest who used to celebrate the Mass in the church of Saint Fabian (today known as Santuario La Foresta) and lived off a vineyard annexed to the church gave him hospitality. A grand mob of worshippers gathered close to the church and destroyed the vineyard by eating all the grape to satisfy their hunger and quench their thirst.
The priest was desperate for the damage done and he almost regretted about the hospitality he gave to the Saint. The Lord revealed the priest’s sorrow to Francis and thus he called upon him and asked the priest: «Dearest Father, how many casks of wine does this vineyard yield to you in the best years of harvest?»
«Twelve» answered the priest.
«Please, have patience if you would, for the coming days I wish to spend here, so that everyone could have some of these grapes. I promise to you, by the good name of Lord Jesus, that this vineyard will yield you not twelve, but at least twenty casks.»
When Francis departed from there, only a few grapes were left on the shoots.
When the harvest time came, the priest gathered all that was left and put it into a vat, then he began pressing the content of it. When the time of tapping came, as promised by the Saint, the good priest was able to fill up twenty casks of sublime wine.
