CIMITILE


Paleocristiane Basilicas


The history of Cimitile is just tied to his basilicas, whose principal nucleus rose around the II-III century A.D. The Country was called Coemeterium for the presence of sepulchres and of the tomb of San Felice, fruitful of miracles, that became well early destination of pilgrimages coming from each part. Near the end of the IV century, the complex achieved maximum splendor thanks the Bishop Meropio Ponzio Anicio Paolino, more known as San Paolino from Nola, who placed beside the basilica of S. Felice the "basilica nova" and introduced just to Cimitile, according to a tradition much well ingrained, the Christian 'use of the bells. Successives are: the basilicas of S.Stefano (IV century), of S.Tommaso (XI- XII century), of S.Giovanni (XII- XIII). From the 1500 up today the basilicas have aroused the interest of studious of all the world. Cimitile followed in the Middle Age and Rinassance the fates of the near Nola.