Il Conventino di Sepino

In the countryside of Sepino there is the small convent of "S. Maria degli
Angeli", built like a small Portiuncula in 1871 thanks to the collaboration
of brothers Giovanni and Carmine Maglieri, one of whom offered the land and most of the building material, the other offered the sum of 200 lire and thanks above all to the will of Father Anselmo from Sassinoro. On November 6, 1871, the foundations were laid and in the following year Father Anselmo began to live there sometimes with Brother Pasquale from Pontelandolfo. It grew bigger and bigger and in 1875 it already contained seven cells on the second floor and all the rooms necessary for a perfect dwelling on the second floor. It was in this year that the church was completed, and then arose the thought of starting the cloistered life of this place with a solemn religious feast. To preside over the ceremony was the Carmelite Monsignor Anastasio Laterza who, on July 4, 1875, blessed the church dedicating it to the Virgin under the title of St. Mary of the Angels at the behest of Father Anselm, and because where the convent stands has always been called the Angel's Hill. Father Anselmo established a small religious community consisting of Fathers Federico from S. Giovanni in Galdo and Bernardo from S. Croce del Sannio and the converts Frate Pasquale from Pontelandolfo and Frate Luigi from Campodipietra. The Convent continued its development thanks to the Provincial Minister Father Pierbattista da Roccamandolfi who spent thousands of liras to build eight more cells. With the construction of the Conventino, Father Anselmo did not intend to give up the point of support as chaplain that he had at the convent of the Holy Trinity. But that support point was challenged by the Receiver of Sepino. The good Father Anselmo made one last attempt to propose another solution to the municipality, but the proposal fell on deaf ears. By now, his mission in Sepino was complete. As a symbol of his love remained his dear Convent that, for human events, did not last long and in 1902 was finally closed.