The Territorial abbey of La Trinità della Cava (), commonly known as Badia di Cava, is a Benedictine territorial abbey located near Cava de' Tirreni, in the province of Salerno, southern Italy. It stands in a gorge of the Finestre Hills, some 14km or 8.5mi north-west of Salerno.
History Tradition states that the monastic tradition began in 1011, with the arrival of three hermitsKehr VIII, p. 310: "lohannes auctor Chronici s. Vincentii Vulturnensis narrat (Muratori Scr. Ib 494; Federici I 361)." one of whom was Alferius of Pappacarbone, a noble of Salerno who became a Cluniac monk and had lived as a hermit in the vicinity since 1011.Kehr VIII, p. 311: "Nee maiorem meret fidem vita s. Alferii primi Cavensis abbatis saec. XIII conscripta, quae ilium ex nobili Pappacarbonum familia ortum antea Cluniaci aliquantulum morantem Odilonis abbatis doctrina imbutum esse narrat." Another story has it that the princes of Salerno founded the monastery in 1025.Kehr VIII, p. 311: "Tamen ipsius monasterii fundationem nonnisi a. 1025 privilegio confirmaverunt principes Salernitani nee fundationem iam a. 1011 factam esse certis potest evinci argumentis." The foundation privilege of March 1025 survives in the monastery library.Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis vol. 5 (Milan: Hoepli 1878), pp. 93-95, no. DCCLXIV.
The Lombard Guiamarus III and his son granted to Abbot Alferius feudal possession of a defined territory, with all the persons, free or slave, in it at present or in the future,"...cum omni intro se habentibus et suis pertinentiis, et cum vice de viis et anditis ... ut amodo et semper in tua et de tuis successoribus, qui in ipsa ecclesia prefuerint, sint potestatis illud tenendum , dominandum, possidendum et omnia exinde faciendum quod volueritis ..." exempt from royal taxes and impositions.Abignente, pp. 25-26: " ; ... pars reipubblicae in sua potestate et arbitrio, et non habeamus potestatem, nec nos nec successoribus nostris exinde tollere nec pensionem, nec censum, nec plateaticum, nec qualiscunque serbitium vel dationem.". In 1058, Prince Gisulf II of Salerno extended those privileges to Castrum Sancti Adjutoris, Albola, Cetara, and Fonti.Abignente, p. 26: "...Similiter confirmamus sive demania sive feudalia fuerint, tam in vassallis quam in terris stabilibus, sive mobilibus." Codex diplomaticus Cavensis Vol. 8 (Milan: Hoepli 1893), pp. 77-81, no. MCCLXXV.
The Normans, too, were generous supporters of the monastery of La Trinità della Cava. In July 1079, Robert Guiscard (1057–1085) gave Abbot Pietro the church of S. Matteo di Roccapiemonte.Abignente, p. 31. In August 1080, Robert confirmed all the feudal territories, rights and privileges which his Lombard predecessors had granted to the abbots and monastery of Trinità della Cava.Abignente, pp. 31-32, with extensive Latin quotation of the document. In May 1081, Robert Guiscard's nephew, Richard son of Drogo (1046–1051), donated to La Trinità della Cava the monasteries of S. Angelo, S. Caterina, and S. Vito, as well as the vassalages of Mutula and Massafra. In May 1086, Duke Roger Borsa (1085–1111) gave it the port of Vietri sul mare, just west of Salerno.Abignente, p. 33.
King William I (1154–1166) issued a charter in Apri 1154, in which he confirmed all the grants made by his predecessors, and added nearly complete judicial powers, except in criminal cases, including the right to name judges and public notaries.Abignente, p. 39.
Popes
In the bull "Cum universis" of 21 September 1089, Pope Urban II (1088–1099) stated that the abbot was to be freely elected, and that his consecration was the prerogative of the Roman pontiff, while the granting of episcopal powers belonged to the archbishop of Salerno.Kehr VIII, p. 318, no. 7: "...concedit ius libere eligendi abbatem a Romano pontifice consecrandum et facultatem episcopalia a Salernitano archiep. accipiendi." Guillaume, Essai historique, "Appendix," p. 20. The privileges were confirmed by Pope Paschal II (1099–1118) in the bull "Cum universis sanctae" of 30 August 1100;Kehr VIII, p. 324, no. 19. and by Pope Calixtus II and Innocent II. Kehr, pp. 324, no. 20; 325, no. 22.
On 5 September 1092, Pope Urban II consecrated the church of the monastery of Cava.Philippus Jaffè & S. Loewenfeld, Regesta pontificum Romanorum Vol. 1, second ed. (Leipzig: Veit 1885), p. 670. Kehr VIII, p. 319, no. 9. The bull "In Universis," of 14 September 1092, in which Pope Urban narrates the consecration and his gifts of privileges, is a forgery.Jaffè, p. 670. Kehr, pp. 319-321, who lists several other forgeries under the name of Urban II. In 1092, however, he did grant indulgences which were applicable annually on Holy Thursday and Good Friday; these were confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in August 1761, and extended them until the third day after Easter.Guillaume, pp. 389-390.
Pope Urban II endowed this monastery with many privileges, making it immediately subject to the Holy See, with jurisdiction over the surrounding territory.
On 6 August 1098, Pope Urban II took note of complaints of Archbishop Alfano of Salerno that the abbot of Cava had taken possession of the church of SS Trinità and other churches, and admitted that he had been unaware of privileges already granted to the diocese of Salerno with respect to those churches. He declared his own grants erroneous (subreptitious) and cancelled them. In May 1099, having seen the actual privileges, Urban revoked the liberty of the parish of Cava.Kehr VIII, pp. 323-324, nos. 16-17.
Pope Alexander III granted the abbots of Cava the privilege of wearing episcopal insignia on major holidays, at papal councils, and at the funerals of ecclesiastics and nobles.Alexander III, apostolic brief "Et bonae opinionis," 30 January 1168. Guillaume, "Appendix," to Essai historique, p. xxxvii
The first four abbots were canonized as saints on December 21, 1893, by Pope Leo XIII.San Constabile (Costabile)
Diocese of Cava In 1394, Pope Boniface IX elevated the monastery of Cava to the status of a diocese, with the bishops also being the abbots.Boniface IX, "Salvatoris Nostri," 7 August 1394, in: Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum, , Vol. 4 (Turin: Franco, Fory, & Dalmazzo 1859), pp. 624-627.
Cardinal Oliviero Carafa, the last of the Abbots Commendatory, agreed to relinquish the abbey to Pope Alexander VI, on the condition that the bishopric of Cava be abolished on his death. Pope Alexander agreed, in the bull "Regimini universalis" of 10 April 1497.Guillaume, pp. 247-249. Cornelio Margarini, Bullarium Casinense , Vol. 2 (Todi: Vincentius Galasius 1670), p. 415.
In the struggles of Louis XII of France and Ferdinand of Aragon for possession of the kingdom of Naples, the immunities of the monastery of Cava and its properties was regularly ignored. For a time Cava was acknowledged to belong to King Louis. In 1507, the monks and their abbot, Dom Chrysostomus de Alexandro, were forcibly ejected from the abbey, which brought excommunication from Pope Julius II against the perpetrators, allegedly led by Ferdinand Castriot. When they recovered their property, the monks came under the protection of Queen Joanna of Naples, from 1507 until her death on 28 August 1518.Guillaume, pp. 297-298, and "Appendix," p. xci, JJ.
In 1513, Pope Leo X separated the two offices, detaching the city of Cava from the abbot's jurisdiction. About the same time the Cluniacs were replaced by Cassinese monks.Catholic Encyclopedia, "Abbey of Trinita di Cava Dei Tirreni" (1913).
Damaging earthquakes struck the area of Cava on 8 September 1694 and in August 1714 (centered on Salerno).Mario Baratta, I terremoti d'Italia (Torino: Fratelli Bocca 1901), pp. 178; 204-205. Another earthquake, on 29 January 1733, did considerable damage to the cathedral.Guillaume, p. 382. Baratta, p. 224.
In the same year, 1733, Abbot Filippo de Pace, was compelled to defend his domain against the attempted encroachment of the papal nuncio at the royal court in Naples. He appealed his case to Rome, where his immunities were vindicated.Guillaume, pp. 382-383.
In 1796, two natural disasters struck the monastery. On 31 October, a landslide swept down and destroyed part of the old dormitory, and on Christmas Eve a landslide of earth and trees destroyed the choir of the church, while a few hours later another slide destroyed the abbey library.Guillaume, p. 408.
The church and the greater part of the buildings were entirely modernized in 1796. The old Gothic cloisters are preserved. The church contains a fine organ and several ancient sarcophagi. The church of the monastery has the tombs of Queen Sibylla of Burgundy (died 1150), second consort of King Roger II of Sicily, and a number of notable ecclesiastics.Burial places of rulers of Sicily
French occupation The monastery was closed by Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples (1806–1808), by a decree of 13 February 1807, The library and archives were confiscated and became state cultural property. The former abbey was designated an "Establishment", and the former abbot, Dom Carolo Mazzacane, was appointed Director of the Establishment; twenty-five former monks were appointed guardians of the Establishment. The many properties of the former abbey were confiscated and either repurposed or sold off, while the members of the Establishment were provided with an annual salary of 4,000 ducats as state officials. They were forbidden to wear clerical garb.Guillaume, p. 415.but the community remained relatively unscathed, thanks to Abbot Carlo Mazzacane, and was restored after Napoleon's fall. The abbey still provides the surrounding parishes with clergy.
Modern reeorganization Following the Second Vatican Council, (1962–1965) and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made. Pope Paul VI ordered a reorganization of the ecclesiastical provinces in southern Italy.
On 8 September 1976, the Congregation of Bishops, after extensive consultation, transferred territory from the Diocese of Acerenza,"ab archidioecesi Acheruntina dividatur atque Potentinae et Marsicensi archidioecesi aggregetur paroecia B. Mariae Virginis a Monte Carmelo in pago vulgo Castelglorioso-Arioso." the Diocese of Rapolla, and from the Territorial Abbacy of Santissima Trinità di Cava de’ Tirreni, to the archdiocese of Potenza.Pope Paul VI, "Quo Aptius," Acta Apostolicae Sedis 68 (Città del Vaticano 1976), pp. 675-677: "ab abbatia nullius Ss.mae Trinitatis Cavensis municipium vulgo Tramutola, idque archidioecesi Potentinae et Marsicensi adnectit."