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Owning to the
iconoclastic persecution unleashed by the emperor Leo III the Isaurian in 726 the migration of Greek-oriental monks
toward the West became more intense, especially toward the Southern Italy. An exceptional evidence of their
presence in Cilento can be represented by the
Abbey of Santa Maria di Pattano, one of the oldest and best preserved
Italian-Greek coenobia. The building complex is
composed of the Santa
Maria Church, the bell tower, a few
convent buildings and of the splendid Chapel of San Filadelfo which still preserves the extremely
interesting Byzantine frescoes. In the latter one was found a singular
wooden statue of St Filadelfo, with a
characteristic oblong face, that can be admired visiting the Diocesan
Museum of Vallo della
Lucania. Apart from the precious sculpture, the
rooms of the museum harbour works dating back from the XVI to the XIX
century, which come from the various churches of the Diocese. Other works
of similar value can be found in the old church of
Santa Maria dei Lombardi situated in the nearby centre of Novi
Velia.
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