THE CHRONICON VOLTURNENSE

It dates back to the first half of  the 12th century. It was written by the monk Giovanni with other brothers. It is a document that reconstructs the life of the monastic town of San Vincenzo al Volturno after the Saracen destruction and the reconstruction during the 10th-12th century, that is when the community lived in the new monastery on the right side of the river. It is kept in the Vatican Library under the press-mark “Barb. lat. 2724”. Damaged because of time and passages from a place to another during the centuries, it was restored by the Regional Institute for Historical Studies of Molise, during the first years of 1990. The Chronicon stayed in San Vincenzo until the second half of the 16th century. Cesare Costa, commendator, saved it when the monastic library went to ruin. Successively, Camillo Castani, commendatory abbot, moved the manuscript to Napoli and then to Rome. In 1601, it was lent to Costantino Castani, monk of Montecassino e founder of the Aniciana library. In 1685, it was moved to the Barberini library and had being stayed there for over two centuries under the press-mark XXXIV, 41. In 1902, it passed to the Vatican Library together with the other codes of the Barberini library.
Characteristics. Dimension, 32.6x19.5 cm; 341 parchment papers; writing of Benevento language, type Cassino one. It is finely decorated and richly illustrated with 37 miniatures, 2 graphs and 29 abbots images. Some chapters were translated by Marco D’Agostino at the beginning of 90’s on behalf of the Regional Institute for Historical Studies of Molise. It was completed by the Professor Luisa De Luca Roberti for the association “Amici di San Vincenzo” account, directed by Dr. Dino Ricci and it is printing with the contribution of the Region of Molise.
 
From “THE CHRONICON VOLTURNENSE”
THE STORY ABOUT NINE HUNDRED BEHEADED MONKS OF THIS MONASTERY

After ravaging, setting on fire and ruining the other regions of the land, the evil people of Agareni destroyed them completely and the terrible horde of the impious, whose hands threaten everyone, eviler than any wild beast, still eager of human blood,  proceeds furious towards the sacred coenobium of the precious martyr Vincenzo. At that time it was habit of the monks of both the coenobiums, the “Beatissimo Vincenzo” and “Santissimo Benedetto”, to visit one another, for charity love. So, someday, when some brethren of the monastery of Cassino had made their way towards the aforesaid coenobium and talking one another about their Order, suddenly the very cruel Saugdan arrived with his followers. After hearing the news, the monks, arrived to a castle near the monastery, quickened their pace and though they were very frightened, they managed to save themselves uninjured. When the God’s Slaves of the monastery knew what happened, saw to hide all the Church treasure immediately. They, not frightened but standstill and brave, exhorting one another, leaving only a few elderly monks, venerable for their age and as they dedicated all their life to church, went, with their own slavery, towards the proceeding pagans. Both of them arrived at the same time to the place near the Bridge, called “Marmoreo”. In fact, the Arabs looked for a path to reach the monastery. Therefore, once a group stopped on a side and the other one on the other side, a violent battle started, during which many enemies were knocked out. In fact the enemies didn’t manage to push their way through the monks crowd, as these ones repelled them away with stones or any arms they found in their hands and as the thick wood and tight cliffs helped them. They don’t want to surrender. In fact the brave battle shortened the day more than they both need to resist. The swords are brandished, the lances flung, the thief remains hung on the hard bushes. But why do I defer reporting the cruel crimes did by the vulgar hand of the wicked army? At a certain moment, some slaves of the sacred monastery, tired because of the long battle, (which was going on) as with the divine grace protection the enemies hadn’t any possibility to pass and besides the tyrants formations were hardly prostrate, leaving their masters in the battle, departed secretly and went to the Saracen king asking for freedom and saved life, said that they could provide them more advantageous results and a great value victory. Immediately, cheering up and attracting the slaves soul with gold presents and sorrowful persuasions, incites them to keep the promises. So, accepted the commitment and established the terms, becoming evil army leaders, unknown to their masters, a large number of enemies, passing through a different itinerary, assaulted suddenly the sacred monastery and surrounding it everywhere set it on fire, also slaying the men that were there. Nowadays, it is still visible the evident signs of blood of the holy monks shed for Christ, as the stones, walls and paving of the church are strewn with that. Immediately after, while whirls of flames raised and set on fire the high sky-blue constellations, the monks, prostrate with the long battle, during a day did strong efforts in a loyal duel and suddenly realized they were betrayed and immediately after were attacked in the rear by the slaves horde on the way back to the monastery. Turning back, while they were trying to resist, the formations came into contact and burst the terrible disaster of a fratricidal fight. While one group chases the enemy at brisk pace, and the other one tries to move in an opposite way, finally they reach a place that, for an extended part looked quite level and today is still called by the local people with the names of the mutilated bodies. All the lances are directed towards them. The whole enemy formation hastens with weary limbs because of tiredness but the monks doesn’t resist longer. They throw themselves among the executioners shots. Though many pagans were killed, a few survivors remained. But it was preferable being killed with the sword than being captured. Finally, after the massacre, when they collected altogether digging here and there following the slavery directions, the Saracens found the whole treasure of the church, previously hided by the God’s slaves just to avoid they found it. After sharing the spoil, they devastated everything, destroyed most of their goods, dispersed wheat and legumes in the river flowing near the monastery. While they were relaxing, almost rejoicing after the fatigue and triumph, the evil Saugdan was drinking in the sacred chalices and ordered that they incensed it with gold thurible. It happened on Thursday, 10th of October, at the second hour of the day, during the 165th year since the monastery rebuilding.

FONTE: Il Chronicon Vulturnenze