Mandia and its history

Mandia, which is located over a rocky hill at 505 mt. over the sea level and  surrounded by two streams, is at the centre  of the valley which leads to the ancient  city of Elea. It is likely to be born as a mountain shelter for the populations of the ancient Elea. It was certainly a village of farmers  and shepherds around the year 1000 but it was first mentioned in 1187.
In that period it belonged to the vast properties of the Abbey  of Cava dei Tirreni. The modest village became a military garrison and  a fortified structure surrounded by walls, towers which are still existing  in the most ancient part and defence valleys.
Its natural position made it possible  to control the communication and business ways between the sea and the hinterland. It was also a bulwark against the enemies and the adversaries such as the Lombards in the North and the Byzantine  people in the South.
Mandia experienced its greatest military development in the  Angevin period when ramparts were enlarged, entrance gates at South and  East were erected and a military  quarter with dungeons and prisons was set up.
The church,  as it is seen today, is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and it was mentioned by the Bishop Morello in 1604. It is a rebuilding of a more ancient structure the ruins of which can be appreciated through the passage which leads from the sacristy to the bell tower. The tower must have had an external entrance just where the arch window is seen today.

At the bottom of the valley, where the two streams flow into the Fiumarella there is an ancient chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of the Principle.  According to the popular tradition, that is the point where the Blessed Virgin appeared to reassure the population which had been able to avoid one of the Saracen attacks. It was then built a small temple for devotion and since then, every Tuesday after Easter and Pentecost, Mandia’s people goes in procession to worship the image made with clay in the apse and to find the strength, every time, to start again the struggle against the difficulties and adversities of nature which they  always had to face.

MAIN CELEBRATIONS

• Tuesday after Christmas and after Pentecost: Feast of Saint Mary of the Principle;
• 24^th June: Feast of  the Patron Saint John the Baptist;
• 18/19/20^th August: Feast of the ancient tastes;
• 29^th August: Feast of the Patron Saint John the Baptist;
• October: Feast of the Virgin of Carmelo;
• Christmas time: Feast of the chestnuts of Mandia.
  

  During the festivities coordinated by the Committee “Pro Mandia” in cooperation with the Agricultural Cooperative “Saint John the Baptist”, people can taste the typical dishes of Mandia such as “fusilli”, the typical sweets called “castagnole” and the more popular kidney-beans of Mandia  which are very famous in the sourrounding areas.
  

The profits of the activities, on request  of the whole population, are used for works of common interest and for social and charitable purposes.