St. Maria DeMattias
Foundress of
The Adorers
of the
Blood of Christ
Acuto
Acuto is a village
found east of Rome.
It is located in lower Lazio on a hilltop
of the Ernici Mountains.
This statue of St. Maria
greets visitors to the city.
City Gate
It was through this gate that
Maria DeMattias, Maria Tullio
and Michael DeMattias
entered the city of Acuto.
A sure footed donkey had no problem
going through the gate.
The place the Adorers call
Casa Madre
just through the gate and to the left.
Maria’s first home was across the street.
First Home of the Adorers
On March 4, 1834,
Maria opened the school
in what is now called the
Pilozzi House.
It is located across the street
from the Casa Madre.
Maria lived and worked
in the lower three rooms of this house.
It was dark and damp.
She stayed here from March to June.
Street leading to second home
Door to second home
As the number of students increased,
Maria set out to find a larger home.
In 1836 Maria asked Bishop Muccioli
if she could use the vacant summer seminary.
Maria and her Sisters moved in very quickly.
The Sisters lived here for two years
before the new Bishop
asked for the building back.
The sisters left the Seminary building on Aug. 31, 1838.
In 1983 the Seminary Building
was again offered to the Sisters
and is now a Retreat Center.
The Stefani House became
the fourth home for the sisters
from August 1838 to August 1843.
It was from this home that Maria
wrote many letters to obtain an old hospice
from the town council.
Once she obtained the hospice
there was much repair work
that needed to be completed
before the sisters could move into it.
After Maria had obtained the hospice |
The Chapel in the
Casa Madre.
To the left is a picture of the chapel
that is dedicated to the
Immaculate Conception.
Going through the archway to the right
is a chapel in honor of
Maria De Matthias. (left bottom)
The lamps around the altar
represent places
where the Sisters serve
throughout the world.
In the middle of the altar
is a relic of St. Maria. (bottom right)
Dining Room
It was in this dining room
that the Sisters shared many meals.
Here it was that they also sat
and prayed for food
when there was nothing to eat.
Maria always trusted
that God would give them
what they needed.
A knock on the door
brought them food for the day.
The room where the oven
and the well are found.
The well!
The story goes that the well
went dry.
Maria went and was able to get water
from it again.
The well still has water
in it to this day.
To the top left are the steps
going down
into the wine cellar.
Below it is the wine cellar.
It was here that Maria was able
to relight the lamp that went out.
Maria spent many hours praying
at the foot of the cross.
Maria wrote hundreds of letters
at this desk.
In the back of Casa Madra
you can still see the
stones that were
carried by Maria and the
people of the town
to repair the building.
Today a beautiful courtyard
is a place to walk and reflect.
Maria and her Sisters
would have spent time
in this courtyard.
Beyond and down
a steep hill
there is a garden area.
