San Galgano and the Sword in the Stone
One of the most famous British legends is that of King Arthur and the sword in the stone. In Tuscany there is a similar story - less known perhaps, but equally interesting.
San Galgano was born in 1148 in Chiusdino, near Siena. He was a young noble man, trained to be a knight; he was arrogant and violent and he loved worldly pleasures.
According to one version of the legend, the Archangel Michael appeared to Galgano, and told him he had to convert. The morning after, San Galgano told his family he was going to become a hermit, and would go and live in a nearby cave. Galgano’s family and friends did not believe him and made fun of his idea. Anyway, since he seemed determined, his mother sent him to visit his fiancée for the last time before renouncing all worldly pleasures.
On the way to his fiancée’s place an invisible force lifted San Galgano and a voice led him to Montesiepi, a hill close to Chiusdino. When San Galgano reached the foot of the hill, he was told to stand still and look to the top of Montesiepi. There he had a vision of a round temple with Jesus and Mary surrounded by the Twelve Apostles. Then, the voice told him to climb the hill, and the vision faded.
When San Galgano reached the top of Montesiepi, the voice spoke again, commanding him to renounce all his worldly desires. San Galgano replied that this is as easy as splitting stones with a sword. To prove his point, San Galgano drew his sword, and thrust it into a stone. To his great amazement, the sword went through the stone like a hot knife through butter, and got stuck in there.
San Galgano understood the message loud and clear, and from that moment he lived on Montesiepi as a hermit. Several years after San Galgano’s death, a round chapel was built on the top of Montesiepi, with the sword in the stone as its main attraction.
For centuries, the sword in the stone was commonly believed to be a modern fake. A relatively recent research, however, proved the
sword is indeed from the 12 th century, based on the composition of the metal and the style of the sword. The researchers also discovered, with the aid of ground-penetrating radar, that there is a cavity measuring 2m by 1m beneath the sword, perhaps containing the body of San Galgano.
One of the most famous British legends is that of King Arthur and the sword in the stone. In Tuscany there is a similar story - less known perhaps, but equally interesting.
San Galgano was born in 1148 in Chiusdino, near Siena. He was a young noble man, trained to be a knight; he was arrogant and violent and he loved worldly pleasures.
According to one version of the legend, the Archangel Michael appeared to Galgano, and told him he had to convert. The morning after, San Galgano told his family he was going to become a hermit, and would go and live in a nearby cave. Galgano’s family and friends did not believe him and made fun of his idea. Anyway, since he seemed determined, his mother sent him to visit his fiancée for the last time before renouncing all worldly pleasures.
On the way to his fiancée’s place an invisible force lifted San Galgano and a voice led him to Montesiepi, a hill close to Chiusdino. When San Galgano reached the foot of the hill, he was told to stand still and look to the top of Montesiepi. There he had a vision of a round temple with Jesus and Mary surrounded by the Twelve Apostles. Then, the voice told him to climb the hill, and the vision faded.
When San Galgano reached the top of Montesiepi, the voice spoke again, commanding him to renounce all his worldly desires. San Galgano replied that this is as easy as splitting stones with a sword. To prove his point, San Galgano drew his sword, and thrust it into a stone. To his great amazement, the sword went through the stone like a hot knife through butter, and got stuck in there.
San Galgano understood the message loud and clear, and from that moment he lived on Montesiepi as a hermit. Several years after San Galgano’s death, a round chapel was built on the top of Montesiepi, with the sword in the stone as its main attraction.
For centuries, the sword in the stone was commonly believed to be a modern fake. A relatively recent research, however, proved the
sword is indeed from the 12 th century, based on the composition of the metal and the style of the sword. The researchers also discovered, with the aid of ground-penetrating radar, that there is a cavity measuring 2m by 1m beneath the sword, perhaps containing the body of San Galgano.