When San Antonio da Padova took up residence in the hermitage of Montepaolo, he decided to make use of a natural cave, used until then as a storeroom for work tools, as a place dedicated to meditation and the study of the Word of the Lord. When it was ordered to the Friars to withdraw to Castrocaro and close the convent, this shelter, much loved by the Saint, was also left to neglect.
In 1904, the “Montepaolo” estate became property of the Franciscan Order and the monks engaged in the arrangement of Antonio’s first home in Italy, and as a result, the Grotta del Santo was also given new life. On August 15, 1905, on the occasion of the blessing of the Grotto, a large and solemn procession was organized.
