The Via Sancti Columbani or the path of translation (of the relics) is the route followed during the only transfer outside Bobbio of the venerated remains of St. Columbanus, which for the occasion were carried in solemn procession to Pavia, in July 929, in front of the reigning Hugh of Provence. The monks of the Monastery of Bobbio, in fact, led by Abbot Gerlanno, on 17, 18 and 19 July of that year transported the relics of St. Columbanus from Bobbio to Pavia through a more extensive route than the usual one, designed specifically for the purpose of claiming before King Hugh of Provence the many assets of the Monastery usurped by the bishop of Piacenza Guido and other feudal lords, including his brother Raginerio, count of that city. To obtain justice from the Italic king regarding the heavy usurpations perpetrated against the monks and thus solve the case, the ordeal was won, won by the monastery, which then received the desired acceptance of the requests from the king.
[The studies carried out, the memories of archaeological finds and the toponymy still in use and more all demonstrate that the geographical area crossed by this articulated itinerary from Bobbio to Pavia through the valleys of the upper Tidone Pavese and the Versa and the Po di Portalbera pass had been used since the time of the Lombard conquest of this region and in particular from the time of Agilulfo, constituting the privileged connection route [contra: Paolo Diacono] from Pavia to Bobbio, that is, from the most advanced Lombard city-fortress towards the limes of the Po and the stronghold, i.e. Bobbio, more advanced in the Apennines in the direction of the Regio Maritima firmly occupied by the units .
The route was slightly [?] longer [25 km: a day’s walk!] than the one now known as Via degli Abati] .
In the early Middle Ages, what we now call The Via di San Colombano was already widely used and connected Northern Italy to Rome, even before the age of the Lombards and before Sigeric’s attestation of the Via Francigena (tenth century). The Via Columbani was also used by Lombard sovereigns and pilgrims on their way to Rome from France and the British Isles, who passed through Bobbio to venerate the relics of Saint Columban. This artery, which connected Pavia with Bobbio to Rome, crossed the Eastern Oltrepò and connected the Trebbia, Tidone and Versa valleys with the towns along the Po and Ticino rivers. The importance of this road is evident from the fact that it connected the capital of the Lombards with one of the most important cultural centers of northern Italy: the monastic nucleus of Saint Columban and the city of Bobbio. The route crossed the Penice Pass, passed through Canevino, the Versa Valley and crossed the Po near San Giacomo della Cereda. The link between the Benedictine monasteries of Pavia and the proto-Romanesque basilica of Bobbio is historically well known, where, from the remains of the basilica, one of the most important cultural centers in Northern Italy came to life.
The “Via Sancti Columbani” therefore served as a link between Pavia and Bobbio and between the latter and the “twin” monasteries beyond the Alps: Luxeuil, Fontaine and Annegray. Starting from the year 860, the monastery of Bobbio enjoyed the privilege of free transit of its boats on the Po and Ticino in order to facilitate the connection with Pavia and with the roads to France. It is therefore in this historical period that the ancient “Via Sancti Columbani” established itself as the most important route among those that crossed the Oltrepò Pavese to Pavia. After the death of St. Columbanus, this path was crossed by a great event… In July 929 Abbot Gerlanno brought the remains of St. Columbanus from Bobbio to the church of San Michele in Pavia to address King Hugh of Provence requesting protection for the abbey’s possessions.
Il 16 luglio 929 [l’abate di Bobbio Gerlanno]… fece aprire la tomba di San Colombano … Il giorno dopo … Il corteo si mise in cammino alla volta di Pavia. Il primo giorno di viaggio il corteo lasciò alle spalle Bobbio, quindi … Gerlanno e il suo corteo seguirono l’itinerario che da Bobbio tende a Grazzi, aggirando i rilievi del Groppo, del Pan Perduto, dei Sassi Neri. Poi una volta scesa verso Romagnese, la processione sarebbe risalita per raggiungere Sarturiano addentrandosi nel territorio di Zavattarello. Qui il corteo passò la prima notte dopo aver deposto l’urna entro la locale chiesa pievana di San Paolo. … Da lì a poco il corteo lasciò a sinistra la sede monastica di Montelungo … raggiunta la frazione Pometo, i monaci raggiunsero i pressi del colle di Canevino … da lì il corteo discese in Val Versa e per questo tramite giunse al Portum Peducolosum, identificato presso Portalbera, dove i monaci e le spoglie si sarebbero imbarcati per approdare in sponda opposta. … Il terzo giorno i monaci riprendono la via per Pavia … Entrano in città da Porta San Giovanni… La folla sembra impazzita… Nei giorni seguenti è probabile che si siano intrecciati contatti diplomatici… per arrivare alla chiesa di San Michele, basilica dei re…Di fatto Ugo (il Re) …non ebbe difficoltà a dichiarare vincitore della causa il monastero bobbiese…I monaci per la via del ritorno scelsero questa volta di passare dal Siccomario… L’assenza dal monastero era durata circa due settimane”.
The route that traces the translation of the urn with the remains of St. Columbanus is about 100 km long and is divided into 4 stages.
