The Cross of the Provençals in Celle di San Vito

Among the historical landmarks of Celle di San Vito is the Croce dei Provenzali (Cross of the Provençals), also known as the Franco-Provençal Cross, an old stone monument linked to the memory of the village’s origins.

It recalls one of the most unusual episodes in the history of the Monti Dauni: the settlement, in the Middle Ages, of communities from the French-speaking area, from which
descends the linguistic tradition still kept by the people of Celle and neighbouring Faeto.

Medieval origins and the birth of the villages

The origins of this presence go back to the second half of the 13th century, during the reign of Charles I of Anjou. According to tradition, contingents of soldiers from French territories were stationed in the fortress of Crepacore, as part of the military operations against the Saracen colony of Lucera.

Later, part of that population moved into the Alta Valle del Celone, giving rise to the communities of Faeto and Celle di San Vito.

The name of the latter village is said to derive from the old monastic cells (celle) that the new inhabitants found near the present settlement.

The Cross of the Provençals is traditionally associated with this historical heritage.

Some publications date it as far back as the 12th century, a dating that is not, however, currently supported by specific studies of the monument. Both its actual date and the circumstances in which it was placed in the village therefore remain to be clarified. The monument nonetheless keeps a strong bond with local memory and with the name by which the community has continued to identify it.

The cross of Celle di San Vito over time, and Franco-Provençal

Over time the cross has been restored and relocated, as documented by a series of photographs kept in the local historical archive of Celle di San Vito. The images show the care given to this monument, considered part of the historic heritage of the small mountain village.

The meaning of the Cross of the Provençals can also be understood through the particular linguistic history of the territory. More than seven centuries after the arrival of the first settlers, Celle di San Vito and Faeto still form a Franco-Provençal language island, recognised and protected by Italian law on historic linguistic minorities.

The language, handed down for generations within families, has kept features that point to the Gallo-Romance area, setting it clearly apart from the speech of the surrounding villages.

The enduring fascination of origins

In this context the cross is one of the places and monuments through which the history of the village can be read: from the Arco dei Provenzali, the old northern gate of the village, to the streets whose names still recall the first settlements. Its presence accompanies the story of a community that, despite profound demographic and social changes, has kept a special relationship with its origins.