San Cerbone



San Cerbone is the patron saint of the diocese of Massa and Populonia. He was born in 493 ca in Africa, from where he escaped at 534, after the fight between Vandals and Byzantines. When he arrived at the Tuscan coasts he stopped at Populonia, where he started to serve the bishop Carbinto, whom leaded the diocese from 535 to 554. After bishop’s death, he didn’t become a bishop too, but that role was covered by San Florenzio.

In 573 was entrusted the episcopate to him but he deserved it to Populonia because of the descent of Albonio, the head of the longobardic, that in that time arrived in Tuscania. In 570 Gummarith showed his impiety for Populonia. The older Cerbone tried to refuge him self to the Elba Isle and found it at the woods of the mountain Capanne: in fact there were safe places there, where practise his spirituality.

He lived there two years as hermit, living with natural goods and having as home a little natural cavern, earned by the stones. The cavern is placed at the both sides of the easter tributary of the moat of Pedalta, not too far from the hermitage built for him after his death. To reach the cavern it might be follow the little connection track, in between whose underlined as 1 or 6.

San Cerbone dead in his cavern next to Poggio, at October 10. 575 and his body was boarded on a boat, coming back to Baratti. Even if it was a storm during the travel the boat arrived intact to Baratti with the body inside. As he promised when he was young, Cerbone was grabed in Populonia and nowdays is the most famous bishop of this diocese.

History of hermitage

History of hermitage

The history of the hermitage of San Cerbone, from its building to the dereliction , until the latest restoration.

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