The Patron Saint’s Pardon

In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance era a very sad building occupied the current open-space Piazza Casotti: it was the building that hosted the local prisons. Here were detained all people who contravened the rules of the Council Regulations.

They were jailed with ferocious murderers, thieves, brigands, swindlers and also tax evaders unable to pay any of the many levies that were already in force at the time.

Justice at the time was very severe, and in front of the prison, in the current Via Arcipretura where you find paper and print shops, lived an esteemed public servant: the executioner.

November, St Prospero’s day, a condemned prisoner, chosen at random, was instead taken to the omonimous Basilica and pardoned. It was the tribute from the city to its Patron Saint.

- Attilio Marchesini -