The Spanish and S. Laurence

In 1509 B. succeeded to the Spanish and the inhabitants soon regretted the Venetians. The town suffered great damages from the war between the French and the Spanish. In 1530 with the peace treaty the Spanish went back to power. Charles V built Porta Lecce and Porta Mesagne along with the embattled towers: S. George […]

In 1509 B. succeeded to the Spanish and the inhabitants soon regretted the Venetians. The town suffered great damages from the war between the French and the Spanish.

In 1530 with the peace treaty the Spanish went back to power. Charles V built Porta Lecce and Porta Mesagne along with the embattled towers: S. George and S. James.

In the meantime life was becoming so miserable for the population that they decided to rebel.

On the 22nd July 1559 Giulio Cesare Russo was born and when he was 18, he became a Franciscan under the name of Laurence. He built the church and the monastery of S. Maria degli Angeli. After his death (22nd July 1619) he was beatified (1783), then sanctified  (1881) and in 1959 he became doctor of the Universal Church (1959).