St. Sofia to Poderia (from when?)

News miss of sure trust and we are forced to repeat the known motto: «the origins him pardon in the night of the times». 
With this he resigns, but the question and the curiosity of the believers of Poderia it always stays to know more a mystery of it it stays always. Who did her know?.. Who spoke for of her first?.. When the first little chapel was erect? 
Even if a precise date is not known, some circumstances can come to us in help. 
Since he is certain of the presence of the Bulgarian to the foots of the Bulgheria mountain and in the valley of the Mingardo (as rather says), as also the arrival of the monks is certain, around thousand, first those italo-Greek or Basiliani, then the Benedictines, founders of cenobi, monasteries and asceteri, to the foots of the Bulgheria mountain and in the near hills, nothing obsolete to think that has been them to talk of S. Sofia martyr to the three daughters Faith, Hope and Charity. The same Bulgarian, converted to the Christian faith in the IX century, could make sign of it. If the things have gone so, it could be reached to 1000. 
The documents, also the most ancient, preserved in the file of the Diocese of Teggiano-Policastro, they don't go beyond 1500, in which he makes mention of a little chapel in Poderia, devoted to S. Sofia, the most modest of all the chapels of the Diocese. 
It owes us to be satisfied with these scarce news and suppositions not having others of it more remote and more certain. 
A chapel was built in the Fund Pantrato (still existing, but destined to religious functions not anymore) where the holy one was revered, dressed by nun. 
Says chapel was prolonged of 5 edited by meters the priest Mr. Cristofaro Caputo. It prolongs her in 1927 was had to demolish for the serious lesions verified him between the old one and the new construction. 
Had been destroying the cloth for the time, also because painted to glue, toward 1820, the canon Mr. Anthony of the Duke of v. m. it purchased in Naples, for 120 dukedoms, the beautiful statue in wood, revered today still. 
The sculpture is artistic and a great deal expressive, representative S. Sofia with before the three daughters. 
The first attorney was Mr. Matteo Guida was Notar Antonio. Him, at the cost of thousand sacrifices, of it diffused for many countries largely the cult. 
The old chapel was not able, however, to contain the number, always increasing of the pilgrims, for which the young priest Mr. Matteo Guida held necessary the construction, in the same place, of a non unworthy temple of the majesty of God and the Saint. 
The project was compiled by the engineer Francesco Martino by Rivello, which beautifully reproduced the temple of the Madonna of the Rosary in Pompeii. 
The jobs began July 16 th 1900 and you/they were completed in 18 years. 
May 14 th 1919, Mons. V Giovanni M. Vescia. m., Bishop of Policastro Bussentino, solemnly blessed and opened the new temple to the cult. 
Rich of magnificent plasters, it was painted, with guessed and delicate colors, from the painter teacher Lanziani Mario from Lauria Inferiore. The believers all, kind those residents to the foreign countries, competed with wide generosity. 
The devotee of the holy Caputo Giuseppe was Gerardo assisted the priest.
The consorts Crescenzo and Teodora Caputo offered the artistic altar in marble. 

The Relics of St. Sofia

The presence of the Exc. Bishop Mons. Francis Cammarota increased shine to the event, that satisfied the I live desire of the good people of Poderia. 
A marmoreal headstone, situated on the inside wall, to the left of whom enters from the central door, remembers to all how much the faith and the good wish operated. 
The priests that succeeded are him after the death of the it was Mons. Guide, has not been to him second. 
They are used and with the result of the oil of the holy one, produced in the fund Pantrato and with the generous offers of the believers, to preserve, to improve and the church and the road to make more and more comforting to enter you. 
The Khan. Mr. Angel of the Duke, great-grandson of the was Mr. Anthony of the Duke, that purchased the statue, he wanted the narrow and uncomfortable path, that brought to the Sanctuary to be widened and more comfort made with concrete. The avenue, is asphalted today, and illuminated. The space reserved so was delimited to the pedlars.
The gradient to make between the avenue and the before plan level the church, created some terraces becoming a comfortable square. Since the terrestrial near the wall of the church, Hiatus E. south E., degraded more and more the inside of the building with serious consequences for the stillness and the valuable paintings, it made to build a side aisle that held distant the damp. 
He established to put it in communication with the church to be able to welcome the so many pilgrims that come for the party in honor of the holy the 14 and 15 May and 18 and 19 September. 
The successor Mr. Pietro Tripodi, offshore vicar, has suggested the widening of the square, closing it with wall in concrete Hiatus E. south E. Ha held necessary such initiative to give greater convenience to the believers and to create a space reserved to the stage of the musical gangs. He has referred the façade and he has made to perform jobs to the foundations, the building to make surer not forgetting the revision of the coverage. 
Also the statue has been repainted, after having practised the necessary shrewdness to the killing of the moths, that would have ruined her. 
The sustained expense has been given as a present from Del Duca Teresa, great-grandson of the it was Mr. Anthony Del Duca, as also from the same one money is received for mending some damages to the plaster of the time of the Sanctuary. 
Reducing the length of the side aisle, he is completing the bell tower desire of everybody. 


The believers of Poderia, extremely happy, I would like to say proud of yes beautiful and great Protectress, hastens numerous to the Masses that you/they are celebrated during the year in the Sanctuary, but they fill the church when the novenario is held in preparation to the party. The as pilgrims, that are brought to Poderia by all the near countries, prostrate him, with long live faith, in front of the holy one, to express to her so much gratitude for the received graces and to implore protection for the needs of the soul and the body. 
It arouses emotion and admiration the great devotion of the Cellesis which, numerous, to groups or alone they bring him in the Sanctuary, every evening, in the days of the novena of the party of May, to pray and to thank the holy Martyr. 


The parties in honor of S. Sofia and the three daughters are two: 14 and 15 May, 18 and 19 September. 
The party of May has the origin that goes up again to the time of the times, that of September has been founded in 1946, at the end of the war 1939-1945. 
They coincide with the date of the festivities two rich fairs, in which commodity of every kind can be found. 
They don't miss to visit the Sanctuary all, also those that have come to Poderia for non religious motives.