Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi is located at the foot of Mount Cappucciata, at about 900 m above the SL within 9 km. from both towns, Ofena and Castel del Monte. The historical evolution of Villa Santa Lucia and Carrufo, a hamlet annexed to it, is strictly connected with Ofena’s , whose ancient roots date back to Roman times. Around the 1400, Antinori, in his manuscript, talks about Ofena and describes it as a “big and powerful town”, comprising seven towns and, among them, he mentions Colle Venatorio with the hamlet Carrufo, Villa Santa Lucia and Castel del Monte.

In the year 1000, in an area identified as “Castelluccio”, the church of Our Lady of Vicenne, still standing today, was built. Subsequently, Castelluccio remains a Longobard rear-guard until 1645 when for lack of water, the inhabitants move to the town of Villocchera-Villa, where a small church in honor of Saint Lucia, is erected. In 1812, due to the plague, natural calamities and brigandage, Villa joins Ofena in a consortium lasting until 1900 when, it regains its independence. In 1951, Carrufo is annexed to it.

 

CARRUFO

Carrufo, about 1 km from Villa Santa Lucia, is located in a plain at about 800 m above the SL. A village known for the beauty of its landscape and the welcoming spirit its people, due to the postwar depopulation, today counts only twenty or so inhabitants. As already mentioned, Carrufo was one of Ofena’s seven towns.

It seems that its origin dates back to the year 800 d.C. with the arrival of King Desiderius’ Longobards, In historical terms, the nearby town of Colle Venatorio was more important. This is evidenced by the dilapidated church of Our Lady of Sorrows dating back probably to the year 1200. Around 1600, Colle Venatorio was abandoned and the inhabitants moved to nearby Carrufo. Here a church was erected in honor of Saint Anthony. Much later, in 1873, a new nave was added to it thanks to Francesco Ciccone after obtaining a miracle. Today the church is dedicated to Saint Carlo Borromeo.