Geography
Cardeto is located on the slopes of Aspromonte at about 700 meters above sea level, in the valley of the Fiumara Sant’Agata, within the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. The town, with about 1,260 inhabitants, develops in a panoramic position along the right bank of the Sant’Agata stream, with a typical stepped structure. The name of the town derives from the cardo (from the Greek kαρδίτο, cardìto in Calabrian Greek) and the ending “–eto” indicates its meaning: “land of thistles”.
Historical notes
The first historical evidence of Cardeto dates back to the 11th century, when the Byzantine emperor Basil I elevated the episcopal seat of Reggio to the metropolis of the Byzantine possessions of southern Italy. The first inhabited nucleus developed in this context.
In 1563, the town was burned down by order of the Spanish inquisitor Pietro Pansa, probably due to the persistence of Greek customs. For centuries, Cardeto was dependent on the fiefdom of Sant’Agata, obtaining administrative autonomy only in 1806, during the Napoleonic reform.
During the Byzantine and later Norman rule, the territory saw the settlement of Basilian monks and the birth of kastre, internal fortified villages, including Cardeto. In the Serra area, there are still the ruins of a watchtower, called a Saracen tower, useful for defending against Arab incursions.
Places of interest
The village preserves important religious and architectural testimonies, including:
• The Church of San Sebastiano, patron saint of the town, dating back to the 17th century and restored after the earthquakes of 1783 and 1908.
• The Abbey of San Nicola di Foculica, documented since 1310, located in Badìa and entrusted to the Order of Malta in the 17th century.
• The Sanctuary of Santa Maria Assunta di Mallamace, built in the early 17th century on top of an ancient female Basilian monastery. Inside, a statue of the Madonna is preserved, made in 1720 in a Sicilian workshop and decorated in gold.
Greek language and culture
Cardeto has had a strong Greek influence for centuries. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the population spoke fluent Greek and Latin, as evidenced by documents of the time and by the pastoral visits of Archbishop Annibale D'Afflitto (1595). Masses were celebrated in the Greek rite, and the local parish priest was called “the Greek”.
Illustrious historians and linguists also wrote about it:
• Barrio (1571): “The inhabitants commonly use Latin and Greek; they celebrate worship in Greek.”
• Marafioti (1601): “The men and women are very shrewd and spirited and speak the Greek language.”
• Rodotà (18th century): “In Cardeto the Greek language prevails over the Italian one.”
• K. Witte (1820): “In Cardeto a certain corrupt Greek is spoken... but the number of speakers is now reduced.”
• G. Morosi (1873): “The Greek language has almost completely disappeared, it survives only among a few elderly people.”
Despite the linguistic decline, the Grecanic influence survives in many toponyms, dialect words and in the cultural memory of the community.
Famous People
Among the most illustrious sons of Cardeto is Cardinal Luigi Tripepi (1836–1906), one of the most esteemed apologists and scholars of the Church. Ordained a priest in 1864, he studied at the local seminary and then at the Gregorian University in Rome. He became a cardinal in 1901, was director of L’Osservatore Romano, prefect of the Vatican Archives, and author of over 200 works in various languages.
After his death, his remains were transferred in 1993 to the mausoleum dedicated to him at the Sanctuary of Mallamace, where he rests today.