Lair of the Saracens

(This is less post more journal entry so that I don’t forget this story.)

While we were exploring this 👆🏼 beautiful town on the Gulf of Naples, I noticed a resort with a curious name: Covo dei Saraceni.

Lair of the Saracens.

(Saracen = Turk/Arab/Moor/Persian = Muslim)

I knew there had to be a reason for this particular choice of name and so I read up on the history of the area. Turns out, in the 12th century - according to legend - a Saracen pirate ship was sinking in a violent storm when a painting of the Black Madonna that was part of the pirates’ heist, started speaking. Subsequently a miracle unfolded and the ship was able to land safely in the harbor. Naturally, the story ends with the Muslims, who found this experience to be profoundly moving, converting to Christianity. It’s rumored that some - or perhaps all - settled in the town. Years passed and much of this history was forgotten. But outsiders continued to refer to the area as Covo dei Saraceni — Lair of the Saracens. With time, even that memory faded and the town took on a different name. And then recently an enterprising entrepreneur came along looking for a catchy name for his resort, dug into the past and brought it back to life.