The transformation of this cave into a place of Michaelic worship occurred during the Middle Ages, when, according to legend, Saint Michael entered the cave followed by a large bull that, due to its size, remained stuck in the rock. As soon as its owner managed to free it, the man was dazzled by the strong source of light of the Archangel.
Immediately after this prodigious event, the shepherd returned to the village to tell what he had witnessed. It was precisely upon returning to the cave that the villagers found San Michele, kneeling and thirsty with his hands resting on the ground in the exact spot where shortly after a spring of water began to emerge.
From that moment on, the cave was equipped with an altar of Saint Michael located at the bottom of the cavity and surmounted by an urn with four marble columns which houses a copy of the statue of Saint Michael the Archangel kept in the sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo.
Just behind the main altar, moreover, it is still possible to notice the remains of some religious representations or polychrome wall paintings belonging to an unspecified era. Of particular note are the figures of the four evangelists and the Madonna with the child.
Taralli with Salento Dried Tomatoes
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