In other parts we said that the Cardinal village is about a quarter of a kilometer away from Mugnano, much less the stretch of land without buildings. In the Civil and Religious it forms one thing with Mugnano, both being under a single Municipality and a single Parish based in Mugnano, for which it is considered the Cardinal district of Mugnano.

This village, more than about 900 inhabitants, being very close to Mugnano, has the same topographical position as it.

And without alleys or internal roads, all well placed sideways to the spacious national road, which leads from Naples to Avellino. The buildings are almost all in a straight line, all warehouses and rooms are covered by roofs; they are beautiful in appearance and offer more or less comfort, it looks like a small town in miniature with two well-proportioned and comfortable widths.

The buildings are newly built, there is no trace of antiquity, so it can be said that this district has no more than four hundred years of existence.

Among all the ancient authors who have given us news for our history, very few tell us about this district with sensible truth. Giustiniani, annoyed at having found bad lodging there in one of his transit, speaks of it with contempt and immense inaccuracy (Geographical Dictionary of the Realm of Naples - Cardinal). Di Lucia and Mastroianni, laconic and very inexact, tell us that it is two miles from Mugnano (Diz. Geog. Del Reame di Napoli - Cardinale). Il Francione - Vespoli that there is a customs house and an ironworks, the latter never existed (Itinerary for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies - Cardinal). From writers of the turning century we know other inconclusive absurdities.

Fr Giordano describes it as a famous place, but he does not tell us the reasons, he tells us that it is located on the road for which one goes to Puglia from Naples, that there are many and comfortable taverns, this is very true for the past, finally he gives us the capricious news that he is called "CARDINAL" by "CAR¬DINE", because it is the boundary and principle of two Provinces: of Principato Ultra ¬ Terra di Lavoro (Chronicle of M. Vergine, lib. I, chap. I, page 3).

How inadmissible this origin of denomination is, clearly appears, because this district is located before Mugnano, coming from Na-poli and after, coming down from Avellino; therefore it is neither a principle nor a term as it is claimed to be.

The only exact one is the scholar Guadagni, in fact he tells us that, since Mugnano was erected in the Commenda Verginiana since 1431, which Commenda was enjoyed by six Cardinals consecutively until 1511 (Monte Vergine Sacro - page 401 and notes at 482 ).

Since these Cardinal Commendatories had to stop often in Mugnano both to check the burdens imposed by the employees on the vassals and to listen to their complaints, and to rest in the transits they made there to go to attend the General Chapters of Montevergine, they thought of building a decent house to their high dignity. Cardinal Giacomo d'Aragona, son of King Ferdinand I, fourth invested in this Commenda, and in 1466 took possession of it, kept it until his death in 1485, found it necessary to implement the project of his predecessors, it was decided to build the cardinal's palace on the site, pleasant and charming of the Cardinal.

This place, before this time, must have been nothing but open countryside with some farmhouse, because it is nowhere to be found, nor in the excavations made up to now for buildings and water tanks, has found no signs of antiquity. The precise time of the beginning and completion of this building is missing. It must be assumed that it was built during the 19 years, in which the Cardinal enjoyed the Commenda, therefore not before 1466 and not after 1485.

In this space of time then Cardinal Giacomo d'Aragona founded, at the beginning of the village, that sumptuous and very solid building in the style of Monastore, commonly called «PROCACCIO». For these reasons the place began to be called "Palazzo del CARDINALE", residence of the Cardinal, finally only "CARDINAL", finally Cardinal of Mugnano (C. Guadagni - Nola Sacra - lib. IV, chap. 10), to distinguish it from the others countries with the name 'Cardinal'.

After the construction of this building, others began to rise, with the Church.

Here a Customs Office was set up to collect 'duties' on certain kinds of transit goods, we don't know when, we know that it was abolished, like all the others, after 1812.

Many families of foreigners came to live at the Cardinal as employees of the 'duty'. A decree dated 9 June 1759 states that a certain Nicola Cavaccini from the Maiori Customs House was transferred to that of the Cardinal as cashier. These were joined by some of Quadrelle and so the buildings began to rise and the district was populated, forming a district of Mugnano.

With Mugnano also the Cardinal's Palace and all the rest went into possession of the Annunziata plant in Naples. As a sign of dominion, he immediately posted his coat of arms, still visible in the western corner of the building.

Inside he had a low wall frescoed with the Mystery of the Annunciation, although blackened by time and smoke, it is still admired.

The Lords of Avella, in order to exercise the baronial right, recognize the Mugnanesi as their Vassals on the day of the Ascension, a right that Pellegrini had reserved for itself in the sale of the Feudo allo Scillato, decided to build a palace there. The Duchess Maria Giovanna Doria del Carretto, descendant and collateral of Pellegrini, implemented the pronetto with a decent home, which was used to spend the "day of domination" with the whole court, team and friends.

It was built almost in the center of the district, on the straight hand descending from Mugnano, at the limit of a small largura, which precedes the Vasta house with two elevations, to the east and to the south, house numbers 16 and 18, on Corso Nazionale delle Fughe, constant floors two and rooms thirty-four. This building for Notar Nicola Guerriero, resident in Avella, with deed dated February 18, 1875, was bought by Mr. Giovanni Fiordellisi was Vincenzo, born and domiciled in the Municipality of Quadrelle, by Prince Mr. Giovanni Andrea Doria del Carretto.

In the year 1886 on the 4th of October, before the Notary Dr. Antonio Stingone was Gabriele, resident in the Municipality of Mugnano del Cardinale, province of the Principato Ultra, with the office in the house of his own home, located in via Fontana N. 15 , and in the presence of witnesses Sigg. Alfonso d'Apo-lito, was Francesco, shoemaker, and Andrea Cuomo di Alessandro, factory maker, both born and domiciled in the Municipality of Mugnano del Cardinale, personally constituted "on one side" Mr. Giovanni Fiordellisi, was Vincenzo, owner born and domiciled in the Municipality of Quadrelle.

"And on the other hand" Mr. Carmine Fiordellisi, son of the said owner Giovanni, born in the Municipality of Quadrelle and domiciled in Mugnano del Cardinale, with the character of legitimate representative his son under age, Acolyte Giovanni Fiordellisi.

The established Giovanni Fiordellisi declared that: Finding the aforementioned Acolyte Giovanni Fiordellisi, nephew of the declarant, who has been on his way to the ecclesiastical state for some years, he needs to be able to ascend to the priesthood the sacred patrimony, the annual income of 212 lire and 50 cents, to sense of the tax of this Diocese of Nola.

Now, Mr. Giovanni Fiordellisi, wanting to support this praiseworthy vocation of his said nephew, who aims to be counted among the Ministers of the Roman Catholic Church, and qualified for his achievement, it was decided to make him a donation of the aforementioned building and garden. in Contrada Cardinale, by way of sacred patrimony, and in the sole and simple usufruct, for the implementation of which, after the adhesion of the constituted Carmine Fiordellisi, parent of the Acolyte Giovanni, has become at the stipulation of this instrument. (We thank Mr. Francesco Fiordellisi was Gio ¬ vanni, current owner, for having allowed to publish this news ¬1986).

Some of our elders still remember the ridiculous scene on Ascension Day each year. The Lady Princess, after having attended the Di-vin Sacrifice in the Parish of the Ascension, went out and with all her armed men went to throw open the doors of the community prisons, in via Cordarauro, and set all the prisoners free; then amidst the gunshots and shouts of his warriors, he returned to the Cardinal, where he spent the day with all his friends having fun. The Mugnanesi, after the experience of the first year, never again found inmates in prisons, every year, for the feast of the Ascension, they sent them to the Monteforte prison.

Established throughout the Kingdom the circulation of the Royal Post Office to promote trade, the Cardinal, as a suitable place, was installed "the Post Office" for the reception and distribution of letters, and this place was chosen for the "mute" of horses, until 1866, because, thanks to the steam, the Post Office, for the sorting of correspondence, went to Nola.

As the district was on the transit road from Naples to Avellino and Apulia and vice versa, the transit cars stopped to give the horses and travelers rest.

In this way, more or less comfortable and large "Osterias" began to arise.

The first was opened in the Cardinal's Palace, in a short time it was honored and renowned for the convenience of the large room. Another, very comfortable and renowned, was opened in the Palazzo della Principessa Doria di Avella.

Until the last days of the ceased Reign of the Bourbons, all the money that was required for property taxes and more, was transported every Thursday with one or two cars to Naples through the Cardinal. The cars, laden with money from the Superior Provinces, stopped to stay overnight in the Osteria del Palazzo del Cardinale. With a rather barbaric term these cars were called "PROCACCI"; this took the name of "OSTERIA DEL PROCACCIO", which still replaces the old title of the "Palazzo del Cardinale".

As there was no longer the "pack" of horses, and once the transit of so many people was over, for the relocation of the Post Office to Nola, even the famous taverns ended. Today there is nothing left but the name of what they were, because they are no more than filthy taverns. The first then, the Procaccio, is very damaged in the building. The barbarism that followed the 1980 earthquake did the rest.

This population was served with water, except for a few owners who had the tanks in their own home, from a huge cistern built by the Cardinal in the Palace, which was filled every year with the waters of Mugnano, but many times it was insufficient for the needs of the population. .

In 1826, being Mayor D. Mario Bisesti, a native of the Cardinal, he had the present fountain built at the expense of the Municipality, which served both to fill the large reservoir and for public utility.

In 1858 the Municipality had another deep and spacious reservoir built, with two openings, in the width to the right of the Church, it was filled with the waters of the Quadrelle stream in the winter season. It was definitively closed around 1950, when all of Mugnano del Cardinale was supplied with a water system by the Consorzio dell'Alto Calore.

THE CHURCH OF SAN LIBERATORE today CHURCH OF MADONNA DEL CARMELO

At about one third of the buildings, there is the Church with the sacristy, the tower with two bells and the clock.

The Church is proportionate to the number of inhabitants. A corresponding rise precedes it, which makes the entrance majestic.

This Church is administered by a Curate Treasurer, to whom the Municipality of Mugnano passes Duc. 60 per year, for its inconvenience and for the expenses of Worship. Until a few years ago, the Bursar depended in everything on the Parish Priest of the Ascension of Mugnano. The current Bishop, Mons. Formisano, made him independent.

The oldest registers, preserved in the Diocesan Archives of the Episcopal Curia of Nola, date from the suppression of the Parish of SS. Filippo and Giacomo, at the foot of Mugnano, in 1749.

In 1960 on July 16 Mons. Adolfo BINNI, Bishop of Nola, definitively constituted it as an autonomous Parish and elected the Sac. D. Elia FERONE, a native of Sperone, as the first parish priest of the «Parish Church of Maria SS. del Carmine »to the Cardinal.

The church, very decent and well equipped with sacred furnishings, is dedicated to St. Liberato, Bishop of Ariano, as evidenced by the specious relic of the entire forearm, wedged and sealed in a wooden arm. As titular of the Church S. Liberato does not have a special and proper altar. The Sta-tua in gilded wood is of the sec. XVI, is thought to be contemporary with the construction of the Church.

It is said that in 1820, while he was being carried in procession, a revolutionary uprising took place, frightened the Clergy and the people, they all left the Saint and fled. The bearers of the statue, both for haste and for fear, made it fall and ran away, then the left hand was broken, which was later rebuilt from cardboard.

In the tradition that in the pestiferous contagion of 1656 the Saint saved from death whoever invoked him with faith and love, from then on the people honored him with the name of Liberator from the malignant plague.

This church has, in addition to the main altar, two other lateral ones, all of beautiful marble, especially the main one, very well worked.

A painting on canvas, representing the Virgin of Carmine, on the right the miraculous S. Gennaro, on the left the ancient titular S. Liberato sits on the high altar. Nothing is known of this painting, but we only read: "Paulus De Maio in 1764", we can perhaps say that the "De Maio restauravit".

The small presbytery is closed by a beautiful marble balustrade. The altar bears the inscription: "Mario Bisesti made - 1837", while the balustrade bears: "Marii Bisesti devotion - 1829" it is known that these marbles were bought by the Marquis of Liveri, who had them in his church, at the expense of the Municipality of Mugnano, by the Mayor Mario Bisesti.

On the sides of the main altar there are the niches of the Madonna del Car¬mine on the right, that of S. Liberato on the left.

Outside the presbytery, with a straight hand as you enter, there is a marble altar dedicated to the Archangel St. Michael, with the following couplet engraved at the base:

«Donati Michaelis iam struxere Masucci

hanc Michaeli aram, quem horrida reigns timent ».

Above there is a painting, but with a bad brush, which represents the death of the just man, assisted by Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and St. Michael, with this other short inscription: «ex devotione Michaelis Masucci 1768»:.

On the opposite side and opposite there is another similar one, dedicated to Purga-torio, with a very mediocre picture, with the Virgin Mary sending an Angelo to relieve the souls in purgatory.

At the base of the palliotto this other couplet is engraved:

«Afflictis animabus sacrum altare decrevit Bisesti semper vivid forma foret».

From these verses it seems that the nominees had made 01 altars and pictures at their own expense, but it is clear that these altars were bought by the Marquis of Liveri in 1827, especially since they are of the same marble and with the same design of. greater.

From this it can be deduced that in their place, in ancient time, there were two others made of wood or of factory, made at the expense of the devoted Masucci and Bisesti.

This church has a beautiful image of Maria SS. of Car-mine, to which the people bring a great devotion and celebrate its feast on the Sunday after July 16 of each year, with great pomp and fervor. The statue is not ancient, it was commissioned by the Rev. D. Vincenzo Lopez, a native of the Cardinal, Father of the Pious Workers of Naples, to one of his penitent statues, who only charged the cost of the material with Due. 36 in 1817.

A beautiful plank ceiling covers the truss. In the middle there is the Trinity, which crowns the Virgin Mary with S. Gennaro and S. Liberato, painted almost similar to that of the main altar. It is the work of the famous master Muzzillo, as the inscription that one reads attests it: "Angelus Mn77illo fecit 1766". Above the entrance door there is a competent and suitable body for the Church. The balustrade of the stage is cleverly painted by Muzzillo himself. The middle lunette reproduces the Ascension of the Lord, perhaps to demonstrate its dependence on the Parish Church of the Ascension. In the lateral ones the Faith and S. Giovanni are reproduced, King David with the harp and S. Ce¬cilia with the organ. The whole would need a good restoration.