Near the mouth of the picturesque mountain valley of Guardiagrele is the shrine of Andrea Bafile, hero of World War I, buried in the lap of the “Mother Mountain” a reminder of Abruzzo’s fallen soldiers of all wars. Andrea Bafile, born in Monticchio di Bagno (AQ) on Oct. 7, 1878, was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy who took part in World War I, being killed during a reckless operation conducted on the Piave River near Jesolo. Decorated with the gold medal for military valor, Bafile was buried not far from the place where he had found death, but was later exhumed and laid to rest in the Bocca di Valle shrine (which had been set up in the meantime) on September 23, 1923. The shrine consists of an artificial grotto accessed by means of a low side corridor; above the shrine’s large window are the famous words of Raffaele Paolucci: “Sons of Abruzzo who died fighting for Italy and are buried far away between the Alps and the sea the Maiella mother looks at you and blesses you forever.” Andrea Bafile’s body rests in a stone sarcophagus made by Pennapiedimonte sculptor Felice Giuliante, while on the walls are three large ceramic tile panels depicting a Pieta and, facing each other, the Hero of the Mountain and the Hero of the Sea, three masterpieces completed by Basilio Cascella and his son Tommaso in 1924.
