The Cappuccini Gate in Spello.
What’s the connection between this gate in Spello, a cappuccino, an order of monks and Lizzie Witch.
Well, if you are a child it’s all about frothy milk and Lizzie Witch so for children go to the programme here: Frothy milk
If you are an adult then read on!
Around 1520 a friar from Marche in Italy said that God felt that the lifestyle of friars of his day was not that intended by their founder, St. Francis of Assisi and He endeavoured to return to the original primitive lifestyle
The Church tried to surpress this movement and Friar Matteo and his followers had to go into hiding. They were given refuge by the Camaldolese Monks and later adopted the hood or Cappucio worn by that order as a mark of gratitude. From this came the name of the order. Capuchin Momks.
Legend has it that when a Turk army fled after marching on Vienna in 1683 they left lots of sacks of coffee beans behind. The coffee made with these beans was very bitter and so milk and honey was added to make it drinkable. The drink was called Cappucino after the capuchin order of Monks the habits of which also just happened to be the same colours as a Cappuccino.
Above: the road in Spello leading from the Cappuccini Gate.
Creative Learning for Young Children 