Farneta Charterhouse

Farneta Charterhouse, known in Italian as Certosa di Farneta, is a Carthusian monastery situated just north of Lucca in the Tuscany region of Italy. Founded in the early 14th century, the charterhouse has experienced periods of both artistic flourishing and profound tragedy.

History and Significance

Established in the early 14th century, Farneta Charterhouse became a site of artistic endeavor in the 17th century when painters Giovanni Fondagna and Stefano Cassiani adorned its church interior with frescoes and altar-pieces. The monastery faced suppression by Napoleonic forces in 1809, though it was later re-occupied in the 19th century. Its history is indelibly marked by a devastating event in September 1944, when Nazi troops, under the guise of bearing gifts, invaded the monastery to arrest 32 partisans and Jews being sheltered within its walls. This act of brutality led to the execution of six Carthusian monks and six lay brothers, alongside the refugees. A plaque at the monastery's entrance, dedicated in 1985, commemorates this martyrdom, ensuring the memory of their sacrifice entered the history of the Italian people. The diverse nationalities of the executed monks, including Germans, a Swiss, a Venezuelan, and a Spaniard, underscore the international nature of the monastic community and the indiscriminate cruelty of the perpetrators. The decision to open the doors to those seeking refuge, famously articulated by Prior Dom Martino Binz with the question, 'If it were Jesus himself knocking at the door, what would we tell him?', highlights the profound commitment to charity and hospitality that defined the victims' final moments. Following the war, the monks maintained silence about the execution until 2000, when the Holy See requested a report for the Commission of the New Martyrs, leading to the publication of Luigi Accattoli's book, 'La strage di Farneta - The Farneta Massacre', in 2013.