The Origin of the Name
The name Lu Cugnuntu is probably a dialectal evolution of the Latin word coniunctio, meaning “junction” or “union”. At this point, the streams of Valloncello and Acquastrino meet and merge, giving rise to this distinctive hydrogeological formation.
According to another interpretation, the term may derive from the medieval use of the word coniunctio, which could also refer to a conduit or hydraulic connection.
The unique shape of the gorge also lends itself to a more poetic interpretation of the name: the rocky walls of the canyon seem to draw closer and closer together, as though they were forever striving to unite without ever quite touching.
Beneficial Waters and Therapeutic Uses: The Leprosarium of San Lazzaro
For centuries, the waters of this area were believed to possess healing and therapeutic properties, much like the renowned waters of Triponzo and Madonna della Peschiera. This reputation probably contributed to the establishment nearby of an important centre for the care of the sick and of pilgrims: the Leprosarium of San Lazzaro.
Its foundation dates back to 24 September 1218, when Brother Bono received a plot of land from Razzardo, lord of the castle of Roccapazza, with the obligation to build a church and a hospitale dedicated to the care of lepers, the sick and travellers. According to tradition, the donation was encouraged by Saint Francis of Assisi himself, a connection that continued over the centuries that followed, when the complex was first administered by the Friars Minor and later by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Sant’Eutizio.
The institution played a vital role in assisting the sick and wayfarers until 1498, when it was suppressed by a papal bull issued by Pope Innocent VIII. The decree abolished the Order of Saint Lazarus, together with other hospital orders, transferring its properties to the Order of Saint John.
The decision to establish a hospital in this particular location was closely linked to the presence of ancient sulphurous springs, now lost, probably as a result of seismic events. These waters were believed to possess properties similar to those of the nearby thermal springs of Triponzo. Evidence of their existence survives in the account of Bishop Lascaris, who visited the site in the eighteenth century and recorded the remains of several basins that had once belonged to ancient therapeutic baths.
Even today, the ruins of these basins can still be seen near the church. They stand as a precious testimony to the historical therapeutic use of the waters in this place, whose memory lives on in local traditions that continue to attribute beneficial powers to the nearby waterfall.
