It’s a tree surrounded by legends, one that some even consider miraculous. It certainly makes an impression on tourists and pilgrims visiting the Basilica of Santa Sabina on Rome’s Aventine Hill. Only the Dominicans living in the adjoining friary can approach it, but anyone can catch a glimpse through a narrow opening in a wall. There stands an orange tree that seems to defy time. At the beginning of winter, its foliage is thick, and a few still-green oranges promise a bountiful harvest in the coming months. This is where the “miracle” lies: According to tradition, the tree has continued to bear fruit for some 800 years, although orange trees normally struggle to live a century. St. Dominic himself is said to have planted it around 1220, a few years after founding the Dominican Order. It’s believed to be the first and oldest orange tree in Rome. Although the tree’s true origins are difficult to Read More…

St. Dominic’s “immortal” orange tree in Rome