San Ginesio
San Ginesio is a "comune" (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about southwest of Ancona and about southwest of Macerata. As of December 31, 2004, it had a population of 3,872 and an area of . San Ginesio borders the following municipalities: Camporotondo di Fiastrone, Cessapalombo, Colmurano, Fiastra, Gualdo, Ripe San Ginesio, Sant'Angelo in Pontano, Sarnano, Tolentino. Geography. San Ginesio is located at 680 m above sea level and is the 5th highest and 12th largest municipality in the province of Macerata. It is borders via Picena, formerly SS 78, which connects the  territory of Macerata with the Sibillini Mountains. It is located within the Monti Sibillini National Park and, thanks to its high position, the panorama ranges from the Conero to the Umbrian-Marche Apennines, reaching up to the Gran Sasso: for this reason San Ginesio is also called ""the balcony of the Sibillini"". The village, also nicknamed ""the village of 100 churches"", also stands on a panoramic site that allows the view of the municipalities of Civitanova Marche, Gualdo, Ripe San Ginesio and Monte San Martino, of the hamlets of Passo San Ginesio, Pian di Pieca and Santa Croce (belonging to  the municipality itself), of the hamlet of Sassotetto (municipality of Sarnano) and the view of the Adriatic Sea and the wind turbines of Serrapetrona. Within the municipal territory the Fiastrella stream is born and flows, already present in Roman times with the name "Flussorius", which flows into the Chienti. To avoid problems of water distribution, the country is equipped with a large reservoir, which in case of shortages compensates for the need. The village is divided into four districts (Porta Ascarana, Offuna, Picena, Alvaneto) that compete every year in the traditional palio contest. Origin of the name. The first known  mention of the name is "castrum Sancti Genesij", dating back to 995. It is probable that the place previously called "Avia" or "Oppidum esculanum" changed in the toponym San Ginesio after the passage of the Franks of Charlemagne. The patron saint of the village is not St. Genesius of Arles, nor the St. Genesius of Brescello, as written by Gaetano Moroni, but St. Genesius of Rome, mime martyred in 303 by the emperor Diocletian for refusing to perform on stage, in a burlesque way, the baptism sacrament of Christians. For this reason the Saint became the patron saint of theatre  people. In 1601, Pope Clement VIII granted San Ginesio the relic of the Saint consisting of a left arm; but since the martyr Ginesio and the martyr Eleuterio had been buried together, to avoid confusion, the "holy left arms" sent were two. Since then the relics are preserved in the largest church of the place, called the Collegiate. Main sights. The town include: