Monte S. Angelo leans on the west side of Monte degli Angeli and its history refers to Archangel Michele: emperors, saints, simple people have been praying him for over 1500 years. Monte S. Angelo was born since the three Archangel's APPARIZIONI. The firs went on 8th May 490. A man called Elvio Emanuele, then called Gargano, was injured by a arrow he threw against a bull that was afterwards kneeling in front of a cave. The bishop of Siponto, Lorenzo Maiorano, ordered three days praying and no eating in ordere to get a divine answer. The third day the Archangel "told" the sleeping bishop that himself did it and made the cave as the place for his cult. The second went on 29th September 492. siponto was attacked by Eruli and Neapolitan. The Archangel "told" the sleeping bishop how to win the battle. The third on 29th September 493. lorenzo Maiorano and a big faithful crowd went to the Mount to thank the Archangel for the previous year's victory. The Archangel "told" then that the basilica was already there. They found the altar with the cross and his footprint on a rock. Historians say that the three APPARIZIONI went on different periods. The first on BIZANTINI age and the other two on LONGOBARDO DUCATO of Benevento. 
BIZANTINI made the sanctuary very important and sacked it before giving it to LONGOBARDI. SARACENI, in 869 and 920, sacked the sanctuary and (ca. 1000) BIZANTINI got Gargano and the town again. During the Crusades the sanctuary was very important: a-must-go-there before getting the Holy Land. Anyway, the Archangel's APPARIZIONE was the background for the Christianity in this area.