Father Colombino Bassi in 1689 received from the archbishop of Florence Morigia all the priestly orders and in April he celebrated his first mass. In July he entered his will into the solitary cells, built in caves inside a mountain. He remained here for about three years, subjecting himself to every possible abstinence and sacrifice. In this period he had the opportunity to meet a very old hermit, custodian of a great secret. Before becoming a cloister, this hermit managed a famous and luxurious Turkish bath in Livorno, where he had brought oriental refinements and fashions. This old hermit, a former businessman, was originally Hermene and was called Antonio Bògos Celebì. The old Armenian hermit shared the same cave with Colombino and in the long days of solitude he used to tell the story of his adventurous life. Before he died, the old Armenian hermit confided to Colombino that during the years he was running the Turkish bath in Livorno he had heard a story about a certain Florentine knight of Malta, who became governor of the city of Livorno, managed to take possession of the famous Bible Catara, where it was reported a mysterious journey made by the Templars minutely described in all its most secret details. In this bible it was described that the Templars brought from Egypt, as well as relics and treasures, even a strange device where there was a demon who had the power to move his victims back in time, until the events changed. This diabolical device, along with other relics, was located in the hills of Livorno, hidden in an old monastery. The story of the old hermit was very enthralling Colombino Bassi who decided, after three years of spiritual retreat in the caves, to leave the enclosure to reach the wild hills of Livorno, in order to find the device that could travel in time and change events , so as to allow him to go back to the time when his father lost his life in the siege of Mersina in Turkey, during one of many Russian Turkish wars...
Father Colombino Bassi was co-founder of the Benedetta Valley together with Nobile Huygens. Both were looking for eternal life but with different goals. The noble Huygens did not want to die because he wanted to enjoy his immense fortunes forever while Father Colombino Bassi wanted immortality until he had destroyed Turkey or until someone had done it for him. Antonio Huygens and Colombino Bassi were very close friends, so the noble Huygens, in honor of Father Colombino, wanted to place a case with a small statue of Colombino Bassi on the main entrance door of the villa. This statuette, still visible and well preserved, is an exceptional find because it depicts the father faithfully in appearance and especially in the face.
A clarification: the old Armenian hermit told Father Colombino Bassi that a knight of Malta was able to get his hands on the Catara Bible but his story was quite confusing, next time it will be my duty to clarify how Antonio Martelli (knight of Malta) intercepted the Catara Bible.
In attachment villa Huygens with the small statue of Colombino Bassi on the main entrance door.