Each year, thousands of pilgrims traverse the Cammino di San Tommaso in central Italy, from Rome to Ortona, in order to visit the cathedral where Saint Thomas the Apostle was laid to rest. In 2016, the proprietors of the Dora Sarchese vineyard in the small town of Caldari di Ortona created an oasis for thirsty hikers along the pilgrimage route. At the vineyard's fontana di vino, hikers on the pilgrimage route (and everyone else) can stop for a glass of red wine, pumped for free from a fountain that’s available 24 hours a day.
In search of "Doubting Thomas":
- The fountain, part of a project that promotes the pilgrimage to tourists, is similar to a fountain that popped up along the Camino de Santiago in Ronda, Spain, a few years ago.
- “The wine fountain is a welcome, the wine fountain is poetry,” the Dora Sarchese vineyard posted on its Facebook page, while reminding potential visitors that “drunkards” and “louts” are not welcome.
- Saint Thomas was one of the original 12 apostles. Because of his initial disbelief about Jesus’ resurrection, he is sometimes referred to as Doubting Thomas. He was present at the Sea of Galilee when Jesus appeared to all the disciples.