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This hospital was founded on Pistoiese legend that tells the story of a married couple, Antimo and Bendinella, and the old tradition of placing an offering in the hallowed out trunk of a fallen tree. The Virgin Mary appeared to the married couple and ordered them to build a hospital wherever they found a blossoming flower branch during the winter. From this story, the namesake, Il Ceppo, was given making it an institution of assistance to the poor and sick of the city. The Ceppo hospital had a crucial role in the city, especially during the frequent calamities of medieval times.
The hospital later inserted itself into the social institution system of the city to become one of the most noted social assistance services.