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Church of Our Lady of Aid

Year of construction XV-XVI secolo

AddressVia dell’Aiuto, 38

Coordinates40.628276,16.940710

Church

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Church of Our Lady of Aid
via dell’Aiuto, 38
Località Casasola

Exterior

Very ancient, perhaps dating back to a period prior to the construction of the city walls, the first structure of the church called S. Maria de lo Caputo had an east-west orientation, perpendicular to the current one. In 1732, the existing nave was enlarged and the pediment softened by two high lateral volutes was added. The church is at a higher level than the road, to which the parvis is connected by a symmetrical double staircase. In 1621, the Reverend Fathers Gabriello and Marcello Maria Mastrillo of the Society of Jesus founded here the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin with the name of Our Lady of Aid.
According to some sources, in this church a miraculous fresco of the Virgin Mary was worshipped: the faithful frequently turned to Her in case of suffering.

Inside scene

The interior presents a series of pillars leaning against the wall that tripart the nave. In the last part there is the presbytery with a marble balustrade. The altar is decorated with elegant marble inlays, as can be seen from the medallion with cross in the centre of the frontal and from the volutes.

In the upper part of the altar, two Corinthian columns of green marbled stucco with a broken tympanum and a finial with the image of the Eternal Father frame the niche with the statue of Our Lady of Aid, made in 1938 by a craftsman from Ortisei (in Trentino-Alto Adige) to replace the original from the 18th century.

On the right the sacristy, from which a staircase leads to the bell tower with two bells created in Naples in 1916 and 1922, and to the choir floor, built above the main entrance, which houses an ancient organ.

The floor dates back to 1881.

Papier-mâché statue of St. Vincent Ferrer.