The church of Santa Maria del Carmine
“Enjoy the Love of the Virgin Mother. It is the privilege of Mary. It will not be given to another”
Exterior Church Santa Maria (1700)Comune di Ripacandida
The church of Santa Maria del Carmine was built on an older foundation dedicated to Santa Maria del Piano, destroyed during the earthquake of 8 September 1694. The new sacred building was built by devotion by Giovanni Battista and his brother Donato Antonio Baffari.
On the death of Giovanni Battista, the church was inherited by his niece Porzia, daughter of Donat'Antonio who, married to Donat'Antonio Rossi, a native of Contursi (SA), gave birth to Giovanni and Giovan Battista (1690-1746), quest last future and enlightened archpriest of Ripacandida
Interior Church Santa Maria (1700)Comune di Ripacandida
The church has a longitudinal body consisting of two bays, divided by two pillars that support an arch to access the presbytery area. The vault is a barrel vault decorated with frescoes ...
In the center is depicted Jesus surrounded by a bank of clouds on which cherubs sit, while on the sides six apostles are distribuited…
SANTA MARIA CHURCH TIMEComune di Ripacandida
... between which the Evangelists are inserted, portrayed in half-length with tunics and voluminous mantles, they are recognizable by the books that hold on their knees and the verses of the respective gospels.
The vault over the presbytery is also barrel-vaulted, at the center of which is represented the Madonna del Carmine flanked by three clipei per side in which the saints were painted in half-length
Santa Rosa e Sant'Apollonia (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
Santa Apollonia martyr, protector of teeth and related diseases. She lived in the 3rd century devoting himself completely to the apostolate. During a massacre of Christians she was captured: because of her determination and her courage, they threatened to burn her alive. Saint Dionysius narrates that the virgin Apollonia, fearing that she did not have the strength to endure such torture, threw herself into the fire of her own free will.
San Gregorio (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
in the respective lunettes paunches Pope Gregorio Magno ...
Apostle (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
and St. Augustine ...
San Donato paesano (San Donatello) from Ripacandida (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
... interspersed with St. Donatello from Ripacandida in the company of the bear, his usual iconographic attribute
Santa Lucia and Santa Teresa (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
Saint Teresa of Avila distinguished herself for her impressive reforming work within the Carmelite order which also had a monastery in Ripacandida founded in the early 1700s.
Beatified in 1614, it was canonized in 1622.
APOSTLEComune di Ripacandida
In the corresponding lunettes (left) the saints John Chrysostom are portrayed ...
St. Bernard (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
... and Saint Bernard ...
St. Donato bishop and martire (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
... while in the center, in a heart-shaped frame, the image of Saint Donato, Bishop and Martyr.
Ascension of Jesus to the sky (1700) by Frescante anonimoComune di Ripacandida
The next room is frescoed in the vault by the Ascension of Jesus
SANTA MARIA CHURCH TIMEComune di Ripacandida
In the side lunettes, however, the apostles are painted, with the four evangelists; St. John, St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. Mark
Credit: Ruggiero Doronzo - Arch. Giuseppe Sarcuno
