Massa Lubrense

The original flooring is located in the back of the church and they are not sure which direction it was originally facing, horizontal or vertical. Chapel 10 depicts the seamen’s gate where people from Massa would come in to Naples to trade. To this day, that spot, keeps the same name even though the walls were destroyed and the new gate is further out due to the receding sea. Massa was known for its artisans and with craftsmen, and they came to trade pottery, tile, etc. 

The alter floors are 18th century while the rest of the ex. Cathedral’s floors are from the 20th century restoration. Within the old portion of the floors, you will find tombs of the family patrons who used to sponsor each of the chapels.

The construction of the church of Saint Mary of Graces was started in 1512 in a place called Palma. Where the new entrance of the town was moved after the main town was destroyed by Ferrantei of Aragon in 1465. The main city was destroyed because the people of Massa Lubrense went to get refuge from the invasion of the Ferrantei. There was the church of Saint Erasmo, that was incorporated in the new church and it became the chapel of Saint Cataldo. Saint Cataldo is the patron/saint of the town of Massa and thus every year there is a celebration in the town.

What you can see in present day is the restoration of the church after the earthquake of 1687/88.

The church has the shape of a Latin cross also known as a Nave - where the nave is the central part of a church, stretching from the main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts or chancel. Two aisles run parallel which the chapels open out onto.

The central nave of the Chruch of S. Mary of Graces has a pulpit dating back to the 1600’s. Above the main entrance is the organ. The previous golden, wooden coffered ceiling has since been replaced.

BACKGROUND HISTORY

The brick floor, of good eighteenth-century decoration, now a little shabby, was the work of Bellotti, as demonstrated by his weapons drawn in the centre.

On the cross there was the dome, probably eliminated in the same remake by Bellotti: it was by Andrea da Salerno and subjects were represented there, it was painted by Biblical painters (1).

In the tribune there was the ancient painting of the Madonna delle Grazie, it represented the Blessed Virgin with the Child in unis, with S. John the Apostle on the right and S. Sebastiano on the left; in the upper part there was painted the Resurrection of Our Lord, with the Archangel Gabriel on the right, the Annunciation on the left and below the SS. Apostles. The author was Marco di Massa known as Cardisco, who began to make it with an instrument. at night. Andrea Cerleone of 28 April. 1527, by order of the city of Massa. This painting, perhaps destroyed due to its age, was replaced by the small painting that can be seen there, attributed by some to Andrea da Salerno (2).

The main door was the only one the church had and was externally adorned with marble with the coat of arms of Monsignor. Palm tree. Bellotti redid it, placing his insignia on it, and opened it. the two side doors, where there were previously two altars (3).

The ancient sacristy, very narrow, was near the staircase of the ancient bishop's palace and was accessed from the entrance to S. Erasmo. Bellotti is also responsible for the current sacristy where he had the portraits of his predecessors painted, to which that of Vassallo, his successor, was later added. Some paintings and simulacra, now disappeared, were preserved in the sacristy, including a gilded wooden statue of S. M. della Sanità.

Since the means were insufficient, the construction of the Cathedral took a very long time: it lasted until 1536, when the mayor Pietro Cangiano paid the subsidy of duc on behalf of the University. 43, for the Mayoris Ecclesiae factory> (1). Only a few years later it was finished, and it was finally consecrated on 18 July 1543 by Mons. Pietro Marchesi.

The successor bishops carried out quite a few renovations and restorations. Mons. Centino rebuilt the organ in 1628, with the University also contributing (2); and finding the church in bad static conditions, he repaired it and decorated it; then he restored the attic and the main arch and finally erected a wooden pulpit, as stated in two epigraphs which will be reported further down. The restorations were completed in 1631.

Having also suffered the Church, like the Episcopate, in the earthquake of 1687, Msgr. Nepita carried out some static repairs, which were done at the expense of the University, having also enriched it with many furnishings. But a few years later, in 169g the city of Massa decided to carry out works of greater importance to repair and embellish the Cathedral and on 2 July of that year it made an agreement with Domenico Messina, Neapolitan master builder, and with Anello di Puolo di Massa, to hand of note. Vincenzo de Turri, forcing the city to pay duc. 650, and the masters to finish the work for the entire month of October of that year. Work began on 2 July (3).

But even more important work was carried out by Mgr. Bellotti:

(1) Budget of 1536-37; in Sum. Partium, vol. 219.

(2) In 1626 the University spent duc. 71.4 for the sermon and for the arrangement of the organ of the Bishopric". (Proc. ant. Somm., vol. 295, proc. 3370). The organ was placed on the main door by Centino, and the stage, rebuilt not long ago, is supported by two beautiful Roman columns excavated in Sorrento.

(3) NEPITA, f. 239, t.

In addition to the static restorations, he redid the floor, the high altar and other altars, the pulpit and the ornamental part of the church; and in addition to this he erected the episcopal throne in the presbytery, opened the two doors corresponding to the side naves, rebuilt the façade of the church, and built the large sacristy which can still be seen today. These works, already begun in 1759 (1), were completed ten years later.

But after the death of the last bishop this church remained in great abandonment and was reduced to such a state of decay that in 1827 Mons. Pope Archbishop of Sorrento interdicted her for no longer being suitable for sacred worship. And so that Archbishop determined to restore it, with a letter dated 24 July of that year, he appointed Colonel Giuseppe Vollaro, who was in Massa, to supervise the works (2). The expenses amounted to duca. 5ooo, and they were satisfied partly with alms and partly by the Chapter. And so the church was reduced to its present state.

The church of vast proportions, is built with three naves with transept and apse. The three naves communicate through five pairs of arches, each of which corresponds to a chapel on each side, except for the second from the door, in correspondence of which on the side of the epistle is the baptismal font, and on the opposite side the door of the sacristy. On the sides of the apse there are two chapels corresponding to the two side naves; in the wings of the transept there are two altars on each side.

(1) On 19 July of this year Pio Monte paid the Bishop a subsidy for the Cathedral's buildings (Lib. giorn. ecc. del P. M., 1723-74, f. 85)-

(2) Instructions at night. Costanzo Cangiani, of 6 September. 1827, of the 21st week 1828 and 17 Nov. 1831. The executors were the contractors Giovani Battista and Salvatore Conforti, from Majori, and Michele and Antonino Fiorentino, from Sorrento.