Artena. Church of Santa Maria of Letizie

Artena. Church of Santa Maria of Letizie

The year of foundation of church of Santa Maria of Letizie in Artena is not known.

Iit seems that it dates back to the time of the Barbarian invasions, between the sixth and eighth centuries, when the inhabitants fled from the plain and took refuge on the mountainside building there the first houses. 

It may have been the place of pagan worship in even more ancient centuries and dedicated to the goddess Juno.

It has a simple structure, is 22 meters long and 12 metres wide.

It was bombed in January 1944, but has been recently restored, respecting the original structure.

In here is kept the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, sacred icon venerated by the inhabitants of Artena, which is carried in procession every year on the Saturday before the third Sunday of May.
 


Written by:
Benedicta Lee

Born in Rome from an Italian mother and American father, she works as a freelance communications manager and designer in the tourism sector, a career and interest which she is pursuing with a...

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