Churches & Places of Worship

The church of the Holy Trinity or Saint Amanzio in Vitorchiano was built by expanding a previous structure in 1476 thanks to a series of taxes on the population.

In 1707 it was dedicated to Saint Amanzio with the arrival of the relic of his body from Rome.

Like the whole town, the church is in peperino stone and the entrance to the previous church is recognizable next to the simple Renaissance façade. In the central rose window you can recognize the Virgin crushing the snake.

The interior has a single nave and is embellished with a niche frescoed in 1514 by Valentino Pica, a 1560 canvas of the Madonna on the throne, the 13th-century tabernacle and a 16th-century crucifix.

The veneration of Saint Amanzio

In the church there is the precious urn that contains the relic of the body of Saint Amanzio. The late Baroque reliquary dates back to the 17th century by Keayter Federico and is supported by carved winged angels. The whole work is in gilded wood and red velvet.

From the glass it is possible to see the body of the saint resting on a cushion with one hand holding the palm of the resurrection. The saint is dressed in sumptuous clothes and the saint's sword is seen in front of the body.

Saint Amanzio, whose name means 'who loves god', was martyred in Tivoli with the saints Cereale, Getulio (his brother) and Primitivo. The saints were tied to a stake to be burned. The flames, however, did not hit the saints who were killed with sticks. They are celebrated on June 10th.

The church and monastery of Saint Nicholas in Vitorchiano were consecrated in 1533 and were immediately enriched by the relics of S. Martino bishop, S. Lidano bishop and S. Antimo martyr.

The monastery was entrusted for centuries to the Eremitiani di Sant'Agostino until the sale of the building by Napoleon to Mr. Honest of Vitorchiano. The church was then sold to the Poor Clares.

The simple peperino facade, enriched by a circular window and the coat of arms of San Bernardino, does not reveal the magnificence of the frescoes inside.

The interior has a single nave with a wooden roof and has an eighteenth-century gilded stucco altar and a wooden choir loft.

A masterpiece that surprises: the frescoes of the church

The interior of the church contains the treasure of a wonderful cycle of frescoes on three orders that mainly tell the story of the life of Jesus and some biblical passages and which were created by anonymous artists. The Last Judgment is represented in the apse.

The church was dedicated to St. Nicholas but has changed its name in homage to the cycle of frescoes that adorn it and in particular to a 1514 fresco of the Madonna della Misericordia which is located above the altar.

This one of hers appears as she opens her cloak which appears to protect nursing women and babies. This is why the tradition still lives on that brides leave their wedding bouquet here.

Two women can be recognized with joined hands and one of these is a certain Domina Lattaria Burgi from Vitorchiano who had commissioned the painter Mastrugio di Agostino to perform the work. At that time women often commissioned works and had themselves portrayed as a good omen.

The small church of S. Antonino in Cassino was built in the hamlet of the same name, north-west of Cassino, and has been restored several times over the centuries.

In 1972, precious frescoes from the fourteenth century were discovered on the left wall, among the oldest in the area. There are three panels with scenes from the Crucifixion, San Ludovico di Tolosa and Santa Margherita di Antiochia.

Among the extra-urban churches, the one of Santa Maria delle Grazie is outside the walls, built in 1504 by Baroness Costanza, daughter of Blasco II Barresi, along the ancient mule track that led to Scordia, where the Loddiero Valley begins.

The church, spared from the earthquake, still preserves the beautiful stone vault in the sacristy.

On the occasion of the feast of the Madonna delle Grazie (2 July), the devotees come here, starting from the church of Santa Maria della Stella.