In the heart of Veroli, not far from the Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle, is the church dedicated to St. Mary Salome, patron saint of the city. This sacred place is located on the site where the remains of the pious woman of the Gospel were discovered in 1209.
According to reports sent to Pope Innocent III by Girardo, the abbot of Casamari, the relics were found in an area that was difficult to reach, suggested by Thomas, the custodian of St. Peter’s Church. An oratory was built around these occupied burials, which over time was transformed and expanded. Although it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1350, this structure was promptly rebuilt and consecrated in 1492.
During the 18th century, the church underwent both exterior and interior renovations. From the architecture, the church è divided into three wide aisles and houses a canvas depicting Saint Salome by artist Cesari Giuseppe, better known as the Knight of Arpino, with images of the holy apostles, probably the work of local painter Giuseppe Passeri.
The church è divided into three wide aisles.
The church è famous for its 13th- and 14th-century frescoes and a large triptych showing the Virgin Mary and various Franciscan orders. The church’s dome è is decorated with frescoes attributed to Giacinto Brandi, while others depicting scenes from the Passion are possibly works by Maratta.
In the second chapel, Bishop Tartagni had the Holy Staircase built in the 18th century. Consisting of twelve steps, it also contains a fragment of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, for which visitors can obtain a papal indulgence.
The church houses numerous works of art, including a crucifix by F. Trevisani, a Deposition by A. Cavallucci, and a 17th-century wooden statue of St. Salome. In the last chapel of the right aisle is a funerary monument dedicated to Francesca Antonia Leni, a young woman who died when she was only 15 years old.
In the lower part of the church is an ancient oratory, reached by a staircase that wraps around a circular tower. Here are preserved the mortal remains of St. Mary Salome, along with the relics of Saints Blaise and Demetrius.
Opposite the church is the Seminary, home to the Biblioteca Giovardiana, one of the oldest public libraries in Italy, starting in the second half of the 1700s.
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