Oratorio di San Pellegrino (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

for ''Oratory of San Pellegrino'') is a medieval oratory in the village of

Bominaco Bominaco is a frazione of Caporciano in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. Main sights * Castle of Bominaco The Castle of Bominaco (Italian: ''Castello di Bominaco'') is a medieval castle in Bominaco, Province ...

, in the municipality of Caporciano in the

Province of L'Aquila The Province of L'Aquila ( it, Provincia dell'Aquila) is the largest, most mountainous and least densely populated province of the Abruzzo region of Central Italy. It comprises about half the landmass of Abruzzo and occupies the western part o ...

(

Abruzzo Abruzzo (, , ; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Abruzzese Neapolitan, Abbrùzze , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; nap, label=Sabino dialect, Aquilano, Abbrùzzu; #History, historically Abruzzi) is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy wi ...

). The interior walls of the church are entirely covered in

frescoes Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

that represent a historical testimony of medieval Abruzzo. In 1902, the oratory was declared a national monument.

History

The oratory was part of a Benedictine monastery,

Santa Maria Assunta Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...

, that was established in the Carolingian era. An inscription on the back wall indicates it was constructed in 1263, commissioned by Abbot Teodino. The oratory was believed to have been constructed over the tomb of San Pellegrino of Syria, a saint evidently highly regarded in this area, but little is known about him. UNESCO declared the oratory a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Architecture

Exterior

An eighteenth-century porch marks the front facade, while a bell tower tops the back. Interior Bominaco-OratorioDiSanPellegrino 14

The small space (18.7 x 5.6m) comprises a single nave with ogival vaults in 4 bays.
Interior of Oratory
It is lit by three small windows on each side and rosette windows on the front and back facades. The space is divided by a half wall that must have served to separate lay visitors from the monks. The interior walls are entirely covered with frescoes, which date to the late 13th century.

Frescoes

4 rows of frescoes decorate the walls. At the lowest level are faux hanging curtains. Above, 3 rows of narratives represent scenes from the childhood of Christ, the Passion, the Last Judgment, the lives of St. Pellegrino and other saints, and months of the calendar. It has been suggested that a Charlemagne cycle was also included (now fragmentary). The apex of the vaults is covered with bands of geometric patterns. At least 3 different artists are thought to have produced the paintings, which owe a strong debt to Byzantine-Roman medieval traditions. Scholars have also noted a strong interest in lively naturalism in many of the frescoes, suggesting influences of northern Gothic art.

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Pellegrino Bominaco 13th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Churches completed in 1263