Santa Sperandia is a

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

-style,

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located on Via Santa Sperandia in the town of

Cingoli Cingoli is a town and ''comune'' of the Marches, Italy, in the province of Macerata, about by road from the town of Macerata. It is the birthplace of Pope Pius VIII. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of I ...

, province of Macerata, region of

Marche Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...

, Italy.

History

An oratory was built at the site in the 11th century, and dedicated to

St Michael Archangel Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

, patron of the

Camaldolese order The Camaldolese Hermits of Mount Corona () are a Catholic monastic order of pontifical right for men founded by St. Romuald. Its name is derived from the Holy Hermitage () in Camaldoli, high in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy, near the city of A ...

and a saint favored by the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

. By the 14th century, the oratory had been renamed in memory of Sister Sperandia, a Camaldolese nun who died in Cingoli in 1276. Originally from

Gubbio Gubbio () is an Italian town and ''comune'' in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia (Umbria). It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennine Mountains, Apennines. History Prehistory The ol ...

, she had dedicated years to eremitic life in a grotto in Monte Acuto for some years, then moved to a small monastic community here, which was increased by

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

nuns from a nearby monastery of San Marco fuori Porta Mentana. The adjacent medieval monastery housed a large monastic community until it was demolished by the Malatesta overlords in 1355. It was rebuilt soon after, and the veneration of body of Santa Sperandia, led to reconsecration of this church in 1562. Documents from 1573, take note of a Camaldolese order, but later ones show dependency on the

Monte Cassino Abbey The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient Roman town of Casinum, it is the first house ...

. In 1734 there were 47 nuns, and in 1853, 36. Like many monasteries, it risked suppression during the 19th century, and in 1898, the Benedictine nuns of Osimo moved here. In 2016, it remains an active monastery. The church underwent refurbishments during the 16th and 17th centuries, leading to its present Baroque decoration. The brick facade is narrow, with a protruding center framed by Tuscan pilasters, and with a small central oculus. The

narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...

is octagonal, and leads to a single nave with a barrel vault. The main altarpiece is an oval depicting ''Santa Sperandia and the Miracle of the Cherries'', wherein she was fed by an angel while residing in the cave of Monte Acuto. The canvas is painted by

Pier Simone Fanelli Pier Simone Fanelli (29 December 1641 - 1703) was an Italian painter active in the Region of the Marche, active in a Baroque style. Biography He was born in Ancona and died in Cingoli. His training is unclear. By 1665-1666 he was painting in the ...

. The "uncorrupted" corpse of the Saint is on display in an altar designed between 1633-1639 by

Annibale Ricca Annibale is the Italian masculine given name and surname equivalent to Hannibal. In English, it may refer to : Given name * Annibale Albani (1682–1751), Italian cardinal * Annibale I Bentivoglio, (died 1445), ruler of Bologna from 1443 * Anniba ...

of Cingoli. Another altarpiece in the church depicts ''Santa Francesca Romana in Adoration of Madonna and Child'' by

Giuseppe Ghezzi Giuseppe Ghezzi (November 6, 1634–1721) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Rome. Biography Born in Comunanza, in the Marche (then part of the Papal States), he was the son of the painter Sebastiano Ghezzi, a paint ...

. The counter-façade has a carved and gilded wood choir and organ loft, attributed to

Cosmo Scoccianti Cosmo may refer to: Business and media * ''Cosmopolitan'' (magazine), a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as "Cosmo" * ''Cosmo'' (book), 2012 short story collection * Cosmo On-Line, a Brazilian generic Internet portal * Cosmo Radio, ...

.Tourism office of Macerata
by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio Provincia di Macerata, entry on the church. Other paintings in the church include a ''Enthroned Madonna and Saints'' by

Antonio da Faenza Antonio da Faenza (either circa 1454 or more likely 1480s - 1534) was an Italian painter and architect active in Emilia-Romagna and Marche, active in a Renaissance style. The documentation on Antonio da Faenza is confused because, different author ...

, and a ''Crucifixion'', copy of a work by

Scipione Pulzoni Scipione Pulzone (1544 – February 1, 1598), also known as Il Gaetano, was a Neapolitan painter of the late Italian Renaissance. His work differs in several respects from the Mannerist style predominant at the time. He was active mainly in Ro ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sperandia Cingoli Baroque architecture in Marche 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches in Cingoli