Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio (Caldarola)

History of the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio in Caldarola

In the parish church of Valcimarra, Saint Blaise is venerated; he is depicted together with Saint Peter in the canvas of the high altar. The building, Romanesque in layout, has undergone many changes over time. Its present arrangement dates from 1908. The baptismal font dates from the 17th century. In 1906 the interior decoration was entrusted to the painter Francesco Ferranti of Tolentino.

Next to the church are the premises of the Abbondanza Pia, which provided dowries for poor girls, and of the Comunanza Agraria, which guaranteed firewood to resident families.

What to see in the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio

The interior is a single-nave hall, with a small semicircular apse covered by a stone half-dome. The barrel vault is painted, with lunettes at the windows. The terracotta portal is on the main facade, to the north. The side entrance opens on the east side.

The four side chapels are dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the Madonna, the Madonna of the Rosary and Saint Joseph. In the Madonna chapel is the baptistery with a stone base and walnut top, from the 17th century. The choir loft, set against the facade, holds an organ with seven stops. The high altar is in Trani stone. Its polychrome and gilded wooden altarpiece frames a canvas with the Dead Christ between Saint Peter and Saint Blaise. The bell tower has a clock.

Some of the church's works are kept at the Diocesan Museum of Camerino: a processional cross from 1583, a small wooden statue of the Virgin and Child from 1600, a 15th-century wooden statue of Saint Sebastian and the French print "Così va il mondo" ("That's how the world goes"), from 1664.

How to visit the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio

Because of the serious damage suffered in 2016, the interior may not be accessible. Before setting out, it is advisable to ask the Comune di Caldarola (town hall) or the parish about the progress of the work and whether entry is possible. For the works that have been moved, check the opening times of the Museo Diocesano di Camerino.

Where the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio is located

The church is in Colle, one of the two parts of Valcimarra, a hamlet of the municipality of Caldarola. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche.

Around the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio in Caldarola

In Valle stands the church of Sant'Antonio. Above the hamlet is the sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso, which according to legend hides the cave of the Sibilla Cimaria. The sanctuary is temporarily closed because of earthquake damage.

The municipality has other churches damaged by the earthquake, such as the Church of Santi Gregorio e Valentino (Caldarola) and the Church of Santi Martino e Giorgio (Caldarola), in Vestignano. Other places of worship are gathered on the page on churches of the Sibillini Mountains.