Church of Sant'Andrea (Montemonaco)

History of the Church of Sant'Andrea

A church of Sant'Andrea di Montemonaco already appears in the Rationes decimarum, the medieval lists of churches in the diocese of Fermo that paid tithes to the Apostolic See. In one of the old pastoral visits, the parish church of Sant'Andrea in the district of Altino was served by a rector who did not live in the parish because there was no rectory. There were about twenty local families.

Today's building was put up in 1946, just after the war, with the stones of the old church of the same name, which dated from around the 15th-16th century. The whole village took part: four priests gave money, some residents donated the land or the furnishings, others handled transport, and those with nothing to give worked as laborers. The veterans of World War II wanted the small chapel and the statue of the Madonna, to thank her for their return home.

The earthquake pulled the facade away from the walls, overturned the pediment and cracked the apse. After repair and restoration work, the church reopened on April 11, 2026.

What to see in the Church of Sant'Andrea

The building stands out for its solid stone structure and its gabled roof with exposed wooden beams. Inside, the baptismal font is made of stone and is circular. It recalls the tomb of Jesus and, according to the bishop, also the womb of Mother Church. The small chapel and the statue of the Madonna, in turn, tell of the devotion of the postwar veterans. At the reopening the bell was still missing.

How to visit the Church of Sant'Andrea

The church is a place of worship back in use after its restoration, so visitors should respect the services.

Where the Church of Sant'Andrea is

The church stands in Altino, a hamlet of the municipality of Montemonaco, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Marche region.

Around the Church of Sant'Andrea

After the earthquake, the bell of Sant'Andrea was moved to safety in the Museo di Arte Sacra in Montemonaco. In the village, the public gardens preserve remains of the old castle walls. The same municipality also has the Casa Gioiosa Chapel (Montemonaco). Other places of worship in the area are on the page about the churches of the Sibillini Mountains.