Church of Santa Lucia (Castelsantangelo sul Nera)

History of the Church of Santa Lucia

The church was built at the beginning of the 13th century. In 1253 it was already listed among the churches donated to the Abbey of Sant'Eutizio, near Preci, by Bishop Accoramboni. In the mid-16th century it was renovated and enlarged. This is recorded by the inscription on the lintel of the entrance portal, which bears the date 1548.

What to see in the Church of Santa Lucia

The interior has a single nave and a flat apse supported by transverse arches. It keeps canvases and wooden statues from different periods, including works dedicated to Saint Lucy and Saint Anthony Abbot. On the back wall of the apse is a fresco of the Annunciation, in which Saint Lucy appears beside Saints Peter and Paul.

The same subject returns in a late 17th-century canvas, "Saint Lucy with Saints Peter and Paul". When it was taken in for restoration, the canvas was in very poor condition. The restoration project has now been completed.

How to visit the Church of Santa Lucia

After the 2016 earthquake the bell tower was consolidated with steel banding (2017). The works kept inside were recovered and moved to safety. The hamlet is also affected by post-earthquake reconstruction sites. Before traveling to Rapegna, it is therefore best to ask the Comune (town hall) or the parish whether the church can be visited.

Where the Church of Santa Lucia is

The church stands in Rapegna, a hamlet of Castelsantangelo sul Nera, in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region. The village lies at about 750 m above sea level. The valley above it climbs to 1,200 m and is described as being of considerable scenic interest.

Around the Church of Santa Lucia

The municipality of Castelsantangelo sul Nera has other places of worship. They include the parish church of San Vittorino and the Benedictine monastery of San Liberatore, with a 12th-century church. In the monastery's inner chapel the apse area is entirely frescoed. The source of the Nera river is also in the municipality. Other religious buildings in the area are gathered on the page about the churches of the Sibillini Mountains.