The Sanctuary of Madonna di Carpineto, located in the ceramists’ district of Rapino, was built in the 17th century following the apparition of the Virgin to a shepherd in a forest of hornbeams. Initially, it was a small chapel, later expanded in late Baroque style, featuring a tripartite façade, lateral portals with stone cornices, and a neoclassical bell tower. The interior consists of three naves separated by square pillars, with a barrel-vaulted ceiling adorned with tempera frescoes. A white marble staircase at the back leads to a niche housing the statue of the Virgin.
In 1786, during a severe drought, the townspeople prayed for the Virgin’s intercession, and on May 8, the long-awaited rain arrived, solidifying her devotion. Since then, the church has become a major pilgrimage site, preserving ex-votos, although many were sold during renovations in the 1950s-60s. Historically, the church belonged to the Monastery of San Salvatore a Maiella, serving as a monastic cell since 1066, before passing to the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Chieti in 1563.
- Address
Via Madonna di Carpineto, Rapino, Italy - Web
None - Visiting Hours
Unknown - What to see
Statue of Madonna di Carpineto
