The Oratorio of San Pellegrino, located in Bominaco, Abruzzo, is a remarkable example of medieval religious art and architecture, built in 1263 by Abbot Teodino. It was part of a larger monastic complex alongside the Romanesque church of Santa Maria Assunta, originally established in the 8th century and connected to Charlemagne, who endowed the site with lands to honor Saint Pellegrino, a Syrian martyr. The oratory, declared a national monument in 1902, is a rectangular structure with a barrel-vaulted nave. Its modest exterior includes a 17th-century pronaos, rosette windows, and a campanile a vela.
Inside, the oratory is famous for its extraordinary medieval frescoes, which cover the walls entirely. These frescoes include cycles depicting the life of Christ, the Passion, the Judgment Day, stories of Saint Pellegrino, and the Bominaco Calendar, a unique medieval depiction of the months with symbolic figures and zodiac signs. The frescoes blend Byzantine traditions with local Abruzzese styles and French Gothic influences, showcasing bold colors, expressive gestures, and dynamic compositions. The Annunciation, Last Supper, and Emmaus scenes display vivid realism and emotional depth, while the Judgment Day illustrates a fragmented but powerful depiction of salvation and damnation. The calendar serves as a liturgical and pedagogical tool, linking the spiritual with the natural cycles of the year. The oratory, nestled in a hillside setting, is a masterpiece of medieval art, offering insight into the spiritual and cultural life of 13th-century Abruzzo and rivaling pre-Giotto works in Tuscany.
- Address
Via Antonio de dominicis, Bominaco AQ, Italy - Web
https://www.parrocchiabominacocaporciano.it/ - Visiting Hours
Summer from Wednesday to Monday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00. Winter from Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00. - What to see
Ashtonishing medieval frescoes
