The historic parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie is in urgent need of restoration, and the parish priest, Don Carmine Autorino, has launched an appeal to the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano. In a detailed letter, the priest, who took up his post in the municipality on the outskirts of Naples on October 1, outlined the interventions needed to make all the spaces of the church accessible. The estimated cost of these works is around two million euros, a sum that the parish community cannot afford alone.
“I open my heart to you, a man of culture and great humanity. It is admirable that you are able to pay attention to everything, you have demonstrated it by following the true culture and the visits and works to our sites everywhere. For this reason I am writing to you together with my priest collaborators and the pastoral and economic affairs council of the parish”, we read in the letter sent to Sangiulian.
Don Carmine Autorino emphasizes that for at least three decades no ordinary or extraordinary maintenance has been carried out on the entire place of worship, nor any restoration work has been done on the monumental mother church of the city. This building, an architectural work by the famous architect Giuseppe Astarita, a student of Vanvitelli, dates back to the 18th century and represents a historical heritage of inestimable value.
The letter also recalls that the 250th anniversary of the church's opening to worship, which took place on Christmas night 1775, is approaching. This important milestone makes it even more urgent to preserve and restore the structure, so that it can continue to be a place of worship and culture for future generations.
Article published on 12 June 2024 - 18:44
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