Church of St. Michael the Archangel

Address: Piazza M.Capuani, 64023 Mosciano Sant'Angelo

The church of St. Michael the Archangel has a single nave with a barrel vault and a semicircular apse. Entirely made of bricks, the church has six feet thick walls, which were obtained in the side altars and niches that must have housed the statues of the Saints. The simplicity of the interior is highlighted by decorative pilasters. Outstanding are the paintings of the apse, which were carried out in 1931 by the local artist Francesco Patella. On the outer wall of the south side, it is possible to see the arc of a portal, which makes people believe that the main entrance was facing the square called Largo del Castello, the old part of the village, and that the old floor was higher than it is at present.

In the period between 1911 and 1914, designed by Cav. Emidio De Florentiis, the niches of the saints and the balustrade were placed near the main altar, while a brick balustrade with two lanterns, which still exists today, was built outside. Subsequently, between 1929 and 1931, the church of St. Michael the Archangel was restored by the archpriest Don Ercole Marcacci. The high altar and the altars of the side chapels were entirely rebuilt. Even the floor, previously in brick, was rebuilt with  marble tiles, because the old one was showing signs of slowing down. But the most important measure of the restoration of that period was the complete reconstruction of the main facade of the mother church, which had a central door and a square window of little architectural interest.

A carved stone portal was built with a project of Patella. On the above lunette the local artist painted the image of St. Michael the Archangel and a beautiful altarpiece. Finally, the square window became a handsome rose window surrounded by a frame of carved stone. A new restructuring was implemented in 1967, but almost all restorations were carried out in a way suitable to the style of the church. Inside, the floor was redone and all the altars were demolished, including the central and the beautiful marble balustrade that separated the apse from the rest of the church. Then, to follow the new provisions of the Second Vatican Council, in place of the old marble altar was built the new altar in the center of the apse itself. Designed by Fausto Marini, the altar, the lectern and the tabernacle were made of white Carrara marble, and designed by Antide Di Matteo, the door of the tabernacle was made of copper. The mother church was closed for some time, from 1967 to 1973, until, thanks to the Archpriest Fr Joseph Picchini, the work was completed and the church was reopened for worship.