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Chiesa di Sant'Antonio di Padova (Church of Saint Anthony of Padua): Built on the Remains of a Roman Necropolis
The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua stands in the historic centre of Arpino, at the top of a broad stone stairway. It dates back to the 13th century, and was built on top of the remains of a Roman necropolis. Originally built to house the Franciscans and dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the building has undergone a complete transformation over the centuries. The earthquake of 1654 almost entirely destroyed it. Seventy-three years were needed to rebuild it: the church was reconsecrated in 1727 and dedicated to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to St Anthony of Padua.
From Monastery to Prison
The building has a single nave with a barrel vault, whose decorations, extending through to the presbytery, are the work of the Neapolitan school of the 18th century. The adjacent monastery, however, followed a singular and decidedly less sacred path. After passing through the hands of various religious orders, it was requisitioned at the end of the 19th century and converted into the town's prison.
Artworks and Devotion
The church boasts the The Vesting of Saint Anthony (Vestizione di Sant'Antonio) by the Cavalier d'Arpino, a Mannerist master born in this town. The most striking work is the wooden crucifix by Michele Stoltz: a starkly realistic Tyrolean carving. On 13 June of each year it is carried in procession by the Confraternity, which distributes the traditional “pane dei poveri” (bread of the poor).
