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Church of Our Lady of Mercy in Cantalice: charity and a story to tell
The Church of the Madonna della Misericordia (Our Lady of Mercy) is located in the historic centre of Cantalice, a hilltop village in the Reatini Mountain range at 660m above sea level, 11 km north of Rieti. The church is the seat of a confraternity whose name says it all: "Compagnia della Buona Morte" (Company of the Good Death). Small, with a single nave, it has seen centuries of hands-on assistance provided to the most vulnerable - the sick, orphans, widows - and help to those who had neither the financial means nor the physical strength to bury their loved ones.
A confraternity not afraid to get its hands dirty
The municipal archive contains documents dating back to 1811: requests for the smallest alms to cover the greatest needs. Until just a few decades ago the confraternity was still active and took care of everything — from burying the poor to assisting the suffering, as attested by its statutes.
What you can see inside
Inside, a statue of the Virgin Mary stands, she is also depicted in the fresco on the main altar. On the triumphal arch, a cycle of paintings illustrates episodes from the life of Mary: her marriage to Joseph, the Visitation, Annunciation, Pentecost, discovery of the empty tomb and Ascension.
Practical information
The church can be reached by climbing the stone stairway that cuts through the village — 350 steps with medieval houses on the left and right, and views over the Rieti plain.
