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Chiesa Santa Croce in Castelliri: a church born again
In the heart of Castelliri, on a hilltop about 20 km from Frosinone, the parish church of the Holy Cross is the centre and symbol of the local community. The original church was razed to the ground by the earthquake of 13 January 1915, one of the most devastating in central Italy. The present building was erected in 1937, and has welcomed its faithful for nearly ninety years.
Things to see
The church stands opposite Piazza Marconi, and contains two features that alone make the visit worthwhile. The first, on the high altar, is the statue of Santa Maria Salome (St Mary Salome), patron saint of Castelliri: one of the three women who, according to the Gospels, found Christ’s tomb empty on Easter morning. The second is a rock-crystal cross from the late 16th century, commissioned by Cardinal Cesare Baronio, containing two splinters of wood from the Cross of Christ. Twice a year, on 22 October and on Easter Monday (Lunedì in Albis), the community carries the statue of the patron saint in procession through the streets of the village: a tradition that has been alive for centuries.
The 2023 restoration
After being closed for three months, in June 2023 the church was reopened for worshipping, revamped from roof to floor, in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Gerardo Antonazzo.
