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Church of Our Lady of the Pass in Montelibretti: a rural chapel along the Way of Saint Francis
The Church of the Madonna del Passo is located at the crossroads between the Via Salaria and the historic centre of Montelibretti, along an ancient route that is now part of the Via di Francesco (Way of Saint Francis). This 14th-century chapel was dedicated to the protection of travellers and pilgrims. It is small with a gabled profile, consisting of a single rectangular hall, and a modest bell tower.
Centuries of conflict, then destroyed by bombing
The church survived clashes between papal gendarmes and brigands, as well as the Battle of October 13, 1867, when Garibaldian volunteers led by Menotti Garibaldi entered the village and faced up to the Papal Zouaves in the Castle’s alleyways. In 1944, aerial bombing reduced it to rubble, with only a portion of the wall featuring the fresco of the Madonna and Child being spared. In 1947 the local community and clergy promoted its restoration; a plaque on the lintel commemorates its rebuilding.
The rediscovered fresco
The image of the Madonna and Child, attributed to the 14th-15th century, had remained hidden under candle soot and layers of mould. Through the efforts of Don Domenico Ugolini, the Diocese, and the Confraternity of San Nicola, it was restored and returned to public worship.
