The Church of San Francesco da Paola, known locally as the Chiesa dell’Addolorata due to its famous wooden statue that inspires popular devotion, is situated on the central Piazza Rossetti. Its beautiful Neoclassical façade, designed in the mid-19th century by architect Silvestro Benedetti, features two orders of pilasters that resemble semi-columns supporting the pediment. A…
San Cesario holds a significant place in the devotion and folklore of the people of Vasto. His relics are displayed in a glass case within the crypt beneath the altar of Santa Maria Maggiore. This crypt was constructed in the mid-19th century based on a design by Nicola Maria Pietrocola. The remains of the martyr…
The relics of San Teodoro the Martyr, now displayed in a case within the Church of Carmine, arrived in Vasto on December 4, 1751, in a solemn procession. They were a gift to the city from Marquis Diego II d’Avalos. The remains of the saint, who was acclaimed as the new patron saint by the…
The Church of Maria Santissima del Carmine stands on a site that once housed a smaller chapel dedicated to San Nicola of Myra, dating back to the 14th century. Though replaced by the elegant Baroque structure seen today, San Nicola’s legacy endures in an altar dedicated to him within the church. San Nicola held deep…
The Palazzo del Carmine, as it stands today, was built in 1738 alongside the renovation of the adjacent church. By the mid-17th century, a convent already occupied the site, likely adapted from earlier structures. It became home to the Lucchesi fathers, invited to Vasto by Marquis Diego d’Avalos to establish a college dedicated to educating…
The Holy Thorn is directly connected to the d’Avalos family, lords of Vasto, particularly Ferrante Francesco II d’Avalos, who served as the Spanish King Philip II’s delegate to the Council of Trent between 1545 and 1563. For his exceptional service, the nobleman from Vasto was granted the Thorn, with a papal bull from Pope Pius…
We enter the church through the vestibule, passing the stunning bronze doors created by sculptor Antonio Di Spalatro for the Jubilee Year 2000. From here, we step to the left into the central nave, walking beneath the choir loft, where a magnificent organ—crafted by Ponziano Bevilacqua in the early 20th century—stands. Below the loft, at…
In Santa Maria Maggiore, traces of the past dating back to the early centuries of Christianity are visible, representing the oldest core of the medieval city. This area was once part of the “castellum,” the nucleus of urban revival after the depopulation following the Gothic War in the sixth century. By 427, a church dedicated…
The D’Avalos family, likely of Visigothic origin, arrived in Italy as part of Alfonso I of Aragon’s entourage. They distinguished themselves through military prowess, diplomatic skill, and loyalty to the Crown—qualities that ensured they maintained a prominent role in both Italian and European politics of the time. The brothers Innico, Alfonso, and Rodrigo, sons of…
Since 1986, the Golden Fleece ceremony has been held annually in Vasto, bringing the city’s streets to life. Participants, dressed in elaborate and colorful 18th-century costumes, take part in two processions. One group represents the d’Avalos family and other influential families of the time, while the other portrays the Colonna family and their entourage. Once…