The Church of Santa Maria a Castro and the Convent of San Domenico

On the slopes of Monte Sant’Angelo at Tre Pizzi, just a few kilometres from our boutique hotel, is the Church of Santa Maria a Castro, with the adjoining Convent of San Domenico. The complex stands at a suggestive point on the mountain (at an altitude of 364 metres above sea level), from which it is possible to enjoy a spectacular panoramic view that embraces the village of Vettica Maggiore, Positano, the island of lì Galli and the island of Capri. The place is a mystical refuge whose essential elements blend into the splendour of the surrounding nature, uniting the human and the divine.

Regarding the origins of the place of worship, there is indeed no precise information. What is certain, however, is that it must date back a long way, given the presence of a stone altar, interpreted by scholars as a pagan altar. A local tradition has it that the church was built following a mysterious apparition of the Virgin to a humble local peasant girl. In this regard, a document from 1848 states that ‘the church was built because the image of the Blessed Virgin of Graces was found there, which can currently be seen painted in the factory on the altar of the nave‘. The earliest written record is an act dated 2 October 1599, stipulated between the University of Praiano and Vettica Maggiore (which owned the Church of Santa Maria a Castro ad antiguo), by which the University granted the Dominican Friars the church, undertaking to build the adjoining convent.

Santa Maria a Castro is the only church on the Amalfi Coast with five naves (built in various stages). Inside, for centuries an image commonly known as the Madonna delle Grazie has been venerated for the thaumaturgic value it has always been given. It is a precious fresco painting preserved in the apsidal area of the left aisle. The work has two orders: the upper register is occupied by the hieratic image of the Blessing Christ, of clear Byzantine derivation, flanked by the figures of Saints Peter and Paul and angels; the lower part by the enthroned Virgin and Child, framed in a canopy and surrounded by angels and saints. Scholars have pointed out that the fresco, although anonymous, reveals an artistic personality immersed in the cultural climate of Renaissance southern Italy.

The Convent of San Domenico, attached to the church, is on two levels. On the ground floor there is a refectory and cistern, while on the first floor there are four cells, a kitchen and an oven. Of particular interest is the interplay of the roofing vaults on the first floor, which, among other things, feature a double order of vaults, a widespread system in the Amalfi area.

The complex is located along the Sentiero degli Dei (Gods’ Path), one of the most beautiful nature trails in the world, which starts in Agerola, more precisely in the hamlet of Bomerano, or Praiano, and ends in Nocelle, a small hamlet of Positano nestled on the slopes of Mount Pertuso. The name of the route is not accidental, because walking along it you will really feel as if you were walking in paradise.

The Luminaria Festival, an ancient tradition of Praiano’s rich historical and cultural heritage, is dedicated to Saint Dominic. It is celebrated every year from 1 to 4 August and is aimed at recreating the dream of St Dominic’s mother who, shortly before giving birth, dreamt of a dog with a torch in its mouth setting the world on fire, a metaphor for the universal spread of God’s word. The festival involves all citizens, who decorate terraces, windows, gardens, streets, courtyards and domes of houses with unique wax illuminations.

A more recent and fascinating initiative is I Suoni degli Dei (Sounds of the Gods), a series of classical and contemporary music concerts held in the churchyard of Santa Maria a Castro and among the ruins of ancient rock dwellings. Each event also includes a walking tour departing from Praiano, Agerola and Positano.

Featured Photo © Angela Mammato