Sito dell'Assessorato alla Cultura, Turismo e Spettacolo del Comune di Piano di Sorrento
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Church of
the Holy Trinity
At the end of the Cavone climb, you reach this church, which represents another parish in Piano di Sorrento. It has three naves and an internal portico. Its construction dates back to 1543, thanks to the contributions of many faithful and especially the Califano family, who held the Jus patronatum for the appointment of chaplains.
In that year, Raffaele Califano and Nardello de Polo purchased a piece of land from the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Sorrento to build the new place of worship, on the condition that it would bear the name of the Holy Trinity.
On the beautiful external façade, the inscription "lateranensi basilicae aggregata" can be read, referring to its association with the Roman Basilica of St. John Lateran. This was done to avoid subjection to any jurisdiction other than that of the Apostolic See. Subsequently, the well-known confraternity of the Holy Trinity was established, which itself elected the parish priests.
In 1573, the Oratory of the Archconfraternity of Pilgrims and Convalescents was founded as an annex to the church.
In 1616, the relics of Saints Valerian, Abaudius, Servillianus, Castolus, Pontian, and Anastasia were brought to the church from the Jesuit Fathers’ church in Massa Lubrense, with a ceremony officiated by Archbishop Angrisani. The square-plan bell tower features a clock and a lateral portico, added in 1816 to provide shelter for the faithful.
Inside the Church of the Holy Trinity, behind the main altar (dated 1743) with its polychrome marble balustrade, there is a wooden choir and a painting of the Holy Trinity by artist Giuseppe Mancinelli, dating to 1871. The church has a Latin cross layout.
In the central nave, there is a pulpit with a polychrome marble canopy, originating from the Neapolitan church of San Francesco di Paola. The coffered ceiling is adorned with four splendid 18th-century paintings with finely crafted wooden frames, including the Holy Trinity attributed to Paolo De Matteis and Abraham Visited by Angels by painter Nicola Parise. The organ gallery, made of gilded and stuccoed wood in 17th-century Neapolitan Baroque style, is adorned with niches containing statues and paintings depicting St. Anastasia, St. Pontian, and King David.
In the left nave, there are two Venetian-style paintings: St. Andrew and The Resurrection by Leandro Bassano (1610). At the end of the right nave, there is the Nativity Chapel, featuring a wooden panel depicting the Nativity and the Adoration of the Shepherds, with a lunette portraying the Annunciation (1589), attributed to painter Giovanni Antonio D’Amato.
In the sacristy (accessed through an intricately carved stone portal), there is a 1612 painting by Bolognese artist Lavinia Fontana, depicting the Virgin and Child with St. Francis. Also in the sacristy, a showcase displays a set of sacred vestments made of silk embroidered with gold. Above the Chapel of the Crucifix hangs a 1743 painting by an unknown artist, depicting the Two Marys and St. John, alongside a crucifix carved by sculptor Giacomo Gallo in the 17th century.
In the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary (built in the early 18th century), there are fine marbles and a 16th-century wooden panel with a predella, transferred from the Abbey of San Pietro. It depicts the Madonna of the Rosary crowned by two angels and various saints surrounded by the 15 Mysteries, attributed to Giovan Bernardo Azzolini. In this church, on September 26, 1773, the coronation ceremony of the Madonna of the Rosary took place. On October 9, 1774, the Church of the Trinity became a parish under the authority of Archbishop Silvestro Pepe of Sorrento.
In 1957, a mosaic image of the Holy Trinity was placed on the church façade. On the right side of the church, there is a white marble handwashing basin dating back to the early 16th century.
How to reach it