Church of purgatory, Monopoli

The church of Purgatory officially known as the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Suffraggio is located on Via Argento and very close to the Monopoli Cathedral. The church was built in the 17th Century, after the Protestant Reformation argued ideas such as Purgatory. Among the contested ideas was the notion of purgatory, thought to be a “place of cleansing” for those who have sinned and not yet received full forgiveness for their acts.

As a result, Catholics constructed purgatory churches, as a form of reaffirmation of the idea. The church is dedicated to the passage of life to death, and is a place where people could pray for those who were in limbo so that they could go to heaven.

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Suffraggio has an interesting backstory. The Confraternity of the Intercession for the Souls of Purgatory (a catholic brotherhood organization) had formed and had offices in the cathedral. On September 20, 1686, the cathedral's bell tower collapsed and fell on surrounding houses, killing 40 people. The confraternity bought the land and set about to build a church in memory of those who perished. The confraternity took on the decoration of the church as well, bringing in the painting of the Madonna del Suffragio from Napoli, by artist Paolo de Matteis, to place behind the altar. But despite this and other works, the main feature isn't the art but the collection of skull and cross-bones motifs carved and engraved all over the church.

View of the front of the church.

The main entrance.

The two central figures in the wooden door are two skeletons, mirror images of each other, holding what looks like a mat.

The engraved borders surrounding the doorway are patterned with skulls, incongruously intertwined with more traditional flowers and branches.

The symbolism of death that greets visitors at every turn is thought to be a warning of the suffering and pain of purgatory awaiting those who sin without repentance.

The church is in form of a Latin cross with five altars.

On the high altar is a painting by the Neapolitan Paolo De Matteis, depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel

A child mummy wearing a frilly white frock and kept in a display case against the wall.

Mummies dating to the 18th and 19th century, who were founding members of the church, local administrators. The mummies are dressed in robes and displayed in cabinets.