Lett35

LETTOMANOPPELLO

Pg. 35

Page 25 (people/places 2003)
Page 26 (new hotel - La Noce)
Page 27 (people/places 2003)
Page 28 (people/places 2003)
Page 29 (Nino Di Pietrantonio)
Page 30 (people/places 2003)
Page 31 (Anagrafe / Stato Civile)
Page 32 (people/places 2004)
Page 33 (people/places 2004)
Page 34 (people/places 2004)
Page 35 (Church of S. Nicola 2005)
Page 36 for future construction

Page 1 (history/photos)
Page 2 (history/photos)
Page 3 (history/photos)
Page 4 (photos)
Page 5 (photos)
Page 6 (photos)
Page 7 (photos: festa)
Page 8 (stone-sculpting)
Page 9 (Iconicella)
Page 10 (people/places)
Page 11 (people/places)
Page 12 (festa 2000)

Page 13 (Marcinelle)
Page 14 (Marcinelle)
Page 15 (people/places 2001)
Page 16 (people/places 2001)
Page 17 (people/places 2001)
Page 18 (people/places 2001)
Page 19 (people/places 2001)
Page 20 (sculpting school)
Page 21 (fonte)
Page 22 (old photos)
Page 23 (history)
Page 24 (street map)

THE RESTORED CHURCH OF SAN NICOLA

In June 2005 restoration of the baroque Church of San Nicola, where so many of our immigrant ancestors were baptised and married, was completed and the church was reopened, after having been closed for 21 years due to earthquake damage. Photos on this page were provided by Connie Brun, who took them in June 2005; thank you Connie.

Above left and above right: Connie Brun photos of the newly restored exterior of the church, June 2005. Bottom left picture is from the Comune di Lettomanoppello website.

This sign on the church says: "In the month of May 1984 repeated seismic jolts produced significant damage to this parish church, aggravating previous damage. It remained closed for 21 long years while we experienced pastoral uneasiness and suffered long searches for help, living in hope of returning to pray at the altar of San Nicola di Bari. On the day of our Lord June 18, 2005, in the first year of the pontificate of his holiness Benedict the 16th, Monsignor Bruno Forte, archbishop of Chieti and Vasto reopened for worship the church of the patron saint. This miracle of rebirth came thanks to the union of free contribution of skills with financing from the State for the restoration of the structure and paintings, with a dioscesan subsidy and with the generous offerings of the faithful. The people of God in Lettomanoppello guided by parish priest Don Stefano Ricci render glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for centuries of centuries!"

Also on the exterior of the church, beside the entrance, is a wrought iron cross, surmounted by a sign which says "Passionist Missions 1930".

Looking up the main aisle toward the altar, behind which is a statue of San Nicola di Bari, the patron saint of Lettomanoppello.

At left: the statue of San Nicola di Bari. San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) was the Archbishop of Myrna in Turkey and he lived about 245 - 326 A.D. Devotion to Nicholas was well-established in the West and many miracles had been attributed to him before his corpse and relics were moved from Turkey to Bari in Italy in 1087. San Nicola was a patron saint of children; a French legend, depicted in the statue, tells of how he saved three children from death at the hands of a butcher. He is the basis for "Santa Claus."

At right: The white stone altar undoubtedly carved by a local sculptor, though we don't know which one.

At the opposite end of the church is the organ in its loft.

At left a statue of Christ. At right a statue of San Rocco, who was a French saint (St. Roch) who lived from 1295 - 1397. He was of noble birth but early developed a sympathy for the poor and sick. While on pilgrimage Roch encountered an area afflicted with plague. He stayed to minister to the sick, and he effected several miraculous cures, but contracted the plague himself. He walked into a forest to die, but was befriended by a dog. The dog fed him with food stolen from his master's table, and Roch eventually recovered. When Roch returned to France, he was charged with spying. He languished in jail for five years, never mentioning his noble conections, cared for by an angel until his death.

There are several statues of Mary in the church. Above left is Mary with Jesus. Above right is Maria Dolorosa, mourning the death of Jesus. Below left is apparently Maria Regina. Below right may also be a statue of Mary.

Sant'Antonio di Padova,the patron saint of children, poor people, prisoners, glass blowers, people who have lost something and barren women.

Painting in the church

Lu Lette Pg. 34

La Rocca Pg. 1