The Church of Santa Maria Assunta

The beautiful village of Civita is known not only for its many historical and scenic beauties, but also for being an ancient Arbëreshë community that has managed to keep its identity roots firmly intact.
In Civita, East and West meet, cultures intertwine and the community lives in perfect balance between historical past and present.

Among the symbols that most bring the traveller closer to the values of this culture is the church of Santa Maria Assunta, one of the most important churches of Byzantine construction and rite, a rite still celebrated today with great pride and spirituality.

The church stands in the main square of the village, dates back to the second half of the 17th century and was built with a precise purpose: to gather all the faithful who, before it was built, worshipped the Assumption in the many small chapels scattered around the village (some of which are still visible today).

For this reason, the church of Santa Maria Assunta is also known as the 'Chiesa Nuova'.

One enters through the large central doorway located on the façade, between the two smaller side doors: the doorway is surmounted by a splayed arch that houses a medallion with a mosaic of Saint Blaise, co-patron saint of the community.

The building is large and consists of three naves and a bell tower with a clock made in 1896.

The interior of the church is decorated in late 17th-century taste. The naves house Baroque altars and sculptures in niches and are further decorated with icons, beautiful polychrome mosaics and 19th-century frescoes by Giovanni Capaccio depicting the Immaculate Conception, St Blaise, Our Lady of the Rosary, St Dominic, St Catherine and the Trinity.

But the certainly most characteristic part of the structure, and one that deserves an in-depth look, is the iconostasis.

This element is typical of Byzantine churches and is a dividing structure that separates the part where the faithful stand from the part where the priests stand during the celebration of the rite.

The iconostasis of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta dates back to 1988, when Papàs Antonio Trupo worked to replace the previous Latin altar.

The structure is made of walnut and olive wood and is decorated with icons of Christ Pantocrator and the Virgin Odigitria, painted by master iconographer Alfonso Caccese, and 12 icons made by an Athenian iconographic school. Byzantine iconostases usually have three doors: the central one called the Royal Door through which only the celebrant can pass and two others reserved for the deacon and the rest of the clergy, a pattern that we also find here.

Another special and noteworthy element is the large and beautiful chandelier placed right in front of the iconostasis, in the area of the vima (i.e. where the celebrants perform the functions of the rite). The artefact dates back to the 16th century and further enhances this area of the church, giving it the prominence it deserves.

All these features combined with its profound symbolic and cultural significance make the Church of Santa Maria Assunta one of the most significant places to visit during a stay in the charming village of Civita.