Monteverde

Monteverde

The first recorded bishop of Monteverde is Masio (or Maio), mentioned in the decree of canonisation of Gerard, Bishop of Toul, dated 2 May 1050. In 1175 Monteverde was recognised as a suffragan diocese of Conza. A fascinating chapter in its history is its link with the see of Nazareth. After the Muslim conquest of Palestine in 1187, the Archbishop of Nazareth took refuge in Barletta, where he was given the church of Santa Maria. Although far from its homeland, the see continued to exist, and in 1534 Pope Paul III united the diocese of Monteverde with it. The diocese of Monteverde was suppressed in 1818 and its territory merged with that of the diocese of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi and Bisaccia.

Among the objects on display from this diocese, we focus on the oil painting on canvas portraying the Archpriest Don Nicola Maria Gervasio, an interesting record of 19th-century clerical dress.

Also from Monteverde, from the Chapel of San Nicola, comes the statue of St John the Baptist. It dates from the 18th century and is made of carved and painted wood.