In the heart of Capracotta, on one of the highest points of the Apennines, stands the Church of Santa Maria in Cielo Assunta, a historic parish church and spiritual symbol of the Molise village. Its origins date back to the 15th century, but its present appearance is due to a reconstruction begun in 1657 to a design by Carlo Piazzoli da Pigra, completed after nearly 80 years. The church was consecrated for the first time, still incomplete, on October 7, 1723 by the bishop of Telese, Msgr. Francesco Baccari, a native of Capracotta itself.
The building, in late Baroque style with Renaissance elements and 18th-century southern Italian innovations, is distinguished by its three 35-meter-long naves and no less than 10 side altars. Prominent among them are wooden statues of saints and the Madonna, works of refined devotion. Added to these are the oratory of the former Confraternity of the Visitation and Death, the chapel of St. Philomena, and the modern rectory, now home to local schools.
Among the masterpieces housed inside are the 1754 high altar by Biagio Salvato, with a precious antependium depicting the Assumption, the ancient inlaid wooden baptistery dating from the 14th-15th centuries, and the walnut choir, hidden behind the majestic altar. Also notable is the monumental organ, known as the “Principalone,” decorated in pure gold by the D’Onofrio brothers between 1750 and 1780.
The artistic heritage also includes a sculpture of the Visitation by Giacomo Colombo, a painting of the Last Supper attributed to Francesco Solimena, and frescoes by Capracottese painter Giovanni Leo Paglione, which decorate the transept vaults with scenes of the Annunciation, Pentecost, and the Battle of Lepanto.
Architectural features include the 1589 bell tower, 17 meters high, and the ancient carved stone side portal. Also valuable are the reliquaries that hold the remains of numerous saints, including St. Sebastian and St. Cristanziano, the ancient patron saint of the town.
In addition to its artistic value, the church was awarded the title of “Insigne Collegiata” between 1749 and 1899, with a chapter composed of 12 religious, testimony to its historical and religious importance to the community.