Chiesa di San Paolo

The church of San Paolo stands at the heart of Pastena, a hillside hamlet of Massa Lubrense. Its single nave contains marble altars and devotional paintings associated with several generations of local patronage.

Why it matters

Pastena acquired its own parish in 1613 after earlier dependence on Sant'Agata. The church, also associated with the joint dedication to Saints Peter and Paul, became a focus of the hamlet's religious identity.

What to notice

The high altar of 1710 is made of polychrome marble and is associated with a painting of the Princes of the Apostles. Family arms on other devotional works recall the Vicedomini and Cacace patrons. A painting of San Francesco di Paola is attributed to the school of Guido Reni, not securely to the master himself.

A plaque recalling Queen Margherita's visit connects the church with the public history of the square outside.

Context and history

The church and sacristy were enlarged in 1747. An inscription records consecration in 1847, a later milestone than the parish's foundation. A statue of the Madonna delle Grazie was transferred here following the suppression of the Deserto convent in 1810, connecting Pastena with another religious site in the surrounding hills.