Chiesa di San Vito

The Church of Saint Vitus is the parish landmark of Acquara, on the western flank of Massa Lubrense's Deserto hill. Founded in 1674, it has a single nave beneath a dome, an 18th-century polychrome-marble altar and paintings including a 1736 work by Antonio Fumo.

Why it matters

The parish of Acquara was instituted in 1674 by Bishop Monsignor Neri. The church became the centre of the hamlet, whose name is associated with the waters descending from the Deserto hill.

What to notice

The church has a single nave with an apse and dome. Its 18th-century high altar is made of polychrome marble. A painting in the tribune depicts the Madonna with Saint Vitus and Saint Michael the Archangel. The left altar holds a wooden statue of the Madonna of the Rosary. On the altar of the Holy Family is a 1736 painting by Antonio Fumo showing the Holy Family with Saints Nicholas and Januarius.

Context and history

The bell tower was rebuilt in 1903 at the direction of parish priest Ruggiero. An altar first dedicated to the souls in purgatory was later consecrated to the Sacred Heart; another altar, dedicated to Saint Joseph and the Holy Family, was erected in 1746. A path toward the Deserto begins beside the church.