Chiesa di San Montano

Why it matters

The parish church of San Montano in Roccaporena dates to the thirteenth century and predates the life of Rita of Cascia. Local tradition associates the church with her marriage to Paolo Mancini. Romanesque architecture and later frescoes preserve the religious history of the village.

What to notice

The gabled facade has two portals. Inside, the Romanesque nave is roofed with cross vaults, and a Renaissance stone baptistery stands near the entrance. Fifteenth-century frescoes include a Madonna and Child, a Coronation of the Virgin and figures of saints, including Santa Rita.

Context and history

The church is dedicated to San Montano, a saint whose cult predates the Lotti family's time. Its thirteenth-century construction makes the building older than Rita's marriage, traditionally dated to around 1397. The parish served the village as a place of worship and burial. A sanctuary was built next to the church in 1948, changing the surrounding religious landscape.