The Church of the Annunziata in Sant’Angelo Le Fratte, dating from the 17th-18th centuries, is a small jewel of sacred architecture, characterized by a single nave and a central altar with a niche. Before the 1980 earthquake, the church was topped by a pitched roof and a tiny two-sloped bell tower. After restoration work completed in 1986, under the leadership of engineer Pasquale Paolo Ruggiero, the church was given an original roof and a more modern bell tower, but still retains three historic bells. The left bell comes from the convent of Santa Maria dell’Alleluia, demolished in 1948; the right bell belonged to the church of San Nicola; while the central bell, the largest, originated from the Church of the Annunziata itself.
Inside the church are several works of great artistic value, all from the Neapolitan school. Prominent among them is the statuary group of the Pieta, an evocative work of high drama that captures the eye because of its emotional intensity. There is also a clothed statue of the Virgin, with jointed limbs, and the statue of St. Lucy, both representative of the village’s artistic and religious tradition. The Church of the Annunziata is a place of great spirituality and testimony to the rich cultural heritage of Sant’Angelo Le Fratte.
