Complex consisting of a church with bell tower and a building used in the past as a hospital. The tower has two floors with access from the currently walled up lazaretto; at the top of the Tower there is a bell tower with a single arch. In the church there are: a stoup placed on a granite column, a plaque commemorating the restoration which took place in 1952, a fresco at the entrance, an eighteenth-century altar in local stone which was created by the sculptor Nicolò Buonpensiero in 1770 and on the apse the ancient painting depicting Christ, St. John the Baptist and the Madonna, known as the Eternal Father, from which the church receives its title.
The church has a single nave with an adjoining small room used as a sacristy. The vaults are barrel vaults with lunettes except in the presbytery area where they are vaulted separated by arches; on the left of the altar there was a small shrine of the Madonna of Corsignano stolen by unknown persons.
The lazaretto, used as such during the plagues of 1478, 1503 and 1528, is inaccessible and in any case in a poor state of conservation. In front of the complex there is a large square. From studies conducted by Dr. Michele Bonserio we learn that in the past the church was dedicated to S. Maria di Corsignano and was its first residence until the beginning of the 18th century.
in the past the church was incorporated into the Corsignano farmhouse and attached to it there was a Benedictine convent. Founded in 1269, this farmhouse, existing in Roman times, is mentioned for the first time in historical documents from 1131.
This church must have been built in the second half of the 12th century, but its oldest testimony is given by a parchment dated 1295. It is strongly linked to the tradition of the donation of a painting of the Madonna with Child, later called by the common people of Corsignano, which today is found in the Cathedral of Giovinazzo.
Damaged in 1529 by the infamous Caracciolo, it was then restored at the time of Bishop Briziano. Once again reduced to ruins in the 18th century, it was rebuilt and reopened for worship in 1814 thanks to the interest of its rector, the priest Don Raffaele Sagarriga, as can be seen from an inscription placed inside the bell tower. For centuries, people have been going on pilgrimage in the early hours of the morning on August 6th each year, on the anniversary of the Transfiguration of our Lord. The church belongs to the Cathedral Chapter.
It is accessed by taking the Giovinazzo – Terlizzi provincial road (SP 107), taking the Padre Eterno road on the left and continuing on the left you will find the small church.
Translated by Google •
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