Congrega di Santa Maria delle Grazie

The Congregation of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Holy Mary of Graces) is a place of interest located in the historic centre of Parolise, a town in Irpinia.

Built in 1827, from 1829 to 1977 it was the seat of the Confraternity of Maria SS. delle Grazie, a brotherhood of the faithful established not only for religious purposes, but also to tackle social issues and provide mutual aid. The Church was also a meeting place in the event of emergency: if a bell was rung at any time, the Brothers were obliged to rush to that place and organise themselves to provide aid in the event of disasters. 
Restored after the earthquake of 23 November, 1980, it took on the role of Mother Church, since the Church of San Vitaliano Vescovo was unusable, and was used to carry out parish functions for almost a decade.

Today, the building still preserves extensive documentation, consisting of mortgages on loans, minutes, and regulations that represent cross-sections of daily life in the small Irpinian town. Two stones remain on the floor that block access to a cemetery crypt, a small room housing niches where the dead were placed in a seated position, so as to speed up the embalming process. Finally, numerous papier-mâché statues dating back to the period between the 18th and 19th centuries are kept inside the Church, along with a crucifix from 1830 that has deteriorated due to the passage of time and unfavourable weather conditions.

The Congregation of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Holy Mary of Graces) still remains one of the historical, religious, and cultural symbols of the Parolise community.